Doctor of Occupational Therapy - Post-Professional

Curriculum

Approved Electives

• OTD 808, Advanced Instructional Design, 3 credit hours
• OTD 827, Intuitive Leadership, 3 credit hours
• OTD 845, Teaching Experience, 3 credit hours
• OTD 850, Community-Based Elective, 1-3 credit hours
• OTD 851, Independent Study, 1 credit hour
• OTD 852, Special Topics: Occupational Therapy I, 1-3 credit hours
• OTD 853, Special Topics: Occupational Therapy II, 1-3 credit hours
• IP 715, Impact of Poverty on Health Care, 3 credit hours
• IP 717, Telehealth Teams of the Future, 3 credit hours
• IP 774, Introduction to Health Literacy, 2 credit hours
• IP 779, Culturally Sensitive Care, 1 credit hour

Educator Pathway

Academic Educator Specialty Track

At MUSC, we specialize in training you to confidently transition from the clinic into academia. The Academic Educator Specialty Track equips experienced occupational therapists with the skills to refine their teaching expertise, enhance faculty qualifications and build a scholarly portfolio. Through a structured, mentored pathway, you’ll gain both foundational and advanced training to build your academic skillset and complete impactful scholarly work.

Curriculum Highlights

• Basic Academic Teaching Skills that will cover the ACOTE standards, teaching theory, curriculum development, in-person and online classroom strategies and the nuts-and-bolts of course design.
• Advanced Instructional Design in learning theory, active learning methods and skills to optimize learner engagement.
• Teaching Experience that will include hands-on practice of designing learning modules for in-person and online courses and lessons in how to respond to learners’ feedback and build a faculty portfolio.
• Capstone Project in the Scholarship of Learning (SoL) that will include 1:1 mentoring with a leading Academic Educator and instruction to conceptualize, design, implement, write-up and disseminate the results of an impactful and sustainable scholarly project.

Why Choose This Track?

• Learn from award-winning, nationally recognized educators.
• Gain hands-on experience tailored to clinicians.
• Conduct a meaningful SoL scholarly project.
• Graduate with a competitive academic portfolio.

Adult Autism Fellow

The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Adult Autism Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Project for Direct Care Service Providers

With generous support from The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation (DJFF), the PPOTD program offers an exciting opportunity for an experienced occupational therapist who provides direct care to adults with autism to become a DJFF Fellow. The MUSC DJFF Fellow will join a community of interprofessional DJFF Fellows from universities across the country who together are trailblazing innovations in care for adults with autism. The fellowship offers support for capstone work including opportunities to publish and present one’s work at autism conferences, in-depth mentorship from national leaders in the field and access to the extensive nationwide network DJFF Fellows who are conducting innovative research and clinical initiatives for adults with autism.  

The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Direct Care Service Provider Fellows

2024
Matthew Husband, MS, OTR/L 
Capstone Project: “Teaching Self-Determination Skills in Conjunction with Early Exposure to Work Experiences.”

Capstone Project

The Capstone Project is the culmination of the program resulting in a rigorous scholarly project intended to “change what’s possible” in each student’s area of passion. The capstone process includes three sequential courses in which the student receives instruction and 1:1 mentoring to conceptualize, plan, design, propose and implement an impactful project in their area of expertise. Students are expected to disseminate their capstone work as a publication, professional conference presentation, community-based presentation and/or grant application.

Examples of past capstone projects include:

• Dr. Patricia Corbin’s Preeclampsia Project (https://www.thepreeclampsiaproject.com/)
• Dr. Cindy Sears’ Measuring OTD Student Confidence AOTA presentation (https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2023.77S2-PO46)
• Drs. Julie Malloy and Matthew Maynard’s views on the impacts of Quality Improvement on various OT practice settings published in the January 2025 edition of OT Practice.

Application Process

The following process outlines how and when your materials will be reviewed.

1. Complete the MUSC application.
2. Submit all supplemental materials if not included within the application.
3. Once all materials have been received and verified, your application will be reviewed.
4. Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview.

