The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program includes a combination of biological and behavioral sciences as well as technical occupational therapy assistant courses.  Since the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) requires that all programs train generalists our program requires students to have experiences with people of all ages and types of problems.

The program is designed to be completed in eight quarters when taken on a full-time basis.  Clinical experiences are a vital part of the educational process.  Students will have two different types of clinical experiences, known as Level I Fieldwork, during the academic portion of the program.  Level I Fieldwork is designed to enrich OTA coursework through directed observation and participation.  Directed Practice, a type of Level I Fieldwork, begins during the first quarter of the curriculum.  Students will be assigned to a service organization within the Miami Valley.  They will continue with this organization for five quarters.  The expectations and time spent at the organization will change as the student gains experience.  During the second year of the program students will also be assigned to a hospital or other health care facility under the supervision of occupational therapy personnel for one day a week for two academic quarters.

Level II Fieldwork, or clinical affiliation, is a full time clinical internship for approximately four months.  Full time can be between 32 and 48 hours per week depending on the clinical site.  All academic coursework must be completed before the student may participate in Level II Fieldwork.  The fieldwork is scheduled for the beginning of Spring Quarter through the end of July.  Fieldwork sites are located throughout the state of Ohio and the United States.  There is no guarantee that the fieldwork sites will be located in the Miami Valley area.

Students have twelve months after the completion of the academic portion of the OTA program to complete Level II Fieldwork.  Many students choose to spread their experiences out to allow time for vacations and participate in family events.  Students who do not complete their Level II Fieldwork within the twelve months may be required to take some refresher courses.