Kettering College developing Occupational Therapy Doctorate degree

Kettering, Ohio (Feb. 6) – Kettering College is in the process of developing an Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program, announced Dean for Academic Affairs William Nelson on Thursday. This will be the school’s first doctoral degree offering.

Kettering College has submitted a candidacy application to the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The process also is underway for submitting the required application material to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR) and the Adventist Accrediting Association (AAA) for approval of the new program. The admissions process will begin once approval is received from the mentioned agencies.

“Kettering College has attempted to develop new programs which meet the personnel needs of Kettering Health Network, as well as those of the broader healthcare community,” said Nelson. “We are aware of the need for additional qualified rehabilitation medicine professionals, and we believe that our proposed occupational therapy doctoral program will help address this shortage.”

Terrance Anderson, OTD, has been hired as the founding director for this new academic offering. Anderson has extensive experience in administration, higher education, school system occupational therapy, geriatric occupational therapy, international service, information systems, and international development and disaster relief. He earned an Occupational Therapy Doctorate degree at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in 2007; an entry-level Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Towson University in 1997; and a Bachelor of Science in Counseling Psychology from Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) in 1991.

“We are most fortunate to be able to hire someone of Dr. Anderson’s background. He is knowledgeable about occupational therapy practice and education. His face-to-face interviews resonated with both our faculty and the KHN OT advisory group. His initiative and social skills augment an impressive resume, and he is well-equipped to be the founding director of Kettering College’s first doctoral-level program,” said Nelson.

“The chance to design and grow an OTD program is rarer than a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The collaboration between the solid healthcare education culture at Kettering College and the highly qualified occupational therapists in Kettering Health Network provides a unique situation which is beyond the wildest dreams of most occupational therapy education programs,” said Anderson. “With the support from Kettering Health Network for this OTD, we have the ingredients for a world-class program.”

Currently, there are only five accredited entry-level OT doctoral programs in the U.S., just one in Ohio. In addition to Kettering College, seven other schools nationally are currently listed at AOTA.org as applicant programs, and six more already are in the midst of the accreditation process.

The OTD program is proposed to run eight semesters over 32 months. All applicants would need to have a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Additional prerequisite and admission criteria will be available in the future, as the program is approved by the accrediting associations. The earliest proposed date for the first cohort of OTD students to begin is fall 2014.

Kettering College is seeking prospective applicants for the OTD faculty, both full- and part-time. Potential faculty should email a cover letter and current curriculum vitae to Terrance.Anderson@kc.edu. Prospective students wishing to receive updates about the program’s accreditation process should fill out the form located at www.KC.edu/OTD.

About Kettering College

Kettering College, born out of Adventist faith, is a fully accredited college that offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in health science education. Upholding Christ, the college educates students to make service a life calling and to view health as harmony with God in body, mind, and spirit. A division of Kettering Medical Center, Kettering College is located on the KMC campus in a suburb of Dayton, Ohio.

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