Overview

Occupational therapy is the art and science of directing the human response with a focus on using selected client-centered occupations to promote and maintain health, prevent disability, assess behavior, and treat or train patients with physical or psychological dysfunction.

The mission of Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology program is:

  • to prepare graduates as competent, entry-level generalists qualified to practice in the field of Occupational Therapy
  • to meet community workforce needs
  • to provide opportunities for experiential and cooperative education with exposure to non-traditional and emerging areas of practice
  • to educate the community, and
  • to function within the standards of the College, the American Occupational Therapy Association, and the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.

Graduates of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology program are technically qualified members of the health team who function under the supervision or consultation of a registered occupational therapist. Assistants accept clinical responsibilities in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, rehabilitation centers, or other organizations directed to maintain health and socialization.

Graduates demonstrate entry-level competency in:

  • analyzing activities and applying activities to client needs
  • using occupational therapy concepts and skills (such as daily living skills, group activities, evidence based interventions, and adaptive equipment)
  • directing activity programs
  • managing department operations
  • collecting data
  • understanding the effect of one’s behavior on the client and others
  • upholding the standards of the profession
  • identifying the need for continuing professional education and growth, and
  • relating occupational therapy to the total health care system.

The OTA program at Cincinnati State provides unique learning opportunities for students through the Eileen Berke Occupational Therapy Center. This training laboratory is a home adjacent to the Clifton campus that has been modified with cabinetry, architectural installations, equipment, and furnishings designed to make daily life easier for individuals with disabilities or for those who simply wish to “age in place” in their own homes.

OTA
4:48 minutes

Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. Phone: (301) 652-6611. Website: www.acoteonline.org.

The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education is affiliated with the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

  • Last on-site accreditation visit: 2021-22
  • Next on-site accreditation visit: 2031-32

Cincinnati State Graduation Rates and NBCOT Pass Rates

Graduation Rates

Graduation Year

Entered

Graduated

Graduation Rate

2021

30 (in 2019)

24

80%

2022

30 (in 2020)

19

63.6%

2023

27 (in 2021)

21

77.8%

Total

87

64

73.5%

NBCOT pass rates for the past three years can be viewed at
https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance

Contacts

Program Chair

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

Antoinette (Toni) Durban
COTA/L

Career Outlook

Graduates Are Prepared To

  • Take the national certification (NBCOT) exam to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Work as an entry-level occupational therapy assistant
  • Function in a professional and ethical manner as defined by the American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Contribute to the occupational therapy process in collaboration with an occupational therapist
  • Implement occupation-based interventions utilizing a client-centered approach

Representative Job Titles For Graduates

  • Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Graduate Employment Outlook

U.S. News and World Report ranks Occupational Therapy Assistant as the #2 job in "Best Health Care Support Jobs." According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of occupational therapy assistants and aides is projected to grow about 35 percent through 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations. Occupational therapy will continue to be an important part of treatment for people with various illnesses and disabilities.

$45,000 to $52,000 annual salary

Graduate Starting Salary Projections

Education Options

Transfer History

  • University of Findlay
  • University of Cincinnati

Representative Co-Op/Clinical/Intern Site

  • Nursing homes
  • Hospitals
  • School systems
  • Private clinics

Co-op Salary Projections

All clinical experience and fieldwork is unpaid

Contacts

Program Chair

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

Antoinette (Toni) Durban
COTA/L

Curriculum

Progression

Learn about the Health & Public Safety Selective Admission (Progression) process and the TEAS test

Effective 2024-2025 academic year

Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology (OTA)

Semester 1 Lec Lab Credits
FYE 1XX First Year Experience Elective (B) 1 0 1
OTA 100 Introduction to Occupational Therapy Assisting ( B) 3 0 3
OTA 105 Theory of Occupational Therapy ( B) 3 0 3
OTA 106 Techniques of Occupational Therapy ( T) 0 4 2
OTA 107 Clinical Competency Foundations for Occupational Therapy Assistant ( B) 0 2 1
ENG 101 English Composition 1 ( G) 3 0 3
BIO 151 Anatomy and Physiology 1 ( G) 2 3 4
Semester 2
OTA 120 Concepts and Skills of Occupational Therapy: Pediatrics ( T) 2 0 2
OTA 121 Therapeutic Media for Occupational Therapy: Pediatrics ( T) 0 4 2
OTA 180 Occupational Therapy Assisting Level I Fieldwork 1 ( T) 1 5 2
PSY 110 Introduction to Psychology ( G) 3 0 3
MAT 105 Quantitative Reasoning ( G) 2 2 3
SOC 105 Introduction to Sociology ( B) 3 0 3
Semester 3
OTA 110 Concepts and Skills of Occupational Therapy: Psychosocial ( T) 2 0 2
OTA 111 Therapeutic Media for Occupational Therapy: Psychosocial ( T) 0 4 2
OTA 185 Occupational Therapy Assisting Level I Fieldwork 2 ( T) 1 5 2
BIO 152 Anatomy and Physiology 2 ( B) 3 2 4
ENG 10X English Composition Elective (G) 3 0 3
Semester 4
OTA 280 Occupational Therapy Assisting Level I Fieldwork 3 ( T) 1 4 2
OTA 231 Therapeutic Media for Occupational Therapy: Physical Disabilities ( T) 0 6 3
OTA 233 Kinesiology for Occupational Therapy ( T) 2 2 3
OTA 230 Concepts and Skills of Occupational Therapy: Physical Disabilities ( T) 4 0 4
Semester 5
OTA 245 Therapeutic Media Analysis for Occupational Therapy ( T) 0 3 1
OTA 241 Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy Practice 1 ( T) 1 0 1
OTA 294 OTA Level II Fieldwork 1 ( T) 0 22 1
Semester 6
OTA 295 OTA Level II Fieldwork 2 ( T) 0 22 1
OTA 242 Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy Practice 2 ( T) 1 0 1
Total Credits: 41 90 62

Electives

First Year Experience Elective
FYE 100 College Success Strategies: Overview 1
FYE 105 College Success Strategies: Overview and Application 2
FYE 110 College Success Strategies: Practice and Application 3
English Composition Elective
ENG 102 English Composition 2: Contemporary Issues 3
ENG 103 English Composition 2: Writing about Literature 3
ENG 104 English Composition 2: Technical Communication 3
The letters G, B, and T (displayed after course titles or elective descriptions) identify types of courses required by the Ohio Department of Higher Education as part of an associate’s degree curriculum.

G = General Education course in this curriculum
B = Basic Skills course in this curriculum
T = Technical course in this curriculum
Some courses are offered in alternative versions identified with a letter after the course number -- for example, ENG 101 and ENG 101A.

• This curriculum displays only course numbers without the added letter.
• The alternative version, when available, meets the requirements of the course version without the added letter.

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