Description
Discover the opportunity to join Baker College, honored as one of the 2024 & 2025 Best and Brightest Workplaces in West Michigan, Metro Detroit & Nationally!
Baker College invites applications for the position of Program Director for the Master of Occupational Therapy (MSOT) Program. The Program Director provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for all aspects of the MSOT program, ensuring academic excellence, regulatory compliance, and alignment with the mission and goals of Baker College.
The Program Director serves as the institution’s designated leader with primary responsibility for accreditation compliance, resource management, faculty oversight, and comprehensive program evaluation, working collaboratively with the Associate Program Director, Dean, and program faculty. This role ensures continuous compliance with ACOTE 2023 accreditation standards and maintains final accountability for program outcomes, integrity, quality, and long-term sustainability.
The Program Director provides visionary academic and strategic leadership for the MSOT program in collaboration with the Associate Program Director, faculty, staff, and the Dean, setting and evaluating goals aligned with institutional priorities, accreditation requirements, and workforce needs while ensuring academic rigor and professional relevance. Serving as the ACOTE-designated Program Director, this role holds ultimate responsibility and final authority for maintaining continuous compliance with accreditation standards and regulatory requirements, leading all accreditation activities including self-study development, reporting, and site visit coordination, and serving as the primary liaison with ACOTE. The Program Director holds primary responsibility for program administration, budgeting, fiscal planning, and resource allocation, working collaboratively with the Associate Program Director and the Dean to secure personnel, materials, and facilities that support program quality and sustainability. The role includes faculty recruitment, supervision, evaluation, and development, fostering a culture of excellence, integrity, collaboration, and continuous improvement while ensuring compliance with ACOTE and institutional standards. In partnership with the Associate Program Director, the Program Director leads program-level assessment and outcomes evaluation, monitors key benchmarks such as NBCOT pass rates and fieldwork performance, uses data to inform strategic and curricular decisions, and oversees curriculum design and revision to maintain alignment with accreditation and professional standards. While responsibilities may be delegated to support operational effectiveness, the Program Director retains final decision-making authority and accountability for accreditation compliance, program outcomes, and overall program quality. The Program Director teaches within the MSOT curriculum, maintains an active record of scholarship, and engages in professional service and leadership within the occupational therapy profession.
Required credentials include initial certification as an occupational therapist, current licensure or regulation in the jurisdiction where the program is located, and an earned doctoral degree from a USDE-recognized institutionally accredited institution. Candidates must have a minimum of eight (8) years of documented experience in occupational therapy, including clinical practice as an occupational therapist; administrative experience encompassing program planning, personnel management, evaluation, and budgeting; demonstrated scholarship such as the scholarship of teaching and learning or applied scholarship; an understanding of the role of the occupational therapy assistant; and at least four (4) years of experience as a faculty member with postsecondary teaching responsibilities.
The Program Director must possess active licensure in the State of Michigan, showcasing compliance with regulatory standards set forth by Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Additionally, current certification with NBCOT further underscores the Director's commitment to upholding professional standards and best practices within the field.
At Baker College, we're on a mission to transform education with a Student-First philosophy. Our President's vision is dedicated to creating an environment where students, faculty, and staff flourish. Join us in cultivating a culture of belonging and engagement, where every individual is valued and appreciated.
The successful candidate will believe in and support the student-first philosophy while contributing to the overall success of Baker College, and acting as a positive role model and brand ambassador on and off campus.
ABOUT BAKER COLLEGE:
Founded in 1911, Baker College is committed to embracing technology, sparking innovation, and fostering a supportive learning environment where students can get the real-world knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to pursue the life and career they want. Each of our six campus locations is special, with a unique culture, collection of academic programs, and landscape.
Baker College is an independent, private, non-profit institution that grants associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees on campuses across Michigan and online. Our student-first philosophy is the cornerstone of our institution—it is our compass, guiding us and keeping us on course, ensuring that our students and their success are always our main priority. Our dedication to the success of our students ensures that we will all go Further Together!
Please visit Baker College Careers Page for more information.
TITLE IX NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY:
Baker College prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to the Title IX Coordinator. The notice of nondiscrimination is located in the Baker College Title IX Policy.
Requirements
Required credentials include initial certification as an occupational therapist, current licensure or regulation in the jurisdiction where the program is located, and an earned doctoral degree from a USDE-recognized institutionally accredited institution. Candidates must have a minimum of eight (8) years of documented experience in occupational therapy, including clinical practice as an occupational therapist; administrative experience encompassing program planning, personnel management, evaluation, and budgeting; demonstrated scholarship such as the scholarship of teaching and learning or applied scholarship; an understanding of the role of the occupational therapy assistant; and at least four (4) years of experience as a faculty member with postsecondary teaching responsibilities.
The Program Director must possess active licensure in the State of Michigan, showcasing compliance with regulatory standards set forth by Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Additionally, current certification with NBCOT further underscores the Director's commitment to upholding professional standards and best practices within the field.