2015-2016 Catalog [Aug. 2015-Aug. 2016] [Archived Catalog]
Occupational Therapy Assistant (2355) (A.S.)
|
|
Return to: Programs
Associate in Science
This is a Limited Access program.
Mission/Purpose
The mission of the Occupational Therapy Assistant program is to graduate competent, ethical, confident occupational therapy assistants committed to professional development through life-long learning in a positive, non-discriminatory and supportive learning environment.
The Career
Occupational therapy assistants under the direction of occupational therapists help people of all ages regain, develop, or master everyday skills in order to live independent, productive, and satisfying lives. Working in collaboration with occupational therapists and other healthcare professionals, occupational therapy assistants are employed in a variety of traditional and emerging practice settings including community settings, mental health settings, public schools, rehabilitation settings, home health agencies, and nursing homes. Occupational therapy assistants provide occupation-based treatment interventions to improve the quality of life of clients within the community.
For information on the activities of our professional organization and the role of the occupational therapy assistant please visit the website of the American Occupational Therapy Organization (AOTA).
According to the U.S. Department of Labor 2012 Occupations Outlook Handbook, the demands for OTA’s is expected to grow by 41% between 2012 and 2022 (www.bls.gov).
The Program
Upon completion of the two year 70 credit occupational therapy assistant (OTA) program the graduate will be awarded an associate’s of science (A.S.) degree and will be prepared to function as an entry-level practitioner. The program includes a combination of general education and professional OTA concentration courses. OTA courses include lecture, laboratory, and fieldwork experiences. The program is a limited access program and admissions into the program is based on prior academic performance, completion of prerequisite coursework and observation hours, and other criteria. A brochure outlining costs, requirements, deadlines and procedures is available online.
A minimum grade of “C” or better must be achieved in all professional core courses.
Accreditation
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 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and the web address is www.acoteonline.org.
On December 3, 2010, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) Granted accreditation status to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Florida State College at Jacksonville effective for 7 years. 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) (www.nbcot.org). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most 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.
For official program data results please visit the NBCOT website.
Graduation Rates
Admission Year |
# of Admissions |
# of Graduates |
Graduation Rate |
2012 |
20 |
19 |
95% |
2013 |
22 |
21 |
95% |
2014 |
24 |
21 |
87.5% |
Total |
66 |
61 |
92.4% |
Fieldwork Experience
Fieldwork is an integral part of the educational process and is designed to be an in-depth experience in delivering occupational therapy services to clients in a variety of settings in the community. Level II fieldwork generally requires two eight week full time experiences scheduled in the last semester prior to graduation. Students are responsible for uniform expenses, background screenings, physicals, vaccinations, travel expenses and any miscellaneous expenses required by each fieldwork location. All Occupational Therapy Assistant students must complete Level II Fieldwork within 18 months following completion of academic preparation.
Curriculum
All general education courses must be completed before the fourth term of the occupational therapy assistant program. A grade point average of at least 2.0 must be maintained in each course throughout the program.
Application Procedure
Acceptance into the Occupational Therapy Assistant program is based upon academic performance and other criteria. To be considered as a qualified applicant, individuals must complete the following by the application deadline:
- Applicants must be accepted for admission for Florida State College at Jacksonville or be currently enrolled at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Acceptance to FSCJ does not guarantee admission to the OTA program.
- Applicants must submit a completed application and clinical experience verification form to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program department (see OTA application instructions).
- Applicants must complete the Revised PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination and include results in the occupational therapy assistant application file. Contact the assessment and certification center of any campus for scheduling information.
- Applicants must provide a copy of your official college transcript(s) to the OTA program. Students not currently enrolled in Florida State College at Jacksonville and/or who are transferring college credit courses are required to have a second copy of their official transcript sent directly from the college or university to the registrar’s office at Florida State College at Jacksonville for evaluation of transfer credit.
- Provide evidence of current CPR certification and First Aid Health Care Professional Provider Level with AED (infant, child, adult) obtained through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.
- Applicants must have completed 20 credit hours, including ENC 1101, DEP 2004, PSY 1012, BSC 2085C and MAC 1105 (or higher level mathematics course) with a minimum grade of “C” or better. Course credit that was received for College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or Advanced Placement courses will be counted as a “C” on the admissions rubric.
- Applicants must submit documented evidence verifying completion of the minimum of 10 hours of observation, volunteer service and/or work experience in occupational therapy with a licensed occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant. Submit the completed clinical experience verification form and reflection essay.
- Students who have submitted completed applications to the OTA department by the deadline will be ranked according to a point scale based on grade point average in the required general education courses, scores on the Revised PSB-Health Occupations Aptitude Examination, accumulated hours of clinical experience in occupational therapy, CPR certification and essay scores. The 24 highest ranked students will be accepted into the OTA program and notified of their acceptance by mail. A ranked alternate list will be established. In the event of forfeiture, the next highest ranked student will be notified of acceptance. Refer to the OTA program information packet for a complete description of the point system on which ranking is based.
Note: A physical examination will be required upon acceptance into the program.
Application Deadline
Applications are due May 30, 2016. Applications post-marked after May 20, 2016 or incomplete applications will not be processed. Candidates will be notified of their status after all completed applications have been reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Notification of admission to the program will be made by mail and it is estimated that notification letters will be mailed within 4-5 weeks of the application deadline.
Need More Information? Contact:
Dr. Kimberly Fahlgren, North Campus, (904) 713-4532 or kfahlgre@fscj.edu
More Information Online

Recommended Roadmap for this Program
Apply to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
(includes application and clinical experience verification form)
Florida Occupational Therapy Association
Florida Occupational Therapy Education Consortium
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Florida Licensing Board
|