The OTA program admits two cohorts of 25 students each in the spring of each year to the technical study portion of the program for a fall start. One cohort includes the full-time and part-time hybrid tracks with labs at the Ashtabula campus. The other cohort includes the full-time and part-time traditional face-to-face tracks with lectures and labs held on the East Liverpool campus.  If there are more qualified applicants than available student slots, applicants will be ranked on a point scale.

Professional Background Checks

Incoming students of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program must acknowledge the mandatory federal and civilian background checks that are administered with acceptance into the program. Following notification of acceptance, but prior to the end of the first semester, students must submit documentation of these background checks. This process must be repeated during the second year for Ohio licensure.

What are the essential functions?

Essential functions describe required skills and abilities for completion of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program and to work as a generalist occupational therapy assistant. This list is a summary of essential functions students are required to meet throughout program coursework and fieldwork experiences. Additional information can be found at http://online.onetcenter.org

Important Tuition and Fees Information

Please be aware that your full cost of attendance consists of tuition and fees, as well as food and housing (if living on the Kent Campus), books, course materials, supplies and equipment, transportation and personal expenses for the terms in which you plan to be enrolled. Of these components, the expenses directly owed to Kent State University include tuition and fees. For students living on the Kent Campus, this also includes housing and meal costs. For commuter students who purchase a meal plan, it  includes the cost of that plan.

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

To be eligible for graduation the student must:

For Fieldwork Educators:

• Fieldwork Educators Manual
• Fieldwork Management
• Resource List
• Self-Assessment Tool for Fieldwork Educator Competency (SAFECOM)

For Students:

• AOTA Student Resources

• Kathy Swoboda, MLS, OTR/L, Interim Academic Program Director | 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

Discover important information and policies for the OTA program

• Progression Standards & Course Sequence
• Student Handbook (Ashtabula Class of 2026 and East Liverpool Class of 2027) (PDF)
• SOTA Club at East Liverpool
• OTA Program Newsletter