The Occupational Therapy program offers a graduate degree leading to a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is accredited 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.

Graduates of the program 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.

Benefits of getting your degree at LSU Health Shreveport

What does the Program entail?

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program curriculum is comprised of 3 years (119 semester hours) of coursework on-campus at LSUHS and off-campus at practice sites within and out of the state. Included in these semester hours are six months of Level II Fieldwork and a Capstone Experience.  All Level II Fieldwork must be completed within 24 months following completion of didactic course work.

Why choose a Career in Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapists help people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations). Common occupational therapy interventions include:

• Helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations,
• Assisting people who are recovering from injury to regain skills, and
• Providing supports for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes.

Occupational therapy will continue to be an important part of treatment for people with various illnesses and disabilities, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral palsy, autism, or the loss of a limb. In terms of work environment, about half of occupational therapists work in offices of occupational therapy or in hospitals. Others work in schools, nursing homes, and home health services.

Job Outlook for Occupational Therapists