Occupational Therapy Assistant

Application Requirements 

The OTA program admits one cohort every fall semester, with the application cycle open at the beginning of each spring semester. Students must meet the following eligibility criteria for application to the OTA program of the BSRS degree: 

• Be admitted to Indiana University Kokomo as a degree-seeking student and submit official transcripts from other universities attended.
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.7 in the pre-requisite courses for the OTA program (see Curriculum Plan)
• All pre-requisite coursework must have a minimum grade of C or higher. 
• Matriculation to the program will be contingent upon successful completion of any outstanding pre- requisite courses in the spring semester prior to beginning the program. 

If you have met all of the above criteria, you are eligible for application. Application deadline is March 15^thof each year.

Application procedures include the following:

• Complete an application to IU Kokomo (if you are not a current student),
• Request any non-IU transcripts be sent to Admissions,
• Meet with an IU Kokomo School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions (SNAHP) advisor prior to completing the application to assist in identifying any coursework to be completed,
• List the prerequisite courses you have completed, including course number, title, where taken, credits earned, grade, and semester completed (or to be completed),
• Upload a PDF document of your responses to the following 2 questions. Note: your response(s) will be scored based on the quality of your answer, writing ability, and our finding that the response is original and not plagiarized (i.e. do not copy anything from another source such as the internet for any response except as noted below).

1. All students can contribute to the creation and promotion of a diverse and inclusive environment when diversity is defined most broadly. Whether by personal attribute, characteristics, culture, experience, or behavior, please explain to us how you believe you will contribute to the diversity of the profession of occupational therapy as an IU Kokomo graduate. (250 words)
2. Describe the impact and power of occupation on health and wellness, including the role of occupational therapy in health promotion. You may utilize written resources, such as websites, articles, handouts, etc.; however, references you use must be cited in APA format. (500 words)

• Certify that all information on the application is true and accurate and verify understanding of the OTA admission requirements.

Additional rules for admission include: 

• All prerequisites must be completed before you begin the program as denoted by the asterisks. 
• Prerequisite courses older than 7 years must be retaken. An exception to this rule may be granted by the Program Director in special circumstances (e.g., the applicant's overall degree/coursework, background, or experience provides a reasonable fund of knowledge). 
• Students who have been dismissed from another occupational therapy program are not eligible for admission. 
• Students must have a Social Security Number at the time of application to meet fieldwork requirements. 
• Students must be at least 18 years of age at the time of admission (due to clinical placement requirements). 

As part of the application process, the applicant must submit a Student Criminal Disclosure form to communicate any issues that would be documented on a national criminal background check. Students who have a criminal history that precludes clinical placement will not be eligible for admission. 

Applicants will be considered and ranked based upon a points system. Points will be assigned based upon:

• Cumulative GPA
• Pre-requisite GPA
• Scores from two short essay questions
• Interview with faculty

To learn about the most current requirements and course information for this degree, please visit our academic bulletin.

To learn about the cost of this degree please visit the tuition and fees web page.

The baccalaureate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. 

• Students must complete 16 weeks of Level II fieldwork as well as a baccalaureate project within 18 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program.

• Program Outcomes