Why Occupational Therapy?
Students enrolled in this program are prepared for entry-level positions to assist in providing occupational therapy services under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist in a variety of facilities. Certified occupational therapy assistants are in high demand and are educated to assist in the prevention of further disability and the restoration of function in persons with developmental, physical or emotional disabilities, enabling patients to become as independent as possible within their own environment. Fieldwork experiences in a wide variety of health care and school-based facilities are included.
Graduates are eligible to take the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapy Assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. For more information about specific costs associated with the OTA program, please review the CCAC OTA Program Costs 2023–2024 guide.
For information regarding application to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, please consult the full list of Application Requirements.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program will continue to take applications until the program enrollment is full.
Accreditation
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT PROGRAM (A.4.3.)
The 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 this program will be eligible to take the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapy Assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.
For information for individuals with criminal convictions who are considering an occupation or profession that requires licensure and an overview of the license application process, click here.
Middle States Accreditation
In addition to the accreditation by ACOTE, CCAC's Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Status: Accreditation Reaffirmed
Last Reaffirmation: 2018
Next Self-Study Evaluation: 2025–2026
For more information, visit CCAC's institutional page.
Middle States Action Letter, June 2017
Occupational Therapy Assistant, A.S. (587.2)
This program prepares graduates to assist in providing occupational therapy services under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist in a variety of health care and school facilities. A certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA) is trained to assist in the prevention of further disability and the restoration of function in persons with developmental, physical or emotional disabilities. Through therapeutic activities, occupational therapy assists patients in becoming as independent as possible within their own environment.
Take the Next Step
This data is national aggregate data, which may or may not be reflective of current local labor market circumstances.
Admission To Occupational Therapy
Every Nursing & Health Sciences program at CCAC has specific admissions requirements and career accreditation. The requirements for Occupational Therapy can be found below.
Step 1: Apply to the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC).
Step 2: Take the CCAC Placement Test(s).
- Applicants who have college-level courses from other institutions must submit official transcripts to transcripts@ccac.edu.
- Applicants must include an unofficial copy of transcripts and a copy of your transcript evaluation summary in the application packet.
Step 3: Meet with an Academic Advisor.
Step 4: Complete all prerequisites, including developmental courses, if needed.
- Complete General Biology 1 (BIO 151) or Introduction to Biological Science (BIO 110) with a "C" or better.
- Exception: successful completion of an anatomy and physiology course equivalent to CCAC BIO 161–Anatomy & Physiology 1. The BIO 161–Anatomy & Physiology 1 and BIO 162–Anatomy & Physiology 2 courses must have been successfully completed with a letter grade of "C" or better within the last ten years.
- Students who have enrolled in the same developmental course more than three times will not be considered for acceptance in an Allied Health program. Students who have enrolled in the same science course more than three times will not be considered for acceptance. A "W" or "I" grade also counts as an enrollment attempt.
- Submit a signed and dated Allied Health Programs Application Form.
- Submit a completed OTA Total Admission Score (TAS) Sheet in the application packet.
- A minimum TAS of 2.5 or higher is required to apply.
- Submit a copy of your unofficial transcript. This is required even if you are a prior or current CCAC student.
- Submit a completed and signed DVD/Video Observation Form for the program's "Occupational Therapy Assistant Career DVD" available at the North, Boyce, Allegheny and South campuses.
- Submit a completed Essential Functions Form.
- Submit your Self Essay.
The intent of the Self Essay is to provide an opportunity to reflect on your experiences and goals as well as to research the profession. Your life experiences and career exploration activities should assist you in writing your essay.
- Formatting
- Use college-level English writing.
- Use clear and concise language.
- Typed, one to two pages in length.
- Use standard 12-point font.
- Header
- Your full name
- Address, phone and email address
- CCAC Student ID number
- Topics
- A brief summary of recent and pertinent life experiences:
- Education (high school to present)
- Recent work experience
- Related personal or family medical experiences (optional)
- Volunteer work or community service
- Hobbies and interests
- Awards and honors
- Memberships
- A brief definition of your major field of interest, in your own words
- A brief explanation of your choice of career goal
- A brief summary of your self-perceived strengths and weakness
- A brief summary of your educational and career goals
Note 1: A complete application is required for consideration for OTA program admission. The OTA program has limited enrollment. Applicants are encouraged to make copies of all documents submitted.
- Online applications are accepted November 1 through March 1, or until the program is full.
Note 2: Applications submitted after the deadline will be placed in the applicant pool for consideration in the event a seat becomes available.
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Outcomes
See OTA Program Graduate Outcomes to review the CCAC Occupational Therapy Assistant program for the total number of graduates for the last three years. Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.
Contact Information
Molly Dorian, MOT, OTR/L
-
Assistant Professor & Program Director - 724.325.6748
- mdorian@ccac.edu
Email us to request more information!
If you would like more information about our Allied Health programs, please email us!