Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy, PP-OTD
Department Chair: Marian Gillard, Ph.D. OTR/L, FAOTA
Post-Professional Program Director: Barbara Doucet, PhD, OTR
Director of Administrative Affairs: Lori McNamara
Overview
The Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program of study provides meaningful, obtainable, and affordable post professional education to licensed occupational therapists. The Program is offered primarily through an online format and can be completed in sixteen months.
The program is structured to facilitate the student’s personal and professional development, to encourage change and adaptation, and to ensure the mastery of the discipline through advanced coursework including development as leaders and advanced scholarly practitioners in occupational therapy. Coursework is organized to prepare students to identify client’s potential or actual occupational needs and to intervene with a client-centered, evidence-based approach. Student completion of the doctoral capstone project is designed to strengthen the integration of evidence and practice. Students graduate as doctoral-level practice-scholars with the capacity to transform occupational therapy practice and to teach in the discipline.
The curriculum promotes synthesis of professional trends, occupational science, and technologies that support health and participation. Students are required to complete 30 credits of Occupational Therapy courses including the doctoral capstone series and 6 advanced practice courses focused on developing hybrid teaching and learning skills for the healthcare clinic and classroom.
Mission
To prepare practice scholars, educational innovators, and professional leaders who utilize clinically meaningful research in the implementation of best practice to meet the changing demands of the Occupational Therapy profession.
Admission Requirements
The PP-OTD program is designed for qualified individuals who wish to further their academic studies in occupational therapy. Students accepted into the PP-OTD Program must meet the following criteria. All applicants will:
- All applicants must provide a copy of a current and valid license to practice occupational therapy in one of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or US Virgin Islands. This license must be in good standing.
- Complete GoGrad online application.
- Successful completion of an entry-level, accredited occupational therapy program at the master's degree level. Applicants holding a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy with a master’s degree in a related or applicable field will be considered following departmental chair review.
- Official transcripts from the degree conferring institution are required and must be submitted to the University directly from the issuing institution.
- Curriculum Vitae/Resume.
- 2-3 letters of recommendation.
- Application Essay or personal statement.
- Applicants whose first (primary) language is not English, or who have completed a degree and prerequisite coursework outside the United States, must demonstrate English language proficiency through one of the following standardized tests. Test results must be less than two (2) years old at the time of application. Official score reports must be sent directly to OTD@baylor.edu.
Applicants for whom English is not a primary language must take either the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo exam.
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language):
- For exams taken before January 21, 2026: Minimum iBT total score of 80 and a minimum Speaking section score of 20
- For exams taken after January 21 2026: Minimum iBT score of 4.5 and a minimum Speaking section score of 4
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System): Minimum overall band score of 6.5.
- Duolingo English Test: Minimum overall score of 125.
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates will:
- Demonstrate knowledge of relevant evidence, diagnostic considerations, and regulations that inform and guide best practice in the identified practice area.
- Demonstrate an understanding of and apply the principles of hybrid instruction, design, teaching and learning in preparation for work in an academic setting.
- Formulate and implement therapeutic interventions to facilitate occupational performance and participation that is culturally relevant; reflective of current occupational therapy practice; based on available evidence; and based on theoretical perspectives, models of practice, and frames of reference.
- Identify ethical implications associated with the delivery of services and articulate a process for navigating through identified issues in the following areas: client-centered service, fiscal and regulatory, scope of practice or systems/organizational.
- Effectively locate, understand, critique, and evaluate information, including the quality of evidence.
- Participate in scholarly activities that evaluate clinical practice, service delivery, and/or professional issues.
- Influence services for clients (individuals, populations, or institutions) in the identified practice area through education or advocacy activities.
Requirements for the Post-Professional Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program
Courses are structured to guide the student’s personal and professional growth, to encourage change and adaptation, and to ensure the mastery of the discipline through synthesis of theory and research.
Occupational Therapy Core Courses
Seven core courses (17 credit hours) promote synthesis of evidence-based practice, professional trends, occupational science, and technologies that support health and participation in life.
Doctoral Capstone Projects
Three doctoral capstone courses (7 credit hours) guide the student through completion of a scholarly capstone project that reflects synthesis of knowledge, reflective practice, and skills developed during post professional studies to demonstrate in-depth knowledge in a practice area that relates to the student’s professional goals. Capstone projects are a faculty-mentored experience that may be completed either individually or in project teams.
Advanced Practice Courses
Three advanced practice courses (6 credits) develop the student’s teaching skills for the healthcare clinic or classroom with a focus on incorporating digital technologies in hybrid learning environments.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Professional OT Core | ||
| HHS 6220 | Professional Development and Leadership | 2 |
| HHS 6230 | Teaching and Learning Theory in Health Sciences | 2 |
| OTD 6310 | Advances in Occupational Therapy Practice | 3 |
| OTD 6210 | Evidence-Based Practice | 2 |
| OTD 6320 | Occupational Therapy Conceptual Foundations | 3 |
| OTD 6330 | Clinical Reasoning: Forms of Inquiry in Advanced Practice | 3 |
| OTD 6240 | Program Evaluation & Development | 2 |
| Doctoral Capstone | ||
| OTD 6340 | Doctoral Capstone 1 | 3 |
| OTD 6272 | Doctoral Capstone II | 2 |
| OTD 6280 | Doctoral Capstone III | 2 |
| Advanced Practice | ||
| HHS 6196 | Foundations of Hybrid and Online Learning in Health Sciences | 1 |
| HHS 6298 | Instructional Design and Technology Integration for Hybrid and Online Teaching | 2 |
| HHS 6396 | Designing and Evaluating Hybrid and Online Learning Experiences | 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Certificate in Hybrid and Online Teaching for the Health Sciences
Admissions
- All applicants must provide a copy of a current and valid practice license in a related health science field in the US, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands.
- All applicants must have completed an entry-level, accredited health science program at the bachelor's level or higher and must demonstrate readiness for graduate-level coursework
- Applicants must provide official transcript(s) from the degree-conferring institution(s). Transcript(s) must be submitted to Baylor University directly from the issuing institution(s).
- Applicants must provide a current CV/Resume.
- Applicants whose first (primary) language is not English, or who have completed a degree and prerequisite coursework outside the United States, must demonstrate English language proficiency through one of the following standardized tests. Test results must be less than two (2) years old at the time of application. Official score reports must be sent directly to OTD@baylor.edu.
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language):
- For exams taken before January 21, 2026: Minimum iBT total score of 80 and a minimum Speaking section score of 20
- For exams taken after January 21 2026: Minimum iBT score of 4.5 and a minimum Speaking section score of 4
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System): Minimum overall band score of 6.5.
- Duolingo English Test: Minimum overall score of 125.
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language):
Requirements for the Certificate in Hybrid and Online Teaching for the Health Sciences
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HHS 6196 | Foundations of Hybrid and Online Learning in Health Sciences | 1 |
| HHS 6220 | Professional Development and Leadership | 2 |
| HHS 6230 | Teaching and Learning Theory in Health Sciences | 2 |
| HHS 6298 | Instructional Design and Technology Integration for Hybrid and Online Teaching | 2 |
| HHS 6396 | Designing and Evaluating Hybrid and Online Learning Experiences | 3 |
| Total Hours | 10 | |