Job Description

Job Location: Methodist University Location - Fayetteville, NC 28311,

Position Type: Full Time Faculty, Job Title: Doctoral Capstone Coordinator and Faculty, Occupational Therapy

Department: Occupational Therapy

Program: Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

College/Division: College of Health Sciences and Human Services

Location: Fayetteville, NC

Appointment: 12-month, tenure-track faculty. Rank commensurate with academic experience.

Position Summary

Methodist University invites applications for a Doctoral Capstone Coordinator to join the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program. This is a full-time, 12-month, tenure-track faculty position. The Doctoral Capstone Coordinator serves as the primary faculty member responsible for the development, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of the doctoral capstone component of the OTD curriculum in accordance with the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards.

Grounded in Methodist University's commitment to scholarship, service, and the development of the whole person, the Doctoral Capstone Coordinator fosters an educational environment that supports students in producing capstone work of doctoral-level rigor and professional relevance. The coordinator serves as a liaison among students, capstone sites, and capstone mentors, and is responsible for cultivating and maintaining collaborative partnerships that support the capstone experience and project. In addition to capstone coordination, the position carries a reduced teaching load in the OTD curriculum.

Position Responsibilities

Capstone Coordination

Oversee all aspects of the doctoral capstone process, ensuring program compliance with ACOTE Section D.1.0 standards. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Identifying, developing, and maintaining capstone sites and corresponding affiliation agreements.
• Collaborating with students, faculty, and content mentors to design individualized capstone experiences and projects, including specific objectives, supervision plans, mentorship structures, and evaluation mechanisms, aligned with program mission and curriculum design.
• Collaborating with the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator to ensure consistent communication of program needs with sites that provide both fieldwork and doctoral capstone experience placements.
• Ensuring preparation for doctoral capstone experiences includes literature reviews, needs assessments, goals and objectives, and outcome evaluation plans prior to commencement.
• Monitoring student progress and evaluating student performance and ability to integrate didactic knowledge, evidence, theory, and professional reasoning into the capstone experience and project.
• Providing orientation, training, and ongoing support to capstone site supervisors and content mentors.
• Maintaining organized documentation of all capstone-related records, including affiliation agreements, compliance materials, student logs, mentor credentials, and evaluation data.
• Facilitating the completion and dissemination of individual doctoral capstone projects.

Instructional Responsibilities

• Teach capstone-related coursework and additional courses within area of expertise as determined in coordination with the Program Director.
• Facilitate student learning in alignment with course and program learning outcomes.
• Contribute to ongoing curriculum development, assessment, and continuous improvement activities.
• Provide timely feedback, academic advising, and mentorship to students.
• Maintain regular office hours.

Scholarship

• Engage in scholarly activities consistent with tenure-track expectations and the OTD program's strategic goals.
• Contribute to the profession through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, grant activity, or other forms of scholarship as agreed upon with the Program Director.

Service

• Participate in department, college, and university committees and governance activities.
• Contribute to admissions, recruitment, and programmatic planning efforts.
• Engage in professional organizations and community service consistent with the mission of Methodist University and the OTD program.

Application Instructions

Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, teaching philosophy, and the names and contact information of three professional references.

About Methodist University

Methodist University is a private institution located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, committed to developing the whole person through scholarship, service, and ethical leadership. The university serves a diverse student community and values innovation, academic excellence, and engagement with the broader community.

Qualifications: Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree (OTD, PhD, EdD, or other terminal degree) awarded by an institution that is accredited by a USDE-recognized institutional accrediting agency. Candidates who are near completion of a doctoral program will be considered.
• Occupational therapy degree from an ACOTE-accredited program.
• Certification by NBCOT as a Registered Occupational Therapist (OTR).
• Licensed as an occupational therapist in North Carolina, or eligible for licensure prior to start date.
• Minimum of two years of clinical practice as an occupational therapist, with at least one year of formal teaching experience (adjunct or full-time) at the postsecondary level.
• Knowledge of ACOTE standards, particularly those related to doctoral capstone education.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in the research process or community program development. Priority consideration will be given to candidates with demonstrated experience in one or both of these areas.
• Experience coordinating or directing capstone, fieldwork, or experiential learning programs in an ACOTE-accredited program.
• Record of peer-reviewed scholarly activity.
• Experience with online learning management systems.
• Active involvement in professional occupational therapy organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and sustain community and clinical partnerships.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Thorough understanding of ACOTE accreditation requirements related to doctoral capstone education.
• Effective organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across disciplines and with external partners.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering academic integrity and student-centered learning.
• Proficiency with learning management systems and standard office technology.