ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is a 78-credit hour associate degree, which consists of:
- 29-hour foundation of liberal arts and sciences (50 percent of USI University Core Curriculum)
- 49 hours of occupational therapy assistant courses.
Students will take the 29-hour block of University Core Curriculum classes prior to enrolling in the Program
After acceptance in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, students will complete the 43-credit hour didactic component and the 6-credit hour clinical component.
In addition to classroom and laboratory hours, this degree includes 16 40-hour weeks of integrated practicum experiences.
Full-time students can complete the Associate of Science Degree with a major in Occupational Therapy Assistant in five semesters and one summer.
Graduates of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program are encouraged to continue their studies for a Bachelors of Science degree in Health Services.
Accreditation
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, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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, 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 Level II fieldwork within 18 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.
Certification
Graduates are 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 carry the title, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).
Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state credentials are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification Exam.
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