Experiential Education
Experiential Education, specifically Fieldwork and Doctoral Capstone, is integral to ACHE OT’s mission, curriculum design and is a key component to meeting ACHE’s mission.
At ACHE OT, we believe that Experiential Education allows students to be trained in learner-focused and authentic contexts. Further, experiential education affords students a means to collaborate with communities, experts, and educators to optimize the lives of those they serve.
Students engage in collaborative learning, service, leadership, and advocacy with professionals in the community through fieldwork and doctoral capstone experiences, both across the life span and addressing psycho-social factors that influence occupational engagement.
All components of our experiential education are specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and the standards set forth by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
If you wish to partner with us or would like additional information about our Experiential Education programs, we encourage you to reach out to any member of our Experiential Education Team.
Level I Fieldwork begins in the second semester of our curriculum with learning experiences that combine with or support the following didactic courses: Foundations of Mental Health Practice and Level I Fieldwork – A; Occupational Therapy with Infants, Children, and Youth; Occupational Therapy with Adults; and Productive Aging.
Level II Fieldwork consists of two 12-week, full-time experiences that occur in their 3rd year and are a continuation of our curriculum. Its primary focus is to provide students with an in-depth experience in which they use theory, research, and skills they learned in the classroom to provide occupational therapy services to clients. Students will complete site-specific assignments as well as reflective online assignments to ensure congruence of their experiences with their academic preparation. Upon completion, we expect our students to have developed the competency of generalist occupational therapists.
As an additional resource for our Fieldwork Educators, ACHE OT sponsors a Fieldwork Educators Certificate Program (FWECP). This program is designed specifically for occupational therapy fieldwork educators. It is a unique 2-day training that will help the participants gain the skills to successfully educate and support ACHE OT students in fieldwork. Offering the program is one way ACHE OT can support practitioners and prepare them to provide the best experiences for our students.
After completion of the didactic coursework, level II fieldwork, and all preparatory elements, each student completes a doctoral capstone consisting of two parts: a 14-week doctoral capstone experience and a doctoral capstone project. The capstone is planned during stages within the didactic coursework and intentionally tied to the mission of the school. It is designed in collaboration between the student and the faculty. In collaboration with expert mentors, students gain an in-depth exposure to an identified area (clinical practice skills, research skills, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, or theory development) via the doctoral capstone experience. The doctoral capstone project is the second part of the doctoral capstone within which the student disseminates the final project demonstrating the synthesis of the in-depth knowledge in the selected focused area of study.
To view resources specific to fieldwork education, our curriculum, and fieldwork educator support, please visit our Resources Page.
Elizabeth LeQuieu, PhD, OTR/L
Associate Dean of Academics & Doctoral Capstone Coordinator, Associate Professor
479-401-6041
Tracey Zeiner, OTD, OTR/L
Assistant Professor & Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
479-401-6043
