Admission to the Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program requires:
1. Admission to Marian University.
2. Completion of the OTA Program Application (supplemental application) that includes scheduling an interview with the OTA admissions committee if meeting these minimum GPA requirements:
- High school students: 3.0 cumulative GPA.
- Marian students with <12 credits: 3.0 cumulative GPA.
- Marian students with ≥12 credits or transfer students with ≥12 credits: 2.8 cumulative GPA.
- Science Requirement:
- High school applicants: one high school lab science; if not completed, a college-level lab science (BIO 151, CHEM 101, PHY 101, or equivalent) with a grade of C or better prior to program start.
- Transfer applicants: one college-level lab science with a grade of C or better.
- Transfer of Anatomy & Physiology requires completion within the past five years.
- Transfer credit from another Occupational Therapy Assistant program is not accepted. Students may transfer credits toward general education and co-requisites courses only.
3. Schedule an interview when completing the supplemental application.
4. Interview conducted by the OTA Admissions Committee
5. Selection Based on Composite Interview and GPA Score:
- Applicants are ranked based on composite score, and offers of acceptance are extended until all available seats are filled. A waitlist will be established if qualified applicants exceed capacity.
Student applicants must show the capability of fulfilling clinical practice requirements, eligibility for occupational therapy practitioner credentialing, and evidence of satisfactory health status. Contact the OTA Program for further information.
Visit the MU Admission’s Office Transfer Credit
Application Process for Transfer Students | Marian University website to see if your courses will transfer to Marian University.
The Marian University Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program curriculum is grounded in Franciscan values and guided by the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF). It is thoughtfully designed to support students as they build knowledge, develop hands-on skills, and strengthen clinical reasoning in a progressive and meaningful way.
Each 16-week semester integrates co-requisite courses that complement OTA-specific content and establish a strong academic foundation. OTA courses are delivered in focused 8-week sessions, allowing students to fully engage with key concepts before advancing to new material.
The OTA Schedule
The OTA program is currently in development, but exciting things are ahead! Applications are expected to open in Summer 2026, with the first cohort starting in August 2027. These dates depend on the accreditation process, so stay tuned for updates!
Throughout the program, learning is reinforced through practical application. Each semester concludes with hands-on experiences in the classroom and an immersive Level I fieldwork, where students apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings.
Mission
Our mission is to transform lives through skilled, heartfelt occupational therapy. Rooted in Franciscan values of dignity, service, and justice, Marian University's Occupational Therapy programs prepare practitioners to empower individuals to achieve meaningful participation through holistic, person-centered care. We cultivate professionals who honor human dignity and serve communities with ethical excellence and compassionate advocacy.
Vision
To exemplify leadership in occupational therapy education through innovation, community engagement, and interprofessional collaboration, preparing transformative practitioners who honor human dignity and advance meaningful occupation across all populations.
The Marian University Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program is grounded in the belief that participation in meaningful daily activities—occupations—is essential to health, well-being, and quality of life. In alignment with the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, the program prepares entry-level occupational therapy assistants to support individuals, families, and communities in achieving meaningful participation across the lifespan (AOTA, 2020)
Occupational therapy practice is occupation-centered, client-centered, and holistic. Students learn to consider the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, cultural, and environmental factors that influence a person’s ability to engage in meaningful activities. Graduates are prepared to implement evidence-based interventions under the supervision of an occupational therapist and contribute to habilitation, rehabilitation, health promotion, and prevention.
The OTA Program reflects the mission and Franciscan Catholic tradition of Marian University. Guided by the values of dignity, service, and justice, the program prepares students to provide compassionate, person-centered care that respects the inherent worth of every individual.
Students are encouraged to advocate for individuals and communities whose participation in meaningful activities may be limited by social, environmental, or systemic barriers. Through service, reflection, and ethical practice, graduates develop a commitment to promoting equity, occupational justice, and access to meaningful life participation.
The Marian University Occupational Therapy Programs seek to produce highly skilled and compassionate practitioners. Students are expected to develop a robust medical knowledge base and the requisite clinical skills, with the ability to appropriately apply their knowledge and skills, effectively interpret information, and contribute to patient-centered decisions across a broad spectrum of medical situations and settings.
The following technical standards, in conjunction with the academic standards of our academic program, are requirements for admission, promotion, and graduation. The term “candidate” refers to candidates for admission to occupational therapy school as well as current students who are candidates for retention, promotion, or graduation. These requirements may be achieved with or without reasonable accommodations.
Candidates with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Personalized Learning Center early in the application process to begin a confidential conversation about what accommodations they may need to meet these standards.
Any accommodations granted apply only to a student’s tenure at Marian University and may not be approved or adopted by other institutions, including those responsible for the administration of national licensing examinations. Fulfillment of the technical standards for graduation from a Marian University Occupational Therapy Program does not guarantee that a graduate will be able to fulfill the technical requirements of any specific residency program or the essential functions of specific employment.
