Occupational Therapy Assistant

Associate Degree Program

A Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), works with people of all ages with physical, developmental, social or emotional problems who need assistance to lead independent, productive and satisfying lives. The COTA, under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist, provides clients with occupation based activities which aid them in mastering the skills necessary to perform daily tasks at home, school and in the community. As an important member of the health care or educational team, you will work closely with doctors, nurses, physical therapists, teachers, speech-language pathologists and other allied health or educational professionals. You will also be able to provide instructions to clients, family members and caregivers on safe and effective methods to regain function, compensate for deficits and achieve health. The program will prepare you to be generalists by providing broad exposure to evaluative and treatment methods used in various practice settings.

Upon successful completion of this program, you will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam for the Occupational Therapy Assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). View the Delaware Tech current pass rates on NBCOT examination.

Academically ready students can apply to the program following the guidelines of the Allied Health admissions process. Interested applicants should review the information provided here and contact their program advisor for application requirements.

Offered at the following campus(es): Georgetown, Wilmington

What You Can Do

In this program, you will gain the knowledge and skills to prepare you for positions in:

  • Public Schools
  • Rehabilitation Hospitals
  • Mental Health Centers
  • Nursing Homes
  • Home Health Agencies

What You Will Learn

Program Graduate Competencies

The Program Graduate Competencies listed below identify the major learning goals related to your specific program of study and identify the knowledge and skills you will have when you graduate to be successful in your chosen field.

  1. Demonstrate knowledge related to the occupational therapy assistant including patient/client interactions, therapeutic treatments, activity analysis, documentation, safety techniques, and therapeutic equipment.
  2. Exhibit effective nonverbal, verbal and written communication in patient/client and family interventions and education and professional relationships.
  3. Perform competently a full range of occupational therapy skills with patients/clients and various populations as occupational beings.
  4. Exercise independent judgment and critical thinking in performance of occupational therapy, according to the profession's standards of practice.
  5. Demonstrate professional patterns of behavior consistent with the profession's code of ethics.

Core Curriculum Competencies

The Core Curriculum Competencies listed below identify what you will be able to do as a graduate, regardless of your program of study. You will acquire these core competencies through general education courses and program-specific coursework. You will be expected to use relevant technology to achieve these outcomes:

  1. Apply clear and effective communication skills.
  2. Use critical thinking to solve problems.
  3. Collaborate to achieve a common goal.
  4. Demonstrate professional and ethical conduct.
  5. Use information literacy for effective vocational and/or academic research.
  6. Apply quantitative reasoning and/or scientific inquiry to solve practical problems.

Suggested Pathway to Graduation

Semester 1

Number Course Title Credits
SSC 100First Year Seminar1
BIO 120Anatomy and Physiology I5
PSY 121General Psychology3
MAT 162Statistical Reasoning4

Semester 2

Number Course Title Credits
BIO 121Anatomy and Physiology II5
ENG 101Composition I3
PSY 127Human Development3
OTA 110Introduction to Occupational Therapy3
OTA 120Activity Analysis2

Semester 3

Number Course Title Credits
OTA 220Pediatric Health Conditions3
OTA 222Pediatric Intervention4
OTA 225Clinical Fieldwork Level I-A2
OTA 125Biomechanics & Kinesiology3

Semester 4

Number Course Title Credits
PSY 223Abnormal Psychology3
ENG 102Composition II3

Semester 5

Number Course Title Credits
OTA 221Adult and Geriatric Health Conditions3
OTA 223Adult and Geriatric Intervention4
OTA 224Psychosocial Intervention4
OTA 226Clinical Fieldwork Level I-B2
OTA 229Professional Seminar1

Semester 6

Number Course Title Credits
OTA 231Clinical Fieldwork Level II-A6
OTA 232Clinical Fieldwork Level II-B6

To complete program requirements, you must pass the above courses and earn at least 73 credits. The number of courses and credits required for graduation may be more depending on college readiness and the elective courses offered in your program major (if electives are a part of the program).

AHTAASOTA

Pursuing a Bachelor's Degree?

This is a Connected Degree program that enables you to complete your associate degree and then transfer to a four-year degree program as a junior. See a program advisor for details!

Campus-Specific Program Information
This program is offered at the Georgetown and Wilmington campuses.
Contact Georgetown

Elaine Smith
Department Chair
(302) 259-6624
elaine.smith@airllevant.com

The Occupational Therapy Assistant programs are currently accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association Inc., 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, phone: (301) 652-6611, http://www.acoteonline.org

A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the National Certification Exam. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) and eligible for state licensure.

This program is offered at the Georgetown and Wilmington campuses.

Contact Wilmington

Heidi Baist
Department Chair
hbaist@airllevant.com
(302) 888-5297

The Occupational Therapy Assistant programs are currently accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association Inc., 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, phone: (301) 652-6611, http://www.acoteonline.org

A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the National Certification Exam. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) and eligible for state licensure. http://www.nbcot.org