Thomas Decker EdD, OTD, OTR/L

Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy

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Thomas J. Decker EdD, OTD, OTR/L is an occupational therapist, educator, and scholar with over 25 years of clinical and academic experience across the United States and internationally. He has held faculty appointments at Drake University and Nova Southeastern University, where he taught courses in neuroscience, neurorehabilitation, pediatrics, and the occupational therapy process, while contributing to curriculum development and doctoral student mentorship. As an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California, he contributes to the USC Chan Sensory Integration Continuing Education (CE) Certificate Program.

Dr. Decker’s clinical background spans pediatric and adult rehabilitation, with extensive experience in sensory integration, neurodevelopmental treatment, and complex neurological and developmental conditions. He has practiced across hospitals, schools, outpatient clinics, and community-based programs in the United States, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, and has co-founded and led pediatric therapy services internationally.

His scholarship focuses on occupational therapy education, sensory processing, and occupational justice. His recent work includes research on sense of community in blended OTD programs and occupation-based re-entry strategies addressing systemic barriers for individuals post-incarceration. Dr. Decker has presented nationally and internationally and brings a strong emphasis on clinical reasoning, integration of theory and practice, and the development of reflective, evidence-informed practitioners.

USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 133, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003

ACOTE accreditation | NBCOT certification

The USC entry-level doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD) degree program (cost of attendance) is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The USC entry-level master’s degree program (cost of attendance) is in Accreditation–Inactive status by ACOTE®. View our program’s ACOTE® standards public data. ACOTE® c/o the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.®, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Professional program graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.® (NBCOT®), nbcot.org. Program results from the NBCOT can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.