Occupational Therapy Assistant
The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program prepares students to use therapeutic modalities and procedures under the direction and supervision of an occupational therapist. The OTA provides rehabilitative services to people with physical, psycho-social and developmental impairments as well as helps people of all ages regain independence and participate in daily activities. Occupational therapy assistants blend science, creativity, and compassion to help their clients develop skills and strategies to participate fully in meaningful life activities.
Occupational therapy assistants are skilled health care workers who provide direct patient care under the supervision of an occupational therapist (OT). Work locations include but are not limited to rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, schools, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, and outpatient clinics.
Program graduates will be eligible to take the National Occupational Therapy Certification Examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of the examination, graduates are certified as occupational therapy assistants and are eligible to apply for state licensure.
Details
1. Formal application for admission to the program.
2. Completion of 20 observation hours, 10 in pediatrics and 10 with adults as noted in the program information packet. Completion of observation hour form filled out and signed by supervisor and turned in with program application.
Students with other related health care experiences not listed on the following program preparatory options may request an evaluation for course competency equivalence for work experience or equivalent education as evaluated by the Gateway Health Core Curriculum Coordinator.
3. Background check requirements: Admission to an Allied Health program requires that students comply with the Maricopa County Community College District Background Check Standards. Upon program enrollment, the student must comply with all requirements of the MCCCD Background Check Policy.
4. Clinical health and safety requirements must be met prior to enrollment in any program of study course. Upon conditional program enrollment, the student must comply with all requirements of the MCCCD Clinical Health and Safety Policy and drug testing protocols.
5. Inability to comply with background check requirements and/or clinical health and safety requirements at the start of classes may result in cancellation of enrollment.
6. Current American Heart Association HealthCare Provider CPR Certificate.
7. There are limited spaces available in the OTA program. Only students who have completed all of the general education and introductory courses noted above may have their name added to the queue of those waiting for an available space in a cohort.
Students must earn a grade of B or better in all courses within the program.
Where selected as part of program completion, the following general education and introductory courses must be completed with a 3.0 GPA to be added to the queue of those waiting for an available cohort space to begin the core curriculum: BIO201, BIO202, CRE101, COM100, COM110, COM230, ENG101, ENG107, HCC146, OTA100, PSY101.
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- Integrate the occupational therapy practice framework throughout the OTA intervention process.
- Analyze occupational performance and activity demand.
- Assess client factors, performance skills, and performance patterns that affect occupational performance.
- Integrate an awareness of biological, physical social, and behavioral sciences into OTA service provision.
- Appraise environmental and contextual factors during the intervention process.
- Modify treatment activities based on progress or changes in client or environmental factors.
- Demonstrate effective professional written and verbal communication with clients, families, caregivers, supervisors, and all other members of the health care team.
- Integrate therapeutic use of self into OTA interventions.
- Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth.
- Apply legal and ethical regulations to OTA practice.
- Demonstrate civic engagement and an awareness of social, economic and political factors which affect health care provision.
- Create client-centered treatment activities which provide the appropriate level of challenge and address client goals, values, culture, beliefs, and the established occupational therapy goals.
- Consider potential discharge needs and plans during intervention process.
- Demonstrate competency with entry-level occupational therapy assistant intervention skills with clients of all ages.
Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.
Occupational Therapy Assistants
$59,710 Show expanded career information for Occupational Therapy Assistants
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Pathway Planner tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
- Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
Term 1
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIO201 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | SG | 4 | ||
ENG101 or ENG107 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 | ||
HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | Any approved general education course from the Humanities, Arts and Design area 3 | HU | 3 | |
FYE101 or FYE103 | Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | 1–3 |
Term 2
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BIO202 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | SG | 4 | ||
COM100 or COM110 or COM230 | Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Small Group Communication | SB or SB or SB | 3 | ||
CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | OR Equivalent by assessment on Placement Test | L | 0–3 | |
HCC146 | Common Medical Terminology for Health Care Professionals | OR Work experience or equivalent education as evaluated by the GateWay Health Core Curriculum Coordinator | 0–2 | ||
OTA100 | Introduction to Occupational Therapy Assistant Profession | 2 | |||
PSY101 | Introduction to Psychology | SB | 3 |
Spring Semester (Term 3)
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OTA102 | Psychosocial Health and Occupation | 3 | |||
OTA107 | Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy | 3 | |||
OTA117 | Physical Health and Occupations | 3 | |||
OTA105 | Fieldwork: Psychosocial | 0.5 | |||
PSY266 | Psychological Disorders | SB | 3 | ||
SOC101 | Introduction to Sociology | SB | 3 |
Summer Semester (Term 4)
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OTA216 | Occupational Therapy Assisting Pediatrics I | 2 | |||
OTA215 | Fieldwork: Pediatric I | 0.5 | |||
OTA234 | Occupational Therapy Assistant Professional Standards | 2 | |||
MAT140 or MAT141 or MAT142 or MAT145 or MAT146 or MAT206 | College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics or College Mathematics with Review or College Mathematics with Review or Elements of Statistics | MA or MA or MA or MA or MA or CS | 3–6 |
Fall Semester (Term 5)
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OTA217 | Occupational Therapy Assisting Pediatrics II | 3 | |||
OTA205 | Fieldwork: Geriatric | 0.5 | |||
OTA201 | Assistive Technology | 2 | |||
OTA207 | Occupational Therapy Assistant in Geriatrics | 3 | |||
OTA157 | Occupational Therapy Assistant in Physical Rehabilitation | 3 | |||
ENG102 or ENG108 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | FYC or FYC | 3 |
Spring Semester (Term 6)
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
OTA284 | Occupational Therapy Assistant Professional Transition | 2 | |||
OTA255 | Fieldwork: Adult | 4 | |||
OTA265 | Fieldwork: Pediatric II | 4 |
- CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
- FYC = First Year Composition
- HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- MA = Mathematics
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
- SG = Natural Sciences General
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.
View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm3?id=181784).
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.