Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate Degree
An ACOTE-accredited associate degree that prepares you to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant — five semesters, with two full-time Level II fieldwork placements and direct entry into the workforce.
Program Overview
Start your career in one of healthcare’s most rewarding fields with Shawnee State’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Degree. As an OTA, you’ll help individuals of all ages regain the physical, developmental, and emotional skills needed for daily living and independence.
In our ACOTE-accredited OTA program, you’ll gain clinical experience in hospitals, schools, long-term care facilities, and home health agencies. From day one, you’ll be guided by experienced faculty and supported by a team that believes in your future.
Whether you’re just starting or returning to education, our occupational therapy assistant program offers a personalized, high-impact learning experience that prepares you to sit for the NBCOT exam and step confidently into the field.
Career Outcomes
How to Apply
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Start your application
Free, takes about 15 minutes.
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Send transcripts
Have your high school guidance counselor send them to admissions@shawnee.edu
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Send Admissions your ACT/SAT scores
If you have a copy of your report, email it to admissions@shawnee.edu. Your high school counselor may also be able to include your ACT/SAT score on your transcript. You may also contact ACT or College Board to have your scores officially sent to Shawnee State. If you listed Shawnee State at the time that you took your test, we will receive your scores automatically.
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Submit the Selective Admission Application
Submit before the deadline to be considered.
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File the FAFSA
School code 009942. Required for Free Tuition.
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Get your decision
Most decisions in under 7 days.
At A Glance
Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate Degree
Degree
A.A.S.
Format
On campus, with clinical placements
Length
Five semesters full-time
Class Size
12:1
Location
Main Campus, Health Sciences Building
Why Study Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate Degree at Shawnee University
ACOTE-accredited and licensure-ready. Graduates are prepared to sit for the national certification exam and enter practice as Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants.
Two Level II fieldwork placements give you full-time, supervised experience in clinical settings before you graduate. Small, hands-on cohorts. You learn by doing — in modern labs and in placements at affiliated healthcare facilities across the region.
Experienced faculty and direct advising. You get personal academic support from people who've worked in the field.
Affordable tuition with Choose Ohio First scholarships available, ranging from $1,500 up to full tuition for qualifying students in healthcare programs.
The five-semester curriculum sequences foundational science with hands-on OTA coursework and clinical fieldwork.
- Human anatomy and physiology
- Lifespan development
- Introduction to occupational therapy
- Therapeutic techniques and assistive technology
- Occupational performance across populations
- Psychosocial approaches and physical rehabilitation
- Level II fieldwork (OTAT 2390 and OTAT 2490) — full-time, in clinical settings
You complete two full-time Level II fieldwork placements (OTAT 2390 and OTAT 2490) in real clinical environments — hospitals, schools, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, and outpatient clinics — under qualified supervision. Those placements are required for graduation and are where your classroom skills become professional practice.
Graduates of the OTA program are prepared to:
- Demonstrate entry-level OTA competencies
- Apply evidence-based interventions across clinical settings
- Work collaboratively on interprofessional healthcare teams
- Communicate clearly and compassionately with clients, families, and providers
- Sit for the national certification exam (NBCOT) and apply for state licensure
On campus in Portsmouth, Ohio, in the Health Sciences Building, with clinical placements at affiliated healthcare facilities throughout the region.
Graduates work as Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants in:
- Hospitals and rehabilitation centers
- Outpatient clinics and home health
- Schools and pediatric settings
- Skilled nursing and long-term care facilities
- Behavioral health and community-based programs
OTA is consistently rated as a high-demand healthcare role with strong employment outlook nationally.
Free Tuition and Financial Aid
Shawnee State's tuition is among the lowest in Ohio, and the Shawnee Advantage Tuition Guarantee keeps your rate flat for four years. Scholarships including Choose Ohio First and the Pell-Eligible Free Tuition Program may also apply.
See if you Qualify for Free Tuition
Ohio students can apply to receive a $1,500 scholarship up to full-tuition when you apply and are accepted.
Learn More about Choose Ohio FirstOccupational Therapy Assistant Associate Degree Frequently Asked Questions
A new cohort starts each fall. Applications are accepted through April 1 for that academic year.
Yes. Two full-time Level II fieldwork placements are part of the curriculum and are required for graduation.
Admission is selective. See current prerequisites, GPA thresholds, and observation hour requirements at shawnee.edu/areas-study/college-professional-studies/rehabilitation-sciences/occupational-therapy-assistant/admission-requirements.
Graduates qualify to sit for the NBCOT certification exam and work as Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants in hospitals, schools, outpatient clinics, long-term care, and home health.
Accreditation
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814.
ACOTE's phone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611 and its web address is acoteonline.org
Graduates are able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT), located at One Bank Street, Suite 300, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. Our curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure in all 50 states. NBCOT sets its own criteria for taking the exam, which may include questions on the applicant's criminal history. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT Certification examination or attain state licensure.
For more information on these limitations, you can contact NBCOT at (301) 990-7979. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) program data results: https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance
