OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT

Find out more about our Occupational Therapy Assistant Program and discover why you belong here!

• Course Sequence
• Essential Functions
• Professional Background Checks
• Selection Process
• Transfer Credit
• Register for an Information Session

Admission Requirements

1. Attendance at an Information Session or meeting with an advisor for the OTA Program is not required but highly recommended. Contact Julie Mirabell at jmirabel@kent.edu or set up an appointment.
2. Submit the online OTA Program Technical Study Application. THIS IS A SEPARATE APPLICATION FROM THE APPLICATION TO THE UNIVERSITY.
3. Demonstrate college readiness with completion of ALL developmental course work (as prescribed during KSU admission process based on placement test results, high school grade point average and/or prior college courses) with a “C” or better by the beginning of the OTA program. Applicants may be “provisionally accepted” to the OTA program if enrolled in developmental courses and on track to pass with “C” or better in the semester prior to entrance/acceptance to the program.
4. Complete a biology course (high school or college course such as BSCI 10001 or BSCI 11010) with a letter grade of ‘C’ or better.
5. Applicants must successfully complete BSCI 11010—Anatomy and Physiology I for Allied Health or equivalent course by the end of Semester One to be eligible to progress to the OTA technical study classes in Semester Two.  Applicants may be “provisionally accepted” to the OTA program if enrolled in A&P I and on track to pass with “C” or better in the semester prior to entrance/acceptance to the program.
6. Complete required observation (16 hours total in two different settings) and submit forms. The forms are found in the back of the packet.
7. Complete non-critical OTA, Kent Core and related courses as desired to reduce course load during the technical study program.

Application Information

Application Information Packet  Observation Form

Ashtabula Class of 2025 applications now available; deadline March 1

East Liverpool Class of 2026 applications now available; deadline April 30

* Important Note: A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT Certification examination or obtain state licensure.

Discover important information and policies for the OTA program

• Progression Standards & Course Sequence
• Student Handbook (Ashtabula Class of 2024 and East Liverpool Class of 2025) (PDF)
• SOTA Club at East Liverpool

• Julie Mirabell, MS, OT/L  Program Director |jmirabel@kent.edu | 440-964-4316
• Kathy Swoboda, MLS, OTR/L, Site Coordinator | kswobod1@kent.edu | 330-382-7456
• Nina Sullivan, BS, COTA/L, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator | nssulliv@kent.edu | 330-382-7457
• Lori Armstrong, BA, COTA/L  NTT Faculty | lahare@kent.edu | 440-964-4335
• Linda Ankerman, BS, OTR/L, Adjunct Faculty | lankerma@kent.edu
• Nicole Best, MS, COTA/L  Adjunct Faculty | nbest@kent.edu
• Heather Rosser, BS, COTA/L, Adjunct Faculty | hrosser1@kent.edu
• Janine Rickets, OTD, MOT/L  Adjunct Faculty | jricket4@kent.edu
• Theresa Hootman,  Allied Health Administrative Clerk | thootma1@kent.edu | 440-964-4252
• Mary Schonhut, Secretary | mschonhu@kent.edu

For Fieldwork Educators:

• Fieldwork Management
• Models of Supervision
• Resources for Fieldwork Educators
• Resource List
• Self-Assessment Tool for Fieldwork Educator Competency (SAFECOM)

For Students:

• AOTA Student Resources
• Fieldwork Management
• Kent State University Fieldwork Experience Schedule (PDF)
• Resources for Fieldwork Education
• The Fieldwork Experience

Professional organizations and resources:

• The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) 
• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)  
• Ohio Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (OOTA) 
• The Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board (OTPTAT) 
• The Ohio Occupational Therapy Practice Act (Ohio Revised Code and Ohio Administrative Code)
• Pennsylvania State Board of Occupational Therapy 
• State of West Virginia Board of Occupational Therapy 

Upon successful completion of coursework & fieldwork experiences, students will receive an Associate of Applied Science Degree.

To be eligible for graduation the student must:

1. Have a grade point average of 2.0 or above
2. Complete all general, related and occupational therapy assistant courses with a "C" or above
3. Successfully complete two level II fieldwork experiences within 18 months of classroom coursework.

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapy Assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. 

Prior to 2024, the KSU Ashtabula and East Liverpool programs were separately accredited.  Therefore, outcome data below is reported separately.  Beginning in 2024, outcome data will be combined.

Career Information

The job outlook for Occupational Therapy Assistants is excellent. Occupational Therapy Assistants are employed in both traditional and nontraditional settings including acute care hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, nursing homes, home health agencies, and mental health facilities. The median national salary (2022) is $64,250. for the State of Ohio $61,510. For more detailed job outlook and salary information: 31-2011.00 - Occupational Therapy Assistants (onetonline.org)

Important Tuition and Fees Information

Kent State University Regional Campus Tuition and Fees

OTA Program Cost of Attendance

OTA students also incur the following costs and fees, which are subject to change:

OTHER EXPENSES:

• Clinical Experience expenses (travel, uniform, facility name tag, meals)
• AOTA National Conference (Optional) - $300 plus meals.
• Gas expenses for various field trips. Carpooling with other students is an option.

GRADUATION EXPENSES:

• Cap & gown - $60
• Application for certification exam - $555
• Application for licensure - $100

Withdrawal Information

Refund schedule