Occupational Therapy Assistant
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program in St. Louis, Associate of Applied Science
Students of our Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program train to render effective treatment and care for individuals of all ages whose quality of life has been impacted by disease or disability. Students will develop creative and adaptive therapeutic approaches to help patients remediate, rehabilitate, or compensate for emotional, physical, cognitive, and social impairment. As an OTA, you will work under the supervision of Occupational Therapists to perform select assessments and to implement holistic treatment plans focused on meaningful activities that promote a healthier balance of self-care, work, and leisure activities.
Graduate Opportunities
Graduates of the SLCHC Occupational Therapy Assistant program often work directly one on one with patients/clients under the supervision of Occupational Therapists. This can be within several types of health care and community settings including hospitals, clinics, skilled nursing facilities, rehab centers, homes, school based settings, community health centers, prison systems, government systems, and private business.
Graduation & Certification
SLCHC OTA program graduates who successfully complete all program requirements including all coursework and all fieldwork (clinical) experiences according to program progression and completion policies, will earn an Associates of Applied Science (AAS) degree and will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant which is administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this national board exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states now require licensure to legally practice, and state license boards usually require proof of passing the NBCOT OTA board exam in order to obtain licensure. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s eligibility for certification and/or licensure.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides, on the Internet at Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)
Semester 1
| Course # | Course | Hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTH202 | Algebra & Mathematical Functions | 45 | 3 |
| ENG101 | English Composition I | 45 | 3 |
| HB300 | Medical Terminology Basics | 30 | 1 |
| AH100 | Professional Development | 45 | 3 |
| BL121 | Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology Theory | 45 | 3 |
| BL121L | Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology Lab | 30 | 1 |
Semester 2
| Course # | Course | Hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BL302 | Kinesiology & Functional Biomechanics | 45 | 3 |
| BL302L | Kinesiology & Functional Biomechanics Lab | 30 | 1 |
| PS203 | Human Growth & Development | 30 | 2 |
| EN150 | Communications | 45 | 3 |
| PS101 | Psychology | 45 | 3 |
| OTA101 | Introduction to Occupational Therapy | 45 | 3 |
Semester 3
| Course # | Course | Hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTA102 | Foundations of Occupational Therapy | 45 | 3 |
| OTA110L | Therapeutic Activities for Occupational Performance Lab | 30 | 1 |
| OTA130 | Human Dysfunctions on Occupational Performance | 60 | 4 |
| OTA140 | Documentation in Occupational Therapy | 30 | 2 |
| OTA160L | OTA Fundamentals 1 Lab | 60 | 2 |
Semester 4
| Course # | Course | Hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTA201 | Fieldwork Level IA | 45 | 1 |
| OTA210 | OTA Applications in Psychosocial Practice | 45 | 3 |
| OTA230 | Therapeutic Communication | 30 | 2 |
| OTA245 | OTA Applications in Pediatric Practice | 45 | 3 |
| OTA245L | OTA Applications in Pediatric Practice Lab | 45 | 1 |
| OTA250L | Group Dynamics Lab | 30 | 1 |
| OTA260L | OTA Fundamentals 2 Lab | 45 | 1 |
Semester 5
| Course # | Course | Hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTA301 | Fieldwork Level IB | 45 | 1 |
| OTA315 | OTA Applications in Physical Dysfunction | 45 | 3 |
| OTA315L | OTA Applications in Physical Dysfunction Lab | 45 | 1 |
| OTA325 | Therapeutic Adaptations | 30 | 2 |
| OTA325L | Therapeutic Adaptations Lab | 45 | 1 |
| OTA340 | OTA Applications in Geriatric Practice | 45 | 3 |
| OTA350 | OTA Professional Seminar | 30 | 2 |
| OTA360L | OTA Fundamentals 3 Lab | 45 | 1 |
Semester 6
| Course # | Course | Hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTA405 | Fieldwork Level II, Practicum 1 | 270 | 6 |
| OTA406 | Fieldwork Level II, Practicum 2 | 270 | 6 |
| OTA410 | OTA Applications in Clinical Reasoning | 30 | 2 |
Tuition & Fees
2024-25 Tuition & Fees
Program Accreditations
“Effective April 22, 2023, the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at SLCHC has been granted a status of Accreditation-Inactive 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. This inactive status indicates that the program is not currently enrolling new students and does not plan to enroll new students in the future until granted re-activation approval by ACOTE. While the program is on Accreditation-Inactive status, any graduates of the program will still 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.”
ACOTE
c/o AOTA
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814
www.acoteonline.org
(301) 652-AOTA