QU OTD Curricular Threads

Future-ready education, built on values, innovation, and real-world application.

Curriculum Overview

Designed for those who want to lead with heart, learn with intention, and practice with purpose.

• Duration: 8 semesters (2 2/3 years), 107 credit hours
• Structure: Full-time, year-round program
• Delivery: Online coursework + on-campus immersion labs
• Format: Each 16-week semester divided into two mini-mesters

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduating change-makers who advance equity, inclusion, and the art of occupation.

At the end of the OTD program at Quincy University students will:

1. Develop a robust professional identity aligned with OT core values.

2. Integrate evidence-based and occupation-centered care in interprofessional settings.

3. Engage in ethical, reflective, and client-centered practice.

4. Lead and advocate for community health and occupational justice.

Quincy University Occupational Therapy Faculty

Mentors, Experts, and Leaders Shaping the Future of Occupational Therapy

Immersive Labs Overview

Hawk OTD Summit Labs

Where hybrid learning meets hands-on mastery—inspired by experience.

At Quincy University, we believe that meaningful learning happens when knowledge is applied in real-world contexts. That’s why our Hawk OTD Summit Labs are a cornerstone of the hybrid OTD experience.

These immersive, in-person labs take place twice per semester on our beautiful Quincy, IL campus and provide students with hands-on training, peer collaboration, and faculty mentorship in a dynamic and supportive environment.

What to Expect

Hands-on learning that transforms knowledge into confident clinical practice.

Each Summit Lab is designed to bring your online coursework to life. During these intensive sessions, you will:

• Apply clinical reasoning through simulation-based and hands-on activities
• Build competence with therapeutic tools, assessments, and interventions
• Engage in team-based learning and interprofessional collaboration
• Receive individualized feedback from experienced faculty and field practitioners
• Strengthen your identity as a future occupational therapist through occupation-centered practice
• Complete team building and service activities

Summit Labs are intentionally sequenced across the curriculum to match the developmental level of the student—from foundational skills to advanced practice and capstone dissemination.

Lab Format

Every detail matters: Immersive design for maximum impact.

Duration: 4 – 8 days per lab experience (held the first week and 7th week of each semester)

Schedule: Full-day immersive learning, typically 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Location: Quincy University’s state-of-the-art Health Sciences Labs

Activities: Skill labs, presentations, case-based learning, assistive technology exploration, clinical simulations, entrepreneurship in OT, and more

Faculty Mentorship & Community

Learning Side by Side: Expert guidance in a collaborative, supportive environment.

Our faculty don’t just teach—they mentor, coach, and collaborate. During Hawk OTD Summit Labs, you’ll work side by side with experts in areas such as neurorehabilitation, pediatrics, hand therapy, mental health, and community-based practice. These rich face-to-face interactions help build strong professional relationships and deepen your learning experience.

Planning Ahead

Resources for success—so you can focus on what matters most.

To support your success and confidence in attending Summit Labs, we provide advance resources including:

• Recommended lodging near campus
• Travel and transportation tips
• Sample lab schedules
• Packing lists and attire expectations
• Accessibility information and accommodations guidance
• Local dining and grocery options
• FAQs and student tips

These materials will be available before your first immersion to support smooth and confident planning.

A Transformational Experience

The Hawk OTD Summit Labs are more than just an academic requirement—they are a space for transformation. Here, students build not only technical competence but also the confidence, creativity, and collaboration skills that will carry them forward in clinical practice and leadership.

Clinical Education

Learn in context. Serve with impact. Grow through reflection.

Our program includes approximately 1,000 hours of fieldwork across multiple settings and populations. We prioritize partnerships with rural and underserved communities to ensure students experience the full breadth of OT practice. Students are supported through each fieldwork level by an experienced academic fieldwork coordinator and site fieldwork educators.

Fieldwork Highlights

Build Competence, Confidence, and Compassion—One Fieldwork at a Time

• Four Level I fieldwork placements integrated into didactic learning
• Two 12-week Level II fieldwork rotations
• Focus on reflective practice, occupational justice, and interprofessional collaboration

Doctoral Capstone Highlights

Your vision. Your voice. A project with lasting purpose.

Each student completes a 14-week capstone experience and project focused on an area of passion and practice innovation. Supported by a faculty mentor and a community partner, students develop, implement, and disseminate a project that contributes to the profession and addresses community-identified needs.

Capstone areas may include:

• Program development
• Advocacy and policy
• Education and training
• Emerging practice areas
• Research and scholarship

Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork and an individual 14-week capstone experience within 24 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework, Level II fieldwork and preparatory activities defined in 2023 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.

Admissions and How to Apply

Your Path Begins Here: Start your journey toward a purpose-driven OT career.

The QU OTD program uses OTCAS (Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service) for applications.

There are 2 pathways (1) Direct Admit for matriculating freshmen and (2) Standard Admit for students who have earned a bachelor’s degree. Find more information in our Academic Catalog.

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.