Outcomes and Assessment

At Sacred Heart University's Occupational Therapy Program, we strive to continually improve our educational effectiveness. We survey students each semester to receive feedback about the program and we track student outcomes upon graduation.

Progression, Retention & Graduation Rate of the Occupational Therapy Program 2022, 2023 and 2024

Progression

Progression through the program is defined as the number and/or percentage of students who complete the program within the 24-month/two-calendar year timeframe of the full-time curriculum, from initial enrollment to completion of all graduation requirements including coursework, Level II fieldwork and the community-based service projects and poster presentation.

Retention

Retention is defined as the number and/or percentage of students who maintain enrollment in the program through to graduation following initial enrollment. For the three calendar years (2022, 2023, 2024), the graduate program in occupational therapy at Sacred Heart University has a retention rate of 93%.

Graduation

Graduation rate is defined as the number of students who entered the program and completed it through to graduation within 150% of the published length of the program (within 36 months). Data demonstrates our students’ success rate and percentage of graduates eligible to sit for the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapists (NBCOT) exam. Of the students who began the occupational therapy program at Sacred Heart University for the three calendar years (2022, 2023, 2024), 93% graduated with a Master of Science in occupational therapy.

Students must complete all fieldwork requirements within 24 months of completion of the didactic portion of the program.

NBCOT Pass Rates

NBCOT Certification Results: For the three calendar years (1/1/2021-12/31/2023), the performance of the graduates of the occupational therapy program on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification were as follows:

View the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) program data results. As of February 2025, awaiting NBCOT publication of pass rates for 2024. 

Employment

2023 Employment Survey Results (1/1/2023 - 12/31/2023)

All 2023 new graduates were sent the New Graduate Employment Survey. 15% of all graduates responded to the survey. Survey results include some of the following responses: 

Were you employed full-time within one year of graduation?

• 89% of all of respondents were employed full time within one year of graduation

If employed full-time, what was your annual starting salary range?

• 89% of respondents stated that starting annual salary was between $75,000 to $100,000

What was your initial area of practice?

Note: Some 2023 graduates work in more than one area of practice.