Fieldwork
Opportunities for clinical experiences are built into the curriculum to provide gradually increased levels of responsibility and experience in occupational therapy settings under the guidance and supervision of a qualified occupational therapist.
- Level I Fieldwork provides an introductory experience where you can become more comfortable with client needs in a supervised setting. It helps to enrich didactic coursework by seeing firsthand the concepts discussed in class. It also provides an opportunity to explore different practice settings. At NDMU, level I fieldwork includes placements related to physical dysfunction; mental health; pediatrics; and education, wellness, community, and emerging trends.
- Level II Fieldwork provides more in-depth experiences working directly with clients to enhance your skills as a practitioner. The NDMU curriculum includes two full-time placements.
Capstone
The capstone is the culmination of your OTD studies and is comprised of three courses:
- Capstone Planning
- Capstone Project
- Capstone Experience
Planning for the doctoral capstone requires collaboration with faculty and a mentor to prepare for the experience. You will develop in-depth skills in areas such as practice, research, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, and theory development.
The Capstone Experience occurs over a minimum of 14 weeks or 560 hours under the supervision of a mentor, who may or may not be an occupational therapist depending on the expertise needed to provide appropriate direction. No more than 20% of the 560 hours may occur off-site from the mentored practice experience. Time spent off-site may include independent study activities, such as research and writing.