Huntington University’s Doctorate in Occupational Therapy program is the No. 3 program in the country, according to GraduatePrograms.com.

The website named HU to its Spring 2015 Occupational Therapy Grad Rankings, which were based on ratings and reviews from current or recent graduate students posted on GraduatePrograms.com.

Program rankings, compiled using data gathered between September 1, 2012, and March 31, 2015, encompass reviews posted by more than 70,000 students participating in over 1,600 graduate programs nationwide. Ratings are based on a 10-star system with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best.

“This student feedback recognition reflects how faculty, administration and the greater Fort Wayne/Huntington area have pulled together to create an outstanding Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program,” said Dr. Ruth Ford, HU’s director of occupational therapy.

Established in the fall of 2014, HU’s doctorate program in occupational therapy is one of only 14 such programs in the United States. [Note: The GraduatePrograms.com list encompasses master’s and doctorate programs in occupational therapy.] Huntington University’s 32 occupational therapy students came from across the country and were selected from a highly competitive pool of students.

The first class of HU’s occupational therapy students will graduate in May 2017, which coincides with the American Occupational Therapy Association’s centennial year celebration.

“Our students will be equipped to meet the growing health and wellness needs of individuals, populations and organizational demands in our society,” Ford said. “Use of Christian values, evidence-based practice, technology and research are at the core of preparing students in HU’s program.”