Occupational Therapy Schools in Kentucky

The Kentucky state has 2 ACOTE accredited Occupational therapy Schools which provide an entry-level master degree. Plus, the state also has 3 ACOTE accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Schools which provides an associate degree. The license is required to practice as an OT or OTA in the state of Kentucky and it’s compulsory for the graduates of OT schools to apply for the licensure.
The 2 Occupational therapy schools in Kentucky are-

1. Eastern Kentucky University
2. Spalding University.

Occupational therapy in Kentucky-

The occupational therapist, Occupational therapy assistant, and OT/OTA students have their own state association, i.e. KOTA (Kentucky Occupational Therapy Association).

The KOTA is a non-profit volunteer organization which provides a professional community for its members. The KOTA is a state-based professional organization and public voice for the occupational therapy profession in Kentucky.

The main role of the association is to promote the occupational therapy profession, create public awareness, provide support to the therapist in continuing education and improve and maintain the quality of occupational therapy profession in the state of Kentucky. The KOTA is an affiliated state body of the American Occupational therapy association.
Website – www.kotaweb.org/

Occupational therapy License in Kentucky-

Occupational therapist and Occupational therapy Assistants are required to get a license from the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Occupational Therapy.

The minimum requirements for the license are –

• Entry level master degree or OTD degree;
• NBCOT exam’s passing certificate;
• Application fees of $50.

Temporary OT/OTA Permit:

A temporary permit to practice as an occupational therapist (OT) or as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) in Kentucky may be granted to persons who have completed the educational and experience requirements for licensure and are waiting to take or receive the results of the certification examination. The limited permit is valid for six months or until the date on which the results of the certification examination are made available.

Occupational therapy Schools in Kentucky-

#1 Eastern Kentucky University

The Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, established in 1976, offers many Occupational therapy related programs:

• A Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Science,
• A Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy (entry level)
• A Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy (post-professional),
• A Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree (post-professional) and,
• A Doctoral Degree in Rehabilitation Sciences (in collaboration with the University Kentucky).

The entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy Program is a 2-year graduate program, following completion of an undergraduate degree. The students who complete the Occupational Therapy Program are eligible to take the national certification examination given by the NBCOT and apply for licensure in Kentucky.

There are two routes of entry to the Occupational Therapy Program

1. MS Transition Program (BS/BA degree in another field);
2. BS in Occupational Science degree (Combined BS/MS degree program).

Eastern Kentucky University College of Health Sciences
Courses Offered–	Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) Doctor of Occupational therapy (post-professional)
University Campus	Richmond, Kentucky
Public or Private-	Public Institute.
Department Chair-	Colleen Schneck, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Course Duration- MOT	2-year program (including fieldworks).
Seat capacity	—–
OT Admission	Once a year (Fall)
Application Procedure	Submit an application through OTCAS.
Minimum Requirement (MOT)	A bachelor’s degree; GPA of 3.0 or better in all college coursework; 3 letters of recommendation; Health Science Reasoning Test (HSRT)
Pre-requisite Course work	Human anatomy; Human physiology; Statistics, and Abnormal psychology.
Address	Department of Occupational Therapy Dizney 103 521 Lancaster Avenue Richmond, KY 40475-3135 Email- heather.foster@eku.edu
Website	www.ot.eku.edu/

#2 Spalding University

The Occupational therapy school at Spalding University offers entry-level occupational therapy education. The school provides better learning through on-campus partnerships with Kosair Charities enTECH and Spalding’s Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility. The OT school has State-of-the-art lab and classroom facilities.

The Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy (ASOT) offers two entry-level degree options for individuals seeking a career in occupational therapy with two flexible start points throughout the year (August and January):

The Bachelor of Science in Health Science (BSHS) to Master of Science in OT (MSOT) combined degree option is for individuals who have not completed an undergraduate degree in any area of study.

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy is a 30-month program, consisting of 90 credit hours of graduate-level study. The students who have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than occupational therapy may apply directly to the MSOT program.

Spalding University Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy
Courses Offered–	Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT)
University Campus	Louisville, Kentucky
Public or Private-	Private Institute.
Department Chair-	Dr. Cindee Quake-Rapp
Course Duration- MOT	2.5-year program (90 credit hours).
Seat capacity	—–
OT Admission	August and January
Application Procedure	Submit an online application through Spalding website. An interview (selected candidate)
Minimum Requirement (MOT)	A bachelor’s degree; GPA of 3.0 or better in all college coursework; 3 letters of recommendation; minimum of 20 completed observation hours under an OT/ PT/ Nurse/ SLP.
Pre-requisite Course work	Human Anatomy with Lab; Human Physiology with Lab; Chemistry for the Allied Health Sciences, or any general 100-level or above chemistry course; College Algebra, or a higher; Statistical Techniques; Cultural Anthropology; Introduction to Sociology; Psychological Systems; Life Span Development; Abnormal Psychology; Ethics; College Writing I; Effective Speaking; Physics for Rehabilitation Sciences, or General Physics.
Address	Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy 845 South Third Street Louisville, KY 40203-2188 Email- ASOT@spalding.edu
Website	http://spalding.edu

#3 Murray State University- Paducah Regional Campus

Applicant OT – professional entry-level master’s program
Occupational Therapy Program
4430 Sunset Avenue
Paducah, KY 42001-4805
Website- www.murraystate.edu
Status: Applicant***

*** This new OT educational program seeking accreditation (not yet holding Candidacy Status). Until Candidacy Status has been granted by ACOTE, this OT school cannot admit students into the OT program.

Kentucky OTA schools-

#1. Jefferson Community and Technical College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Downtown Campus
109 East Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202-2005
Status: Accreditation

#2. Madisonville Community College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
750 North Laffoon Street
Madisonville, KY 42431-1636
Status: Accreditation

#3. Ross College in Hopkinsville
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
4001 Ft. Campbell Boulevard
Hopkinsville, KY 42240
Status: Accreditation

Occupational Therapy jobs in Kentucky-

The outlook for occupational therapy employment is very good in Kentucky. The United States’s Bureau of Labor Statistics includes occupational therapy as one of its fastest-growing occupations, with registered occupational therapists predicted to have a faster than average growth (21- 36%). Many Health Care Recruitment providers have reported a shortage of occupational therapists and OTA in Kentucky.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 1,630 employed and licensed occupational therapists in Kentucky in May 2016. And the requirement of license practitioner is increasing. Huge opportunities are there in Kentucky for the occupational therapist and occupational therapy Assistant.

Occupational Therapy Salary in Kentucky-

As per indeed.com, the average salary for an occupational therapist in Kentucky was $82,000 per annum (in 2016) and According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual and hourly income of occupational therapy professionals were $80,110 and $38.5, respectively in May 2016.