Occupational Therapy Assistant

Associate of Applied Science Degree

Available at: Windward Campus

Program Overview

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program curriculum is designed to prepare an individual as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, a health care professional who works directly under the supervision of a Licensed Occupational Therapist. The Occupational Therapy Assistant provides the rehabilitative service of those individuals whose abilities to cope with tasks of living are threatened or impaired by physical injury or illness, developmental deficits, the aging process, poverty and cultural differences, or psychological and social disabilities.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant collaborates occupational therapy services with appropriate supervision to prevent deficits and to maintain or improve function in activities of daily living, work, play, leisure, and in the underlying components such as sensorimotor, cognitive, and psychosocial. The Occupational Therapy Assistant may implement treatment programs developed by the Licensed Occupational Therapist which may include therapeutic exercises; therapeutic activities; activities of daily living training; living skills training; splint design and construction; measuring joint motion and muscle function to upper extremities; cognitive and perceptual motor skills training and patient and family education.

Curriculum

• Occupational Therapy Assistant, Associate of Applied Science

Accreditation

The Del Mar College Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. AOTA's phone number is (301) 652-6611 and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Satisfactory completion of the program entitles the student to an Associate in Applied Science Degree.

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 graduate will be a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA). In addition, most states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Program Eligibility

If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor (excluding minor traffic violations) or a, (any), felony, it is your responsibility to contact the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. at (301) 990-7979, www.nbcot.org AND the Executive Council for Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners at (512) 305-6900, www.ptot.texas.gov to determine your certification and licensure eligibility. It is your responsibility to have letters of verification sent directly to the Program Director from NBCOT and EPCOTE to notify and verify your eligibility in order for your application to be considered. The OTA Program must receive these letters by the application deadline.

All OTA students must complete Level II Fieldwork within 18 months following completion of academic preparation.

Progression and Retention

Once admitted into the Del Mar College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, student must maintain a GPA average of 3.0 in the OTHA professional level coursework of your OTA major.  Any course for which a student receives a grade of less than “C” must be repeated the next semester the course is offered based on permission from the Del Mar College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Director.  It is the student’s responsibility to remain in communication with the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Director to determine status in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.

After being accepted into the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, students will be dismissed from the Program for the following: (1) failure to maintain the required GPA of 3.0; and/or, (2) for two or more practicum/fieldwork rotations with a grade of less than “C”.  In addition, a student who withdraws or fails to register for any semester without prior written approval from the Program Director will be dismissed from the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.  Students who are dismissed and/or drop out from the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program will need to reapply for consideration of admission to a subsequent class if they wish to pursue the Occupational Therapy Assistant major.  Student must meet with the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Director and Allied Health Chair and/or Dean prior to reapplication into the program.

Cost of Attendance For Program

 Above costs are based on OTHA classes without core courses or electives.

According to FASFA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), cost of attendance is defined as total amount of attending the program, which includes tuition and fees, books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, as well as fees associated with distance education.

Approximate Cost of the Program

NOTE: All fees are subject to change and will be kept current on the Tuition and Costs page.

OTA Student Outcomes

Students graduating in May of the following years:

NOTE: Covid-19 affected fieldwork placements, timely graduation, and NBCOT board examination rates. 

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 graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).  In addition, most states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are not usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination.  A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found on the NBCOT website (https://www.nbcot.org/EDUCATORS-FOLDER/SCHOOLPERFORMANCE).

As required by 34 CFR 668.43(c): Del Mar College has not yet made the determination if the curriculum of Occupational Therapy Assistant, Associate in Applied Science, meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in any U.S. Territory or state other than Texas.

Careers