South College Atlanta earns candidacy approval status for Doctor of Occupational Therapy program and begins accepting students
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 28, 2025
South College Atlanta is now accepting students for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program after earning candidacy status from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).
The inaugural class of 100 maximum will begin classes in June 2025 for a program that can be completed in two years for full-time students and combines online courses with in-person labs, fieldwork and a doctoral capstone project and experience.
“Atlanta is a hub for medical care in multiple fields,” said Josh Huffaker, president of the South College Atlanta campus. “By earning candidacy status for our Doctor of Occupational Therapy program, we can prepare students to pursue advancement opportunities in their healthcare field. Doctoral students will receive classroom instruction from top-notch faculty members and hands-on learning with modern equipment in immersive on-campus laboratories.”
Candidacy status also allows the Atlanta campus to proceed to the pre-accreditation review step of the full accreditation process, which would be completed in 2026.
Positive factors that ACOTE cited when making the decision included:
- Experienced personnel such as the program director and faculty.
- Hybrid education model with both online and face-to-face learning.
- Strong institutional support and strong affiliations with alumni and faculty.
- Established Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program and several other health professions’ programs for intra-and inter-professional learning.
- Active campus and community involvement.
- Structure that supports students’ work-life balance.
- Accelerated and hybrid model that creates potential to attract students interested in completing their education faster while living in their home communities.
- Innovative curriculum incorporating technological advances.
- Untapped market potential to serve the community and establish bridge program with OTA within South College.
Doctoral students will undergo instruction for patient screening and evaluation of best practices; evidence-based care for patients across the lifespan; research methods, design and analysis; professional leadership and advocacy; and community-based practice and health promotion.
For additional information about the doctoral program, visit south.edu/program/doctor-of-occupational-therapy or call admissions at 404-282-3632.
South College offers academic programs at multiple levels, including professional certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist and doctoral degree programs via campuses in Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee; Asheville, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Dallas, Texas; Marietta, Georgia, and Orlando, Florida, as well as Online and CBE.
To learn more about South College, visit south.edu.
About South College
South College serves more than 14,000 students and is proud of its more than 17,000 graduates. The institution offers academic programs at multiple levels, including professional certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist and doctoral degree programs via campuses in Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee; Asheville, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Dallas, Texas; Marietta, Georgia; and Orlando, Florida, as well as Online and CBE. South College focuses on ensuring high standards and quality educational offerings, maintaining multiple authorizations and accreditations.
South College’s programs span diverse fields such as business, criminal justice, dental hygiene/assisting, diagnostic medical sonography, nursing, occupational therapy, paralegal studies, physical therapy, radiography, respiratory therapy, physician assistant studies, pharmacy and surgical technology. The institution is dedicated to preparing students with the skills and knowledge needed for the professional opportunities ahead of them. For more information, visit south.edu.