Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) Accreditation and Licensure

Accreditation

The entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program at Rush University has been approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

The entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program at Rush University is fully accredited 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
Phone: 301-652-AOTA
acoteonline.org

Licensure

Graduates of the program 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 graduate 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.

Institutions are required to make public whether a program is designed to meet educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification that is required for employment in an occupation or is advertised as meeting such requirements.  

Institutions are required to make public, for each state, whether the completion of that program would be sufficient to meet licensure requirements in a state for that occupation, did not meet requirements or has not made a determination. 

These requirements apply to all programs offered via all modalities (distance education and not). 

Students should review the specific academic requirements for the program in which they are enrolling, including those related to practicum/internship, as well as pre-qualifications for licensure, such as the need for a criminal background check.  

We highly recommend that students contact the applicable licensure board(s) in their state of residence or in the state where they intend to obtain a license before beginning an academic program that results in licensure and prior to beginning any internship/practicum.  

Many licensure boards have additional requirements beyond successful degree completion to obtain a license. Please be advised that state laws, regulations and policies may change at any time.  

Changes in requirements can impact the program’s ability to meet educational requirements for licensure.  

Enrolled and prospective students are strongly encouraged to check with the licensing board(s) in their state of residence or in the state in which they intend to obtain a license for the most recent information and requirements.  

The College of Health Sciences will periodically review the state requirements. The College of Health Sciences disclosure does not provide any guarantee that any particular state licensure or certification entity will approve or deny a student’s application. 

Licensure information by state