Graduation Requirements

Criteria for Successful Completion:

Students must complete all Level II Fieldwork and the Doctoral Capstone within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program. This includes time for remediation and leaves of absence. Students must meet all Didactic Phase requirements including those listed below to be eligible to progress to the Level II Fieldwork Phase and must complete all Level II Fieldworks before progressing to the Capstone Experience.

The academic and non-academic requirements that students must meet in each phase of the Program to be eligible for graduation are listed below.

• Demonstrate consistent compliance with all BGSU and Program policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate no professional conduct deficits or successful remediation of professional conduct deficits.
• Successfully complete each term in its entirety to advance to the next term.
• 3.0 grade point average.
• The maintenance of standards of academic and professional integrity.
• No incomplete grades.
• The completion of departmental requirements.
• No current suspensions, probations, or other disciplinary sanctions for violations of the Student Handbook. * See below Minimum Requirements for Progression and Retention for more details.
• Successfully complete both Fieldwork Level II A and B (OCTH 7971 and OCTH 7972) with a grade of pass.
• Successfully complete the Doctoral Capstone Experience (OCTH 7912) with a grade of pass.
• Successfully complete OCTH 7912 Doctoral Capstone Experience with the dissemination of the Capstone Project in OCTH 7913 with a grade of pass in the academic and non-academic requirements that students must meet in each phase of the Program to be eligible for graduation.

Upon graduation from Bowling Green State University, OTD Program students are awarded the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree from Bowling Green State University. Graduates are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) OTR Exam.

A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT OTR Exam. Or attain state licensure Bowling Green State University Department of Occupational Therapy assumes no responsibility for ineligibility to sit for the NBCOT certification Examination or denial of state license provided the Program Achieves ACOTE Accreditation

Please review the requirements for NBCOT Exam eligibility at nbcot.org.

Acceptance into BGSU and/or successful completion of a program of study does not guarantee specific educational site placement (including field work and clinical placements), eligibility to sit for or passage of professional examinations, licensure, certification, and/or employment.

Minimum Requirements for Progression and Retention

The Bowling Green State University policy on academic progress for graduate students states that in order to remain in good standing and to graduate, a student must make “satisfactory progress toward a degree”. Academic good standing is defined as:

• The maintenance of a three point zero (3.0) grade point average.
• The maintenance of standards of academic and professional integrity expected in a particular discipline or program.
• No incomplete grades.
• The completion of departmental requirements other than course work, such as comprehensive and preliminary examinations, thesis research, or foreign language requirement, by established deadlines.
• The absence of current suspensions, probations, or other disciplinary sanctions for violations of the Student Handbook.

It is the responsibility of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program to contact the Graduate College when a student does not meet the OTD Program’s standards of academic and professional integrity and program requirements other than coursework. The Academic Standards and Progression Committee communicates with the Graduate College to oversee academic progression for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program.

Program Outcomes

ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy educational programs satisfy the states’ educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Students graduating from ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy educational programs are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. 

For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, please refer to the AOTA State Licensure webpage. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. After our inaugural cohort graduates in 2027, graduation statistics and program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) will be available using the link below.

Click here to view the NBCOT Program results