The WNE Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program is meeting the evolving needs of today’s students through expanded access and innovative delivery models designed to remove traditional barriers to advance healthcare education.

In November 2024, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences launched a Distance Learning Cohort (DLC), providing a hybrid model that allows students to complete most coursework online while still engaging in essential, hands-on learning experiences. With synchronous virtual classes held during standard weekday hours and local Level 1 fieldwork placements, students can remain in their communities while pursuing a doctoral education. The program also includes periodic on-campus immersions at WNE’s Springfield campus, ensuring students benefit from face-to-face instruction and state-of-the-art facilities.

Building on this momentum, in January 2025, WNE partnered with both Greenfield Community College (GCC) and Berkshire Community College (BCC) to create a streamlined 3+3 dual-degree pathway. Qualified GCC and BCC Allied Health graduates will have direct admission into WNE’s OTD program. Students who complete their associate degree can then transfer to WNE to finish a bachelor’s degree in health studies or psychology. They can then transition directly into the three-year doctoral program—earning a doctorate in just six years.

Together, these initiatives reflect WNE’s commitment to developing occupational therapy professionals by offering more flexible, affordable, and accessible routes to doctoral education while maintaining the academic rigor and experiential training required to prepare