Huntington University’s doctoral program in occupational therapy (OTD) has tied for the first place ranking of Top Occupational Therapy Schools According to Student Reviews by Graduateprograms.com.

“It is truly God’s work that has brought together this very talented cohort of students and dedicated faculty,” said Dr. Ruth Ford, OTD program director. “The support from administration and the greater Fort Wayne community has made all the difference in our doctorate of occupational therapy program.”

The program was previously ranked #3 in the same category in June of 2015. It currently has a 9.25 student ranking, which is tied for first place with Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Program rankings encompass reviews posted by more than 5,000 OT students participating in over 450 OT programs nationwide. Ratings are based on a 10 star system.

“We couldn’t be happier with the quality of and commitment to excellence of our faculty and students,” said Dr. Ann McPherren, vice president for graduate and professional programs. “Our excellent students are well on their way to becoming superb therapists.”

In addition to rating their respective programs, students often post comments regarding their experiences.

“Words cannot adequately describe how great of a graduate program Huntington University’s occupational [therapy] doctorate program truly is,” said one Huntington University OTD student in a survey. “The professors are certainly invested in myself as well as all of my cohorts. They always make themselves very accessible even with one of the most demanding students in the world such as myself. The way in which the classes are organized are so methodical to enhance our learning experiences. With career advice, I have been blessed with not only my advisor as a mentor, but all faculty have been an instrumental aspect of my personal and professional journey.”

Huntington University’s doctoral program in occupational therapy promotes students’ development in faith, health, leadership skills, advanced practice, research and professional service. Students complete clinical experiences in Indiana, across the country and internationally. The program was granted precandidacy status by the American Occupational Therapy Association in August 2015 and launched in August 2014 with the first full class of 32 students and welcomed an additional class of 32 in fall 2015. [Note: The GraduatePrograms.com list encompasses master’s and doctorate programs in occupational therapy.]

GraduatePrograms.com reaches current and recent graduate students through scholarship entries, as well as social media platforms. These program rankings cover a period from September 1, 2012 to March 31, 2015. GraduatePrograms.com assigns 15 ranking categories to each graduate program at each graduate school. Rankings cover a variety of student topics such as academic competitiveness, career support, financial aid and quality of network.

For a given graduate program, rankings are determined by calculating the average score for each program based on the 15 ranking categories. These scores are then compared across all ranked schools for that program and are translated into a final ranking for that graduate program, i.e., business and management. A given graduate program is not ranked until a minimum threshold of graduate student surveys is completed for that graduate program.

For more information and comparison against other OT programs, visit www.graduateprograms.com/top-occupational-therapy/.

For more information about Huntington University’s OTD program, visit www.huntington.edu/graduate/occupational-therapy.

Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Report ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest, and Forbes.com has listed the university as one of America’s Best Colleges. Additionally, Princeton Review has named the institution a “Best Midwestern College.” Founded in 1897 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Huntington University is located on a contemporary, lakeside campus in northeast Indiana. The university is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).