OTA Program Specific Information

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Program Overview

  • The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Sinclair offers admission to students through General Admission and Tech Prep pathways.  Details on admissions eligibility and processes can be found online in the OTA Program Information Packet.
  • While a student is working toward entry into OTA technical courses, it is recommended to complete any required general education courses and plan for the financial and time obligations that are associated with completion of the program.
  • Upon completion of the OTA curriculum, the student is awarded the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree.
  • Graduates of the OTA program are eligible to sit for the NBCOT national certification exam.

OTA Progam Vision

The SCC OTA Program aspires to be a leader in preparing compassionate, ethical, and skilled occupational therapy practitioners who advance participation, equity, and well-being for diverse individuals and communities through innovative, evidence-based practice.

OTA Program Philosophy Statement

The Sinclair Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is grounded in the philosophical base of occupational therapy as articulated by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA, 2025). The program operates on the following beliefs:

  • Occupation is fundamental to human life. Occupations are the everyday activities that bring meaning and purpose to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations and enable participation in society.
  • All people have value and an innate need and right to engage in meaningful occupations throughout their lives. Participation in occupation supports learning, development, health, well-being, quality of life, and adaptation across the lifespan.
  • Occupational participation is shaped by dynamic relationships among the person, occupation, and context. Each person's occupational performance and experience are unique and influenced by personal, environmental, social, cultural, temporal, and other contextual factors
  • Occupational therapy is occupation-centered. Occupational therapy practitioners use occupations as both a means and an end to facilitate engagement in meaningful occupations that support individuals' and communities' goals, health, well-being, quality of life, participation, and role competence
  • Occupational therapy supports health and well-being across the continuum of care. Occupational therapy may promote health and wellness, prevent disease and injury, maintain health, remediate or restore occupational performance, and support compensation and adaptation.
  • Occupational engagement is a driver of health and a pathway to adaptation. The therapeutic use of occupation recognizes the inherent value of doing and participating in meaningful activities while addressing factors that support or limit occupational participation.
  • Occupational therapy promotes participation and occupational justice. Occupational therapy practitioners recognize the importance of equitable opportunities for people to participate in meaningful occupations and advocate for conditions that support occupational participation. Every person has the right to engage in meaningful occupations of their choice.
  • Occupational therapy is grounded in evidence, ethics, and the distinct value of occupation. Practitioners integrate professional knowledge, evidence, ethical principles, and the perspectives and goals of those they serve to provide effective and meaningful occupational therapy services.

The Sinclair Community College OTA Program prepares students to apply these beliefs through occupation-centered, evidence-based, ethical, client-centered, and contextually responsive practice.

Reference: American Occupational Therapy Association. (2025). The Philosophical Base of Occupational Therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(Suppl. 3), 7913410200. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2025.79S301

Program Learning Philosophy

The Sinclair Community College OTA Program believes that students are active participants in their learning and develop professional competence through meaningful, relevant, and increasingly complex learning experiences. Faculty create an inclusive, supportive learning environment that encourages curiosity, problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, practice, and reflection. Mistakes and errors are recognized as opportunities for learning and professional growth. The program recognizes that students bring diverse experiences, abilities, perspectives, and learning needs to the educational environment. Faculty provide varied instructional approaches and opportunities for students to engage with content through active learning, experiential learning, application, discussion, practice, and reflection.

Learning is most meaningful when students understand how knowledge applies to authentic occupational therapy situations. Therefore, learning experiences connect foundational concepts to real-life situations, clinical reasoning, occupational performance, and the contexts in which occupational therapy services are provided. Learning is cumulative, with concepts reinforced and applied with increasing complexity throughout the curriculum. The program emphasizes learning for understanding rather than memorization. Students are provided repeated opportunities to apply knowledge and skills, receive feedback, reflect on performance, solve problems, and demonstrate increasing independence and professional competence. Through this approach, students develop the knowledge, skills, clinical reasoning, professional behaviors, and commitment to lifelong learning necessary to provide ethical, evidence-based, occupation-centered occupational therapy services.

Program Expectations

  • Location and delivery model:  The OTA program is an in-person program located on Sinclair's Dayton, OH Campus.  Students are expected to attend and participate in classroom/lab coursework, on-campus fieldwork experiences (e.g., Fun Night), as well as off-campus fieldwork experiences occurring at various field work sites in Dayton and surrounding communities.
  • Pass all coursework with a C or better to remain in the program.  The grading scale for the OTA technical courses is as follows:
    • A = 93 - 100%
    • B = 85 - 92%
    • C = 77 - 84%
    • D = 70 - 76%
    • F = <70%
  • Fieldwork:
    • Level l Fieldwork:  Students participate in Level 1 Fieldwork experiences during the first three (3) semesters of the technical program.  Level 1 Fieldwork is designed to enrich OTA coursework through directed observation and participation.
    • Level ll Fieldwork:  Level ll Fieldwork is a full-time fieldwork experience for approximately 4 months (16 weeks).  Students may participate in one (1) to three (3) Level ll Fieldwork experiences to complete this requirement.  Full time equivalent can be between 35-48 hours per week, depending on the fieldwork site.  Level ll Fieldwork may be completed on full-time equivalent part-time basis, if agreed upon with the fieldwork site.  All academic coursework must be completed before the student may participate in Level ll Fieldwork.  Students have 12 months after the completion of OTA academic courses to complete Level ll Fieldwork.  Level ll Fieldwork sites are located throughout the state of Ohio and the Midwest.
    • Level 1 and Level ll fieldwork sites are located within a 70 mile radius of Sinclair's Dayton campus.
    • Technology requirements:  https://www.sinclair.edu/locations/online/computer-support/
    • Accessibility of learning environments:   http://https://www.sinclair.edu/services/support/accessibility-services/

  • Health Requirements

    • Health Sciences students may be required to meet health requirements, including immunizations and COVID 19 vaccination, to meet the conditions of health care facilities where students attend clinical courses, other requirements of their respective health care disciplines, or federal, state, or local government.
    • OTA Program Students must complete the following:
    • Physical with health professional's signature verifying student's ability to perform Essential Functions.  See OTA homepage for link to OTA Essential Functions.
    • Immunizations, including but not limited to:
      • 2-Step Mantoux (or QuantiFERON Gold) or chest x-ray (1st and 2nd year)
      • MMR titer, demonstrating immunity, or appropriate boosters (1st year)
      • Up-to-date Td or TDap immunization (1st year and as needed based on expiration)
      • HepB vaccine
        • 1st step:  Fall of 1st year
        • 2nd and 3rd steps:  Prior to Fall of 2nd year
      • Varicella titer (1st year)
      • Other (e.g., COVID 19 vaccination, drug screen, etc.)
    • Student Membership to American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
    • Reliable transportation to Sinclair College and Fieldwork sites within 70 miles of Dayton Campus


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