Learn how to help
others live
We are educating highly skilled, compassionate occupational therapists.
ACHE School of Occupational Therapy
Our Mission
To educate highly skilled and compassionate occupational therapy professionals and to prepare them to advocate for those with limited opportunities for occupational engagement.
Learner
Focused
Clinical Experience
Get hands-on experience working with individuals in our on-site clinic.
Advocate
for All
Become an agent of change and advocate for people of all abilities.
Explore ACHE OT
Virtual Tour
ACHE OT has all the resources you need to excel a doctor of occupational therapy! Our state-of-the-art facility features beautiful lecture halls, a Live and Learn Lab, Pediatric Neurology Lab, Splinting and Modality Lab, and more!
Occupational Therapy
Past, Present, Future
Watch this video to learn about how the ACHE School of Occupational Therapy defines the role of occupational therapy in improving the lives of others.
ACHE OT ADVANTAGE
- Employing educational experiences that are learner-focused, contextually authentic, and centered on occupation.
- Engaging in collaborative service, leadership, and advocacy with faculty and students in healthcare, educational, and community environments.
- Nurturing and maintaining a community of occupational therapy students, scholars, and professionals who collaborate with communities optimizing the lives of all.
- Fostering the value of healthy living by supporting occupational balance.
News & Events
ACHE dedicates $16 million College of Health Sciences building
The ACHE School of Occupational Therapy will greet its inaugural class in January 2022. Administration is in the process of making final offers to students for the program, which will have a maximum class size of 36 students. Students in the inaugural class will graduate in May 2025, said Dr. Jennifer Moore, dean of the School of Occupational Therapy. Moore said the newly dedicated building represents a way of teaching. It was “thoughtfully and intentionally” designed with education of the students in mind.
ACHE School of Occupational Therapy receives candidacy status
The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education has announced its School of Occupational Therapy has been granted candidacy status for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. As a result of this action, the institution may officially admit students for the inaugural class that begins in January 2022.
ACHE School of Occupational Therapy receives candidacy status
The School of Occupational Therapy at the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) has been granted candidacy status for the doctor of occupational therapy program. The status allows the school to admit students for the inaugural class that begins January 2022.
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7000 Chad Colley Blvd.
Fort Smith, AR 72916
479-308-2243
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DOCTORAL-DEGREE-LEVEL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM (Program with Candidacy Status)
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Students must complete Level II fieldwork and experiential requirements within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.