ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT

Associate in Applied Science Degree

   Under the direction of an Occupational Therapist, the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) assists in evaluating patients and in developing a plan of selected tasks to restore, influence, or enhance performance of individuals whose abilities to cope with daily-living tasks are impaired or threatened by developmental deficits, the aging process, physical injury or illness, learning disabilities, or psychological and social disabilities. Occupational Therapy Assistants are employed in general hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home health-care agencies, private practices, and other specialized health-care settings.

   The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is a two-year course of full time study. Four options for program completion are available.

Option 1: One-Plus-One Full-time OTA Progression Plan
   Students must complete all required pre-requisite courses and 24 observation hours before applying for full-time enrollment in the OTA Program. OTA classes begin in the Fall semester with three semesters of ful-time study necessary to complete the program. The second year includes technical and clinical experience in a variety of care settings.

Option 2: Part-time OTA Progression Plan
   Students must complete all required pre-requisite courses and 24 observation hours before applying for part-time enrollment in the OTA Program. Students will enroll in 5 to 10 (varies) credit hours, per semester, of OTA Program courses. Completion of the total program generally requires nine semesters.

Option 3: Full-time Integrated Progression Plan
   Students must apply for integrated option in the OTA Program. Students will enroll in at least 12-13 credit hours each fall and spring semester. Summer enrollment is an option until the last summer when Level II field work is required. Completion of the program usually requires six semesters.

Option 4: Part-time Integrated Progression Plan (Enrollment is strictly limited).
   A student may enroll for a part-time integrated program with consultation and approval from the OTA Program Director and appropriate administrators. The student must understand that there can be NO MORE THAN 24 months between the first OTA academic course and the last academic course taken. There can be no more than 20 months between the last academic course and completion of both Level II Fieldwork experiences. Students must apply for part-time enrollment in the Integrated Option.

   Options 1 and 2 are options designed for Linkage students.

   During the Level II Fieldwork portion of the curriculum, the OTA student works under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist and/or Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant. The OTA Program provides students with academic and clinical experiences to successfully meet occupational therapy practitioner requirements. The Program does not participate in job placement.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220 at 1-800-SAY-AOTA Ext. 2911. The certifying agency is the National Board for the Certification of Occupational Therapist (NBCOT) 301-990-7979 located at 800 South Frederick Avenue, Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150. After successful completion of the NBCOT exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.