Baylor University Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program Achieves Candidacy Status

Contact: Terry Goodrich, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-644-4155
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Contact: Corey Johnson, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, 254-710-4975

WACO, Texas (Sept. 10, 2020) — The Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at Baylor University has been granted candidacy status by the professional accrediting body, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The program is admitting students to join the first cohort, with classes to start in January 2021.

“We are deeply committed to the goal of accreditation, and we couldn’t be more excited about achieving this important step in the process,” said Marian Gillard, Ph.D., program director for the Baylor University Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program. “There’s a lot of momentum and interest in the program, and we're excited to begin admitting students.”

The entry-level program at Baylor University is the first accelerated hybrid program of its kind. With faculty who are leaders within the occupational therapy profession and specially trained in hybrid teaching and learning, students can expect to receive a rigorous, high-quality education from a top-ranked school. The program can be completed in 24 months and provides the best of both online and in-person learning. Applications for the inaugural cohort will be accepted through Dec. 2, 2020.

The program now proceeds to pre-accreditation review step, the second step of a three-step accreditation process. The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation and be granted full accreditation status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 18,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

The Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University was established in 2014, a result of identified priorities for strengthening the health sciences through Baylor’s strategic vision, Pro Futuris, and the University’s Illuminate strategic plan. The anchor academic units that form Robbins College – Communication Sciences and Disorders; Family and Consumer Sciences; Health, Human Performance and Recreation; Public Health; and Division of Health Professions – share a common purpose: improving health and quality of life. The College’s curricula promotes a team-based approach to transformational education and research that has established interdisciplinary research collaborations to advance solutions for improving quality of life for individuals, families and communities. For more information, visit baylor.edu/chhs.