

Become a doctorally-prepared licensed Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists help individuals who are recovering from an illness or an injury to return to activities that are important to them. Individuals with a doctorate in occupational therapy have additional opportunities to take on leadership roles in health care practices and policy organizations or join the faculty of occupational therapy education programs.
Tuition & Fees
94 credits
$980 per-credit
$3,940 Graduate Assistantships available per semester
(enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits per semester)
Length & Format
33 months
to graduate
In-person
program delivery
About The School of Health Sciences
Russell Sage College is the region’s premier institution for health professions, offering the most comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs.
Specialties in our Occupational Therapy Doctoral program
We’ve got a lot to brag about as the most comprehensive college for Health Sciences professional programs in the region, including opportunities to interact with other healthcare fields. Several professors hold advanced certification in pediatrics, neurodevelopmental treatment, physical rehabilitation, hand therapy, or other areas.
Practice in State-of-the-Art Facilities
Hone your skills in our new Occupational and Physical Therapy lab spaces, which opened in the John Paine Building in fall 2024. The renovation included a new pediatric lab, adult rehabilitation lab, upper extremity lab, and seminar and study rooms.
Course Requirements
Credits and Completion
View the 94-credit entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program at Russell Sage College course details, fieldwork requirements, and doctoral capstone experience information.

Our doctorate program comes with a deep, Russell Sage-level of support from an assigned faculty advisor who works with you to ensure your success.

Your Future Career with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy
Upon completing your Occupational Therapy doctoral degree, you’ll be eligible to take the certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, which leads to national certification and eligibility for state licensure.
Alumni of our Occupational Therapy graduate programs hold clinical and leadership roles in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, schools, private practice and community agencies across New York state and around the country. Recent employers include Albany Medical Center, St. Peter’s Health Partners, Capital District Beginnings, Anderson Center for Autism, United Health Services, and Metro Therapy.
Learning Experiences
As a student in our doctorate program in Occupational Therapy, you’ll learn in well-equipped OT labs on campus, work with real people with real medical issues in the community and complete a doctoral-level capstone experience.
Fieldwork and Capstone Experience
As an Occupational Therapy doctoral degree candidate, you will work therapeutically with clients under the supervision of licensed occupational therapists during five fieldwork experiences: three multi-week placements in clinical and simulated settings connected with your first and second-year coursework, and two full-time, 12-week fieldwork experiences with responsibilities leading to those of an entry-level occupational therapist.
More than 400 clinical sites throughout the country host our Occupational Therapy students for fieldwork experiences.
You will also design and complete a 14-week doctoral capstone experience that combines experiential learning, scholarship, and professional service in one or more of the following areas: clinical practice skills, research skills, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education or theory development.
Professional Development
Sage’s Health Sciences programs stress interprofessional education and create opportunities for future occupational and physical therapists, nurses, dietitians, mental health professionals and others to learn together, in preparation for roles on interprofessional health care teams. Our department has a leadership role in three interprofessional conferences each year, which attract hundreds of health sciences students from Sage and other colleges.
We also have an award-winning chapter of Pi Theta Epsilon, the national honor society for Occupational Therapy students.
Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Alumni Spotlights
Read more from students, faculty and alumni of our OTD program.
Emily Peters became interested in helping people with neurologic conditions to maximize their quality of life as she worked in …
Amatollah Elsirafy first learned about occupational therapy while attending community college and working at a school for children with autism. …
In 2022, Giovanna Fichera became one of the first students to earn a clinical doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Russell …
Sometimes things that seem too good to be true actually are true. For example, if you’re a caring person with …
Admission Information
OTD Tuition and Fees
Cost of Attendance Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program AY 2024-2026 | ||||||||||||
Year 1 | Total Yr 1 | Year 2 | Total Yr 2 | Year 3 | Total Yr 3 | Program total | ||||||
Fall | Spring | Summer | Fall | Spring | Summer | Fall | Spring | |||||
# Credits | 17 | 16.0 | 14 | 17 | 9.0 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 94 | |||
Cost per semester | 16575 | 15600 | 13650 | 45825 | 16575 | 8775 | 4875 | 30225 | 6825 | 8775 | 15600 | $ 91,650 |
Student Fees/yr | 850 | 850 | 850 | $ 2,550 | ||||||||
Supplies & Book/yr | 750 | 750 | 750 | $ 2,250 | ||||||||
Total Cost | $ 47,425 | $ 31,825 | $ 17,200 | $ 96,450 |