QU approved to offer doctoral programs in occupational therapy, physical therapy

QUINCY — Quincy University recently received the permission of its institutional accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, to offer doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy and in physical therapy. These clinical doctoral programs will prepare students for careers in high-demand healthcare fields and mark the first time the university will offer doctoral degrees in its 165-year history.

In a press release, QU President Brian McGee said, “These new programs will meet important community needs and represent an important shift in the degree offerings of Quincy University. Today, we are pleased to acknowledge this recognition by our institutional accreditor of our preparation to offer these programs. We look forward to enrolling our first students in these programs.”

Both the occupational therapy and physical therapy programs will encompass flexible, hybrid formats for curriculum, blending online and in-person learning.

Pending candidacy from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education and the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, the occupational therapy and physical therapy programs will be offered beginning January 2026.

“Flexible, hybrid course delivery is the future of graduate healthcare education,” said Sarah Vordtriede-Patton, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Our plans for occupational therapy and physical therapy have allowed us to recruit highly qualified faculty and will offer our students convenient and flexible options for completing the rigorous training required by these programs.”

The Quincy University occupational therapy doctoral program will be led by experienced faculty, including Dr. Kristin Haas, Dr. Paula Costello and Dr. Jaime Garafalo-Peterson. The faculty supporting the physical therapy doctoral program will include Dr. Kathleen Galloway, Dr. Jacklyn Malt, Dr. Christina DeHoff and Dr. Steven Karas. QU will continue to hire additional faculty and administrative support for both programs.

A $4.2 million state capital projects grant has allowed the university to make facility renovations at its North Campus. Work continues to transform these underutilized administrative spaces into laboratories, classrooms and faculty and staff offices shared by the occupational therapy and physical therapy programs. Students in both hybrid programs will come to campus periodically for intensive lab experiences. In many cases, they will have the option to return home or travel elsewhere for their clinical experiences.

For more information about the occupational therapy doctoral program, contact Haas at occupationaltherapy@quincy.edu or visit http://www.quincy.edu/occupationaltherapy.

For more information about the physical therapy doctoral program, contact Galloway at physicaltherapy@quincy.edu or visit www.quincy.edu/physicaltherapy.

“While these new programs will be our first graduate and doctoral programs in the health sciences, I expect there will be more in our future,” McGee said. “Over time, I expect we will see further graduate opportunities at QU for students seeking advanced training in high-demand professions. Our region needs these graduates.”

“Years of preparation led to this moment, when QU has been given this permission by our accreditor,” Vordtriede-Patton said. “I am proud of all the faculty and staff whose hard work and dedication allow us to reach this milestone.”