Academic Programs
Occupational Therapy Assistant, A.A.S.
Overview
Occupational Therapy is a healthcare profession that works with people of all ages, diagnoses, and living situations to help achieve increased independence in their valued occupations. We consider the tasks of daily living, such as making breakfast, taking a shower, caring for children, playing, and even sitting in school, as important occupations that help individuals succeed in life. When someone is unable to do one or several of their valued occupations, an occupational therapy assistant may have the opportunity to work with the individual on an established plan of care to achieve the goals that the individual has helped set. It is a growing, challenging, and exciting career path for anyone who enjoys using their creative skills to help individuals become, regain, or work toward independence.
Locations
Worthington
*Please see accreditation note below.
An occupational therapy assistant is supervised by an occupational therapist.
The OTA curriculum consists of 6 general education courses and 18 OTA courses. The general education courses are offered through at Minnesota West in a variety of formats, including PSEO, in-person, online, and hybrid. The OTA courses are offered in-person on the Worthington campus. If you have any questions about the OTA curriculum or about applying to the OTA program, please contact OTA@mnwest.edu.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Summer - Year 1 | ||
| BIOL 2201 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
| ENGL 1101 | Composition I | 3 |
| PSYC 1150 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| HC 1180 | Medical Terminology in Healthcare OR | 2 |
| BIOL 2245 | Medical Terminology | 2 |
| Total Credits Summer - Year 1 | 12 | |
| Fall Year 1 | ||
| BIOL 2202 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| OTAC 1100 | Introduction to Occupational Therapy Assistant | 2 |
| OTAC 1105 | Clinical Conditions and Abilities | 2 |
| OTAC 1110 | Foundational Skills for the OTA | 4 |
| OTAC 1115 | Problem-Based Learning for the OTA I | 2 |
| PSYC 2221 | Psychology of Mental Illness | 3 |
| Credits Fall - Year 1 | 17 | |
| Spring - Year 1 |
||
| OTAC 1200 | Movement of Occupations | 3 |
| OTAC 1210 | Pediatric Applications | 4 |
| OTAC 1215 | Problem-Based Learning for the OTA II | 2 |
| OTAC 1220 | Rural & Community-Based OT | 4 |
| OTAC 1230 | Level I Fieldwork A | 1 |
| OTAC 1240 | Documentation for the OTA | 1 |
| Credits Spring - Year 1 |
15 | |
| Fall - Year 2 | ||
| OTAC 2100 | Mental Health Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| OTAC 2110 | Adult Applications | 4 |
| OTAC 2115 | Problem-Based Learning for the OTA III | 2 |
| OTAC 2120 | Geriatric Applications | 4 |
| OTAC 2130 | Level I Fieldwork B | 1 |
| OTAC 2140 | Professional Seminar | 2 |
| Credits Fall - Year 2 | 16 | |
| Spring - Year 2 | ||
| OTAC 2230 | Level II Fieldwork A | 6 |
| OTAC 2240 | Level II Fieldwork B | 6 |
| Credits Spring - Year 2 | 12 | |
| TOTAL CREDITS | 72 |
Notes:
This 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 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. 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). Students must complete 16 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 18 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. In addition, all states require licensure 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.