Baylor University Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program Achieves Full ACOTE Accreditation

Media Contact: Kelly Craine, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-297-9065
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By Maxcey Blaylock, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, Baylor University

WACO, Texas (Sept. 7, 2022) – The Department of Occupational Therapy in Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences received notice in August that the department’s entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree has received full accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

“We are very pleased to have been awarded full, seven-year accreditation by the ACOTE,” said Marian Gillard, Ph.D., OTR, FAOTA, department chair and director of the occupational therapy program at Baylor. “Our leadership team, faculty, staff and students have clearly demonstrated the value of a technology-infused, hybrid curriculum for the preparation of occupational therapists for 21st century practice.”

Graduates of Baylor’s occupational therapy program now are 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).

Launched in January 2021, the entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree at Baylor is an innovative, accelerated hybrid program that can be completed in 24 months. Through a combination of online learning, onsite lab immersions and fieldwork education, this unique program prepares students across the country for a career in occupational therapy.

Recently, 100% of the initial cohort of occupational therapy students completed their Level II Fieldwork placements and now are completing their doctoral capstone experience. These students are expected to graduate in December 2022. A second cohort of students is nearing completion of their first year of studies, and the program’s third cohort will begin classes in January 2023.

“The Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences is thrilled to celebrate the full ACOTE accreditation of the entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree. Dr. Gillard and her team have worked diligently to create an exceptional program,” said Jason R. Carter, Ph.D., dean of the Robbins College. “Baylor’s strategic plan, Illuminate, highlights the need to prepare leaders that advance both health and human flourishing, and this fully accredited program contributes to these aspiring goals.”

Learn more about the entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program at Baylor University’s Robbins College at www.baylor.edu/otd.     

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

The Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University was established in 2014, a result of identified priorities for strengthening the health sciences through Baylor’s strategic vision, Pro Futuris, and the University’s Illuminate strategic plan. The anchor academic units that form Robbins College – Communication Sciences and Disorders; Human Sciences and Design; Health, Human Performance and Recreation; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Public Health; and Division of Health Professions – share a common purpose: improving health and quality of life. The College’s curricula promotes a team-based approach to transformational education and research that has established interdisciplinary research collaborations to advance solutions for improving quality of life for individuals, families and communities. For more information, visit baylor.edu/chhs.