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PRESS RELEASE

Providence, RI – December 14, 2017 – ´óÏó´«Ã½ (´óÏó´«Ã½) is expanding its academic offerings to welcome student cohorts in two new, fully-online doctoral programs starting in the fall of 2018. 

The doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) is a 36-credit program for occupational therapists with a master’s degree in OT who wish to advance their clinical practice knowledge and skills or become OT educators. The OTD expands the College of Health & Wellness program offerings, which includes the master of science degree in physician assistant studies and bachelor of science degrees in dietetics and applied nutrition, health science, and public health. 

Ann Burkhardt, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA joins the ´óÏó´«Ã½ faculty as the OTD program director. Burkhardt served as the founding director and a tenured professor of the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program at Drake University. She also was the director of the post-professional online master’s degree program in Occupational Therapy at Quinnipiac University.

The DBA, offered through the College of Business, is a 54-credit program that will prepare senior-level business practitioners to become executive-level organizational leaders, industry innovators, consultants and policy makers. Through the study of business theory, core business functions and applied research, DBA graduates are prepared to improve evidence-based business practices in any industry. The director of the doctor of business administration program (DBA) is Robin Krakowsky '88, '08 EdD, who has been with the university since 1980 and most recently served as the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Denver Campus president.

“´óÏó´«Ã½ is concluding a strategic plan that called for the expansion of academic programming, including at the graduate level,” said Lily S. Hsu, EdD, Provost, ´óÏó´«Ã½. “The choice of new degrees has been long driven by offering relevant education that fulfills market-driven need. Johnson & Wales, founded in 1914 as a business school, has offered a master’s in business administration for more than 30 years. We have seen more demand for the terminal degree — a doctor in business administration — for senior-level business practitioners who appreciate the convenience of advancing their education through online delivery. The doctorate in occupational therapy continues the university’s expansion into the health arena that includes undergraduate degrees in health science and public health and a master’s degree in physician assistant studies.” 

More information on these new offerings is available at and .

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Founded in 1914, ´óÏó´«Ã½ is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 8,000 graduate, undergraduate and online students at its campuses in Providence, Rhode Island and Charlotte, North Carolina. An innovative educational leader, the university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in arts and sciences, business, engineering, food innovation, hospitality, nutrition, health and wellness. It also offers undergraduate programs in culinary arts, dietetics and design. ´óÏó´«Ã½’s unique model provide students with the personalized attention, academic expertise and industry connections that inspire professional success and personal growth. The time students spend at ´óÏó´«Ã½ is nothing short of transformative, as demonstrated by career outcomes, expected earnings and economic mobility rankings. The university’s impact is global, with alumni in 125 countries pursuing careers worldwide.

Media Contact: Ryan Crowley, communications & media relations specialist, 401-598-2752, ryan.crowley@jwu.edu