Frequently Asked Questions

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The NAU entry-level doctorate degree program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE). ACOTE c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-6611 x2914, acoteonline.org

Professional program graduates are eligible to apply for certification by National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at

The OTD program is based on the 30-acre Phoenix Bioscience Core, where students have access to cutting edge technology, facilities and labs. The Phoenix Bioscience Core is located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, with nearest crossroads of Van Buren and 7th Street. The urban environment presents numerous opportunities for inter-professional education with other programs on campus, including the NAU Doctor of Physical Therapy program, the Masters of Physician Assistant program, the NAU Master of Athletic Training and the University of Arizona Medical School program.

At this time, it is not anticipated that the program will be offered in Flagstaff.

Upon successful completion of the program requirements, students will earn a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree.

Fieldwork rotations are supervised clinical practice under the supervision of a preceptor who is responsible for training students. Students will be required to complete multiple fieldwork rotations. These include three separate one week academic and service learning rotations; as well as multiple six week rotations and a residency in the final semester. The hours required each week could be as little as four, during once week rotations, and over 40 hours in more advance fieldwork rotations or during residency. The student is also expected to do additional studying after hours to meet the expectations of the rotation and the program.

Students will work with patients from a variety of different settings learning multiple intervention techniques. Patients will vary in age, gender and diagnoses. Students having interest in particular areas (i.e. pediatrics, hand therapy, etc.) will be encouraged to work with the clinical fieldwork coordinator to gain more experience in their particular area of interest. All the rotations assignments will ultimately be determined based on availability and quality of the site, and will be located in Arizona. Visit the Fieldwork page for more information.

The program will be responsible for the assignment of all fieldwork rotations. Fieldwork rotations will be available throughout Arizona, and in a variety of settings. Students are expected to be flexible and although the program will make all reasonable attempts to accommodate student preferences, students may not always be assigned their choice of sites. When feasible and at the students’ request, placements will be made in locations close to or within the communities where students have ties. This is in support of the programs mission to develop healthcare providers for the underserved areas of Arizona.

Students are responsible for the cost of housing and transportation during this phase of the program. Visit the Fieldwork page for more information.

The program is an intensive and demanding course of study. Students are strongly discouraged from working while attending the program. We do offer a Hybrid option for those who do choose to work.

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