University of Puget Sound
Doctor in Occupational Therapy Degree (DrOT)
Plan of Study
Purpose: The Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (DrOT) Program is
designed to be student-centered to support students’ development of advanced practice
skills that support their career goals. To that end, students in the Program are required to
articulate one or two areas of concentration and related learning outcomes that will guide
them in developing a doctoral thesis project, shaping course assignments, and selecting
authentic learning experiences.
Examples include (but are not limited to):
 Developing advanced practice skills in a specialty area. This might be related to:
o A diagnostic group (e.g., autism, dementia, stroke)
o Other populations whose circumstances impact occupational engagement
(e.g., people who are homeless, refugees, people who have experienced
domestic violence)
o A specific treatment area (e.g., fall prevention, aquatic therapy,
neuromuscular re-education)
 Professional issues, such as:
o Education of OT students (in academic and/or clinical settings)
o Education of clients
o Advocacy for the profession (e.g., legislative action)
o Advocacy for a particular population or client group.
o Leadership with in the profession (e.g., professional organizations or
developing supervisory/administrative skills for job advancement)
Preamble: Students will enter the DrOT Program with a range of professional experience
and interests. Defining an area of concentration will be easy for some students,
particularly those with years of experience, and they may feel comfortable completing
this Plan of Study (PoS) independently. For others, selecting or defining an area of
concentration may be more challenging and they may wish to collaborate with their
advisors or other colleagues/mentors in developing their PoS. All students should know
that the initial PoS is a starting point. Plans can and will change as students progress
through the Program. Students should review their PoS each semester, meeting with their
advisor, as needed, to make changes that help them meet their career goals.
Instructions to Admitted Students:
1. Complete the Plan of Study (PoS). You may begin the PoS as soon as you are
accepted into the DrOT Program and no later than the third week of your first
semester.
2. Meet with your advisor to review the PoS. Modify, if needed. You and your
advisor must date and sign the approved PoS.
3. Submit the approved PoS to Lori Neumann, OT Administrative Assistant, in
WEY 204 no later than one month after the start of your first semester.
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4. The DrOT Program Director will review each PoS. If there are questions or
concerns, the student and advisor will be contacted so appropriate clarifications or
amendments can be made. [Note: if the advisor is the DrOT Program Director, a
designated faculty member will review the PoS].
5. Review your PoS at the start of each semester. If revision is needed, complete a
new PoS Form, meet with your advisor to review and sign, and submit as per Step
#3 above.
Documenting Progress and Completion of the PoS: Completion of coursework will be
documented through the student’s official transcript. Students must maintain a minimum
cumulative GPA of 3.0, with no course grade lower than a B minus. Additionally,
students must document progress toward learning goals in an electronic portfolio. The
format and specifics will be introduced in OT712: Leadership & Management in
Healthcare, and students are required to submit their final portfolios to their advisors for
approval as a requirement for graduation.
DrOTProgram/January2015
University of Puget Sound
Doctor in Occupational Therapy Degree (DrOT)
Plan of Study
Date: ______________________
 Original PoS
 Revised PoS
Name: _________________________________________
Name:_________________________________________
Primary Area of Concentration: Describe your area of concentration in occupational
therapy practice.
Secondary Area of Concentration (optional): You may select a secondary focus if you
have additional interests. You should be able to link a secondary focus to your area of
concentration. For example, if your area of concentration is in low vision and you are
also interested in developing advocacy skills, your PoS might include advocacy activities
for people with blindness and low vision.
Learning Outcomes:
Develop three to five learning outcomes that will demonstrate advanced competency
in your primary area of concentration by the completion of the DrOT Program.
Develop one to three learning outcomes that will demonstrate proficiency in your
secondary focus (if applicable).
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Coursework:
Courses are listed in the recommended order. Please indicate the year you plan to
complete the course. Part-time students may need to revise the course sequence.
Course
Number
OT700
Course
Name
Professional Craft Knowledge & Expertise
Development
# of
Units
Year
Semester
1.0
Summer
OT712
OTxxx
Leadership & Management in Healthcare
Residency Through Authentic Learning
Experiences
1.0
0.0
Summer
Summer
OT740
Doctoral Thesis I
0.5
Summer
OT720
Teaching & Learning Across Contexts
Occupational Therapy for Populations & Health
Promotion
Management in Healthcare
Residency Through Authentic Learning
Experiences
1.0
Fall
1.0
0.5
0.0
Fall
Fall
Fall
OT741
Doctoral Thesis II
0.5
Fall
OT732
Ethics in Healthcare
0.5
Fall
OT738
Emerging Practice in Occupational Therapy
0.5
Fall
OT755
OTxxx
Understanding the System: Policy & Advocacy
Residency Through Authentic Learning
Experiences
1.0
0.5
Spring
Spring
OT742
Doctoral Thesis III
0.5
Spring
OT724
OTxxx
OTxxx
TOTAL UNITS
7.50
Authentic Learning Experiences: Evidence from educational research shows that
learning and the development of expertise are enhanced when learners are engaged in
“authentic contexts,” that is, they are applying knowledge and skills to real-life situations.
Students in the DrOT Program are expected to identify and pursue authentic learning
experiences that will link course objectives and content to their learning goals. Please list
authentic experiences you currently plan to engage in and those you wish to add as you
progress through program. The range of authentic experiences is endless. Examples
include: clinical practice, supervising fieldwork students, volunteering with a
professional association or community organization, lobbying at state or federal levels,
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teaching a college class or continuing education course, developing a new program,
leading a support group, volunteering with an international aid group, etc.
Note: Specific course assignments will help you further shape authentic learning
experiences. This part of the PoS is intended to help you think about interests and
opportunities for you to engage in to support your learning outcomes. It is not intended to
be a comprehensive list or to restrict opportunities that occur as you progress through the
Program.
List activities you currently engage in that will relate to your learning outcomes:
List potential authentic learning experiences you would like to engage in to support
your learning outcomes:
Thesis Topic:  Research Project  Research-based Program Development Project
Briefly describe your project idea. Note: First-semester students who are unsure may
indicate “undecided” and complete this section at a later time.
Thesis Committee [To be completed in collaboration with the student’s advisor]:
Chair: ________________________________________________
Member: ______________________________________________
Member: ______________________________________________
Plan of Study Approved By:
__________________________________________________
Student
_______________
Date
__________________________________________________
Advisor
_______________
Date
__________________________________________________
DrOT Program Director [or Designate]
_______________
Date
DrOTProgram/January2015