Application Requirements

1. MUSC Application: All applicants must submit an MUSC application.
   
   • Official transcripts from all institutions attended: Applicants are required to submit official transcripts from each post-secondary school attended even if no degree was earned.
   • OT License: All applicants must submit a copy of their OT license (from any state).
   • Resume: Applicants must provide an updated resume detailing relevant academic and professional experience.
2. Supplemental Materials: In addition to the application itself, the applicant must complete supplemental materials. These forms are sent via email once you submit your application and should be uploaded to the application portal.
   
   • Personal Statement: All applicants should submit a 1-page personal statement in which they explain their reasons for seeking a PPOTD degree and how this degree will enhance their professional career.
   • Letters of recommendation: All applicants must submit two letters of recommendation. The purpose of these letters is to provide the admissions committee with perspective on the applicant’s potential for success in a doctoral program. The first letter may be from someone who can address the applicant’s professional reasons for enrolling, and the second letter may be from someone who can address the applicant’s potential to meet the demands of a rigorous academic curriculum while simultaneously meeting the challenges of one’s work/personal life. Each letter should be 1-2 pages in length and can be written by a colleague, mentor, supervisor, or friend. The author of a recommendation letter does not need to be an occupational therapist.

All information above must be received by the deadline to be considered for admission to the program. Without all materials, applicants will be incomplete. It is the applicant’s responsibility to review the progress of their application to ensure that all application materials have been submitted.

International Applicants

MUSC’s OT programs are unable to admit international students requiring an F-1 visa. Applications will only be accepted from U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or those holding other valid nonimmigrant visa classifications that allow participation in lawful study while in the United States.

Cost of Attendance

Disclaimer: The Estimated Total listed above reflects an approximation of educational costs for planning purposes only. Actual expenses may vary based on individual circumstances, program requirements and annual changes in tuition, fees and other costs. The Medical University of South Carolina reserves the right to adjust tuition, fees and other charges at any time without prior notice.

Scholarships

MUSC offers scholarships for which you may be eligible. Some are awarded based on academic achievement; others are awarded based on community service, for example. However, the majority of scholarships awarded at MUSC are based on financial need. This means that these scholarships are only awarded to students who need some financial assistance to cover the cost of tuition and fees. If you would like to be considered for a financial need-based scholarship, you must have an up-to-date Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Make sure you list the Medical University of South Carolina on your FAFSA form, along with MUSC's code: 003438. We encourage you to submit your FAFSA as early as possible. It is recommended to submit your FAFSA in January if you plan to enroll in the fall.

Click here to visit our scholarship application system to view a complete listing of MUSC scholarships.

Competencies

Upon completion of the OTD - Post-Professional program, graduates will be able to:

• Design and conduct a doctoral capstone project that demonstrates methodological rigor and relevance to occupational therapy practice or system-level intervention, including planning, implementation and scholarly dissemination.
• Critically evaluate and apply population‑based health research and outcomes data to inform evidence-based strategies that enhance occupational therapy practice.
• Demonstrate academic teaching competence, employing advanced instructional design and educational scholarship to facilitate learning in occupational therapy or allied health settings.
• Exhibit visionary leadership and ethical decision‑making, guiding teams or programs in ways that reflect integrity, professional reasoning and responsiveness to societal and community needs.
• Advocate for and enact ethical, client-centered and patient-centered sensitive practice.
• Collaborate effectively within interprofessional and community-based frameworks, engaging as a reflective practitioner in leadership, quality improvement, or service initiatives that bridge the clinical and scholarly domains.

Vision

To enable occupational therapists to change what’s possible in their careers, contexts and communities.

Mission

To prepare experienced OTRs to grow their clinical skills, educate others, lead health care teams and address unmet community needs.

Values

At the core of our program, we are guided by a commitment to the following values that drive our mission:

• Compassion: We act with kindness, empathy and dignity.
• Collaboration: We achieve common goals through teamwork and partnerships.
• Innovation: We drive transformation by embracing new ideas, discoveries and practices.
• Integrity: We do the right thing and commit to accountability in words, actions and use of resources.
• Respect: We value everyone and their many perspectives to build trust and a sense of belonging.