The profession of occupational therapy provides services to individuals whose lives have been disrupted by accident or illness, birth defects, developmental problems, social or psychological problems. Occupational therapy personnel work in hospitals, schools, workshops, mental health centers, clinics and home-health agencies.

Occupational therapy assistants work under the supervision of the registered occupational therapist, helping patients achieve maximum independence in activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living, work, leisure and play, education and social participation.

Assistants help therapists evaluate patients to determine patient and family needs. Once treatment goals are set, the assistants may be responsible for implementing therapy by using selected activities. Assistants may also instruct patients in the use of specially-designed devices to allow people with physical disabilities to dress or feed themselves, take care of their homes or return to work.

Prospective students in the occupational therapy assistant technology program must have one year of high school biology or one semester of college anatomy and physiology and one semester of algebra.

The occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220 Bethesda, MD 20824-1220 • 301-652-2682. Graduates of the program 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, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, states licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

Suggested Course Sequence

For course descriptions visit here.

First Semester		Credit Hours
BIO125	Medical Terminology	3
PSY121	General Psychology	3
ENG124	College Composition †	3
OTA121	Foundations of Occupational Therapy	3
OTA122	Therapeutic Media	3
		15
Second Semseter
PSY221	Abnormal Psychology	3
COM122	Interpersonal Communication	3
BIO123	Principles of Human Structure and Function *	5
OTA123	Psychosocial Aspects in Occupational Therapy	4
OTA124	Psychosocial Clinical Experience	3
		18
Third Semester
OTA223	Life Span Development	5
OTA221	Developmental Aspects in Occupational Therapy	4
OTA222	Developmental Clinical Experience	3
PTA226	Functional Anatomy	4
		16
Fourth Semester
BIO124	Pathiophysiology	3
SOC121	Sociology	3
OTA224	OT Physical Dysfunction	4
OTA225	Physical Dysfunction Clinical Experience	3
		13
Fifth Semester
OTA226	OTA Seminar	2
OTA227	Clinical Application I (8 wks)	3
OTA228	Clinical Application II (8 wks)	3
		8
	TOTAL CREDITS	70

† Based on SSC placement score
* May substitute BIO123 with BIO121 and BIO122

All OTA students must complete Level II fieldwork within six months following completion of academic courses.