Observational Skills
Candidates must acquire information as presented through demonstrations and experiences in the foundational sciences. In addition, candidates must be able to evaluate patients accurately and assess their relevant health, behavioral, and medical information. Candidates must be able to obtain and interpret information through a comprehensive assessment of patients, correctly interpret diagnostic representations of patients’ physiologic data, and accurately evaluate patients’ conditions and responses.
Communication Skills
Candidates must exhibit interpersonal skills to enable effective caregiving of patients, including the ability to communicate effectively with members of a multidisciplinary healthcare team, patients, and those supporting patients, in person and in writing. Candidates must be able to clearly and accurately record information and accurately interpret verbal and non-verbal communication.
Examination, Diagnostic, and Procedural Skills
Candidates must possess the capacity to perform all medical, diagnostic, and surgical procedures considered essential for the area of practice, including physical examinations and diagnostic maneuvers. They must be able to respond to emergent or urgent situations and provide general and emergency care. They must adhere to universal precaution measures and meet safety standards applicable to inpatient and outpatient settings and other clinical activities.
Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Cognitive Skills
Candidates must effectively interpret, assimilate, and understand the complex information required to function within the occupational therapy program curriculum, including, but not limited to, the ability to comprehend three-dimensional relationships of structures; effectively participate in individuals, small-group and lecture learning modalities in the classroom, clinical, and community settings; learn, participate, collaborate, and contribute as a part of a team; synthesize information both in persona and via remote technology; interpret causal connections and make accurate, fact-based conclusions based on available data and information; formulate a hypothesis and investigate potential answers and outcomes; and reach appropriate and accurate conclusions.
Behavioral Attributes and Social Skills
Candidates must exercise good judgment; complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients; and develop appropriate, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients. The skills required to do so include the ability to effectively handle and manage heavy workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of the uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients.
Ethical and Professional Expectations
Candidates are expected to exhibit professionalism, personal accountability, compassion, integrity, concern for others, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to accept and apply feedback and to respect boundaries and care for all individuals in a respectful and effective manner, regardless of gender identity, age, race, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other protected status.
Candidates should understand and function within the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of occupational therapy and maintain and display ethical and moral behaviors commensurate with the role of a practitioner in all interactions with patients, faculty, staff, students, and the public. Candidates must adhere to the Marian University code of student rights and responsibilities, and the Marian University Occupational Therapy Department code of professional ethics and professional conduct policy.
Closing
Marian University, through policy and practice, is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students. In the Catholic, Franciscan tradition, we celebrate the dignity of each individual to ensure all students, including those with disabilities, have equal access and opportunities during their time at Marian University.
Candidates with questions regarding the technical standards are encouraged to contact the Personalized Learning Center. Admission to Marian University’s Occupational Therapy Program(s)is conditional on the candidate’s ability to satisfy these technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, and results from a process that examines and values all the skills, attitudes, and attributes of each candidate on a case-by-case basis.
Procedure
Prior to starting the program, and annually thereafter during enrollment, students attest to having read and understood the minimum technical standards of the Marian University Occupational Therapy Programs.
Students enrolled in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program are required to participate in fieldwork experiences in order to successfully complete the program. Prior to participating in fieldwork experiences, all students are required to obtain and pay for a background check and any other mandatory screening processes. Upon completion, students are required to submit necessary documentation via the appropriate vendor, as identified by the department. The timeline for completion of the background checks and other screening processes will be articulated by the program.
Positive results from a criminal background check that are sufficiently severe in nature may result in the inability of a student to progress in the program and may result in dismissal. Examples of sufficiently severe offenses include, but are not limited to; violent felony convictions, convictions for crimes of deception, convictions for sex crimes, and placement on a sex offender registry. Any subsequent criminal arrests that occur after enrollment must be reported to the unit Dean, or designee.
When a student has a positive finding on a criminal background check, they are strongly encouraged to go through the NBCOT Early Determination process. The appropriate personnel on campus and at a fieldwork site will evaluate the information and surrounding circumstances to determine if the student can participate in a fieldwork experience. Although the University will make reasonable efforts to place admitted students in field experiences and internships, it will be up to the host facility to determine whether a student will be allowed to work at that facility. The occupational therapy program will take reasonable steps to find alternate placements, but a failure to place students as a result of a positive criminal background check may result in a student being unable to satisfy the graduation requirements of the program.
Even if allowed to progress in the program, students should be aware that a criminal record may jeopardize licensure by the State certification body. Students are advised to consult the appropriate certification body corresponding to their intended occupation for more details.
Successful completion of a program of study does not guarantee licensure, certification, or employment in the relevant occupation.
