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Announcement:

ACOTE completed an On-site Evaluation of the developing Entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at Northern Kentucky University September 30 to October 2, 2024.  This is the final step in obtaining accreditation for the new occupational therapy program.  The ACOTE Council will review the report of the on-site evaluation and determine the official status of the NKU program’s accreditation during the December 2024 meeting.  The official status should be publicized within 6 weeks of the council’s decision.

Welcome!

Applications are currently being accepted NOW for the cohorts beginning January 2025 and January 2026 on a rolling admission basis. Applications are processed in the order received (first come first serve basis) with admission offers made within a month of submitting applications. Please see the admissions tab below for information on how to submit your application.

NKU offers an Innovative learning environment focused on Excellence in Occupation-Centered Practice, Collaborative Engagement, Professionalism, and Leadership. Students will experience a cutting-edge curriculum. If you choose NKU, imagine yourself…

  • Engaging with faculty who nurture student critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, self-reflection, and professional growth.
  • Participating in high fidelity Level I Fieldwork simulations at NKU’s Center for Simulation Education, named one of the world's top-tier learning places for practicing real-life health care situations by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare.
  • Collaborating with colleagues in over 5,200 square feet of lab space at the $105,000,000 Health Innovations Center.
  • Developing advanced leadership, marketing, and management skills with experts at the NKU Hail US Bank College of Business.
  • Cooperating interprofessionally to support and encourage the contributions of occupational therapists and other team member in optimizing client outcomes. Please explore the options at NKU for nurturing the occupational therapists inside you.

video tour of our facilities and hear from some of our students


Accreditation
 

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status 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.

 

ACOTE completed an On-site Evaluation of the developing Entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at Northern Kentucky University September 30 to October 2, 2024.  This is the final step in obtaining accreditation for the new occupational therapy program.  The ACOTE Council will review the report of the on-site evaluation and determine the official status of the NKU program’s accreditation during the December 2024 meeting.  The official status should be publicized within 6 weeks of the council’s decision. 
 

The program must be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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 in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

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