The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) / Master of Health Administration (MHA) joint program integrates advanced occupational therapy training with essential health care administration knowledge, preparing students to deliver patient care while contributing to organizational leadership and decision-making. Graduates are equipped for a range of roles, including clinical practice management, program development, quality improvement, operations, and executive health care leadership.

The joint degree in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) and Master of Health Administration (MHA) requires 134 credits, and is comprised of the following:

• 103 total Doctor of Occupational Therapy program credit hours
• 31 MHA credits + 9 DPT transfer credits Master of Health Administration
  • 12 core Master of Health Administration course credit hours
  • 15 elective Master of Health Administration course credit hours
  • 4 capstone Master of Health Administration course credit hours
  • 9 Doctor of Occupational Therapy transfer credit hour

To be eligible for the joint OTD/MHA program, applicants must be admitted to both the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program and the Master of Health Administration program. Admission to the OTD program is a prerequisite for applying to the MHA program; students must be in good academic standing in the OTD program and have earned a bachelor's degree prior to enrolling in the MHA program. Students must meet the admission, enrollment, and graduation requirements of both programs and enroll in the MHA program prior to graduating from the OTD program. Admission decisions for the two programs are made independently, and acceptance into one program does not guarantee acceptance into the other.

Plan C (course work) will be used at the final assessment within the MHA capstone course. A four-credit capstone course will be required for MHA degree-seeking students. Within this course, there are three comprehensive assessments accompanied by course instruction. Students will perform a case study of a defined health organization and present their findings and recommendations within a written and verbal assignment. Second, students will engage in a group eLearning module making weekly decisions which impact the organization. Based on the weekly results, team members will adjust their decision for subsequent weeks. They will be competing against other teams within the course and a computerized model. Lastly, students will develop an organizational strategic plan drawing on the learning outcomes from the program’s core courses.