Occupational Therapy Assistant Degree Program

Working with clients of all ages, occupational therapy assistants (OTA) work under the supervision of licensed occupational therapists. They help people to develop and recover activities (occupations) of daily living, like getting dressed, driving and working.

Lakeland's Occupational Therapy Assistant degree program prepares students to be competent entry-level therapy assistants. Upon satisfactory completion of the program requirements, graduates are eligible to apply for certification by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and licensure through the appropriate state agency.

What do Occupational Therapy Assistants Do?

OTAs may work with adults in their homes, rehabilitation center, nursing homes, community centers and other facilities. They collaborate in the formulation of a treatment plan, deliver therapeutic interventions to address various disabilities, advocate for the rehabilitation needs of their patients and clients, educate patients and families on effective therapy participation, and accurately document occupational therapy services for reimbursement.

How to Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant

You can earn your Associate of Applied Science degree in Occupational Therapy Assisting in as little as two years (including summer term classes) with 65 credit hours.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Certification

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, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Education Requirements

For admissions requirements into the program, specific courses and more information on earning your degree, visit our college catalog.

How Much do Occupational Therapy Assistants Make?

For up-to-date information on jobs, salary and the national outlook for occupational therapy assistants, visit the U.S. Department of Labor website.

Program Accreditation

The associate-degree-level 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. 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, all 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.

NBCOT Certification Rates

Information on certification rates can be accessed through the website for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), located at: https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.

 
For Currently Enrolled Students

Layce Artman I graduated with my associate degree from Lakeland while at the same time graduating as Valedictorian from high school. I plan to attend the Holden University Center to complete my bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Layce Artman College Credit Plus

Michelle Timms One thing I really love about Lakeland and being in the honors program is that the teachers have small classes and they are very devoted to their students. My friends at four-year institutions are taking the same intro classes that I am, but in large lecture halls with a lot more students. Michelle Timms Associate of Arts

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