September 08, 2026
The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) granted Preaccreditation Status to Trine University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program at its August meeting.
Significantly, ACOTE found no areas of concern in reviewing the program.
Instead, the accreditor identified several strengths, including innovative curriculum design, faculty expertise, facilities, a unique clinical education model, fieldwork partnerships, community engagement efforts and positive reputation within the community.
“I think it's incredible that ACOTE recognized numerous program strengths and identified no concerns at this stage of the review process,” said Jamesdean Visley, OTD, program director. “That speaks to the quality of preparation, curriculum development, faculty, facilities and clinical partnerships that have been established here.”
“Students can be confident that the program has undergone extensive external review and is progressing successfully through the accreditation process.”
Having achieved Preaccreditation Status, Trine’s OTD program will proceed to the next phase of review, an initial on-site evaluation.
Focus on experience, outcomes
Launched in 2025 at Trine University’s Brooks College of Health Professions, the OTD program offers students an opportunity to join an innovative doctoral program while preparing to enter a high-demand healthcare profession.
Designed with student experience and outcomes as the priority, Trine’s OTD curriculum includes five integrated clinical experiences, giving students extensive exposure to real-life occupational therapy practice before starting their 24-week full-time rotation.
The curriculum incorporates interdisciplinary learning experiences, instruction across disciplines, integrated lab experiences and interactive instruction, all designed to build confidence and competence in OTD students.
Graduates will be prepared to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination.
The program is designed to prepare students from diverse backgrounds for an occupational therapy career. Any student with a bachelor's degree from an accredited school and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 can apply.
Trine offers multiple direct-entry pathways from undergraduate programs on its Angola campus into the OTD program. The university's 3+3 pathway allows students to complete both a bachelor's degree and their OTD with only three years each of undergraduate and graduate study.
For more details, visit trine.edu/otd.
Preaccreditation Status
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. The program must complete an on-site evaluation and 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 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. Students must complete all Level II Fieldwork experiences and the Doctoral Capstone within the program’s established timeframe and within 150% of the published program length (12 semesters). The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as defined in 2023 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.
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