DAVENPORT, IOWA (August 16, 2023) — St Ambrose University’s accredited doctor of occupational therapy program (OTD) is expanding its student cohort size and using an innovative hybrid delivery model to support student access into the profession of occupational therapy.
In a new articulation agreement with Loras College, undergraduate students from Loras College will have the same access as those at St Ambrose University to early admission and shortened pathways into the OTD program. Undergraduate students can enter the program as early as their senior year and obtain a doctoral degree in a three-plus-three format, or six years total. Additionally, the program offers an early-admission pathway to accepted high-school and first-year students.
Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), St Ambrose University has offered accredited entry-level occupational therapy education since 1989. The OTD program at SAU was the first accredited doctoral level OT program in the state of Iowa, graduating the first class in 2019. Graduates from St Ambrose University’s OTD program have an excellent certification pass rate, with 100% of graduates employed as OTs, and 85% accepting jobs in their first choice of practice-settings and geographic areas.
The interactive doctoral program begins with two years of online and on-campus courses and includes opportunities for learners to put their knowledge and skills into practice in hospitals, schools, and community organizations. The third year of the doctoral program includes on-site work in a variety of field settings.
Pending approvals, students will be able to complete on-campus courses at either St Ambrose University or at Loras College as early as August 2024.
St Ambrose University and Loras College are both members of the Iowa Catholic Collegiate Association, sharing a purpose to ensure Catholic higher education continues to provide students with collegiate experiences that promote the integration of faith and reason.
To learn more about St Ambrose University, visit https://www.sau.edu. To learn more about Loras College, visit loras.edu.
