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Degree:
Upon successful completion of the program, students will earn an Associate of
Science degree and will be academically eligible for licensure by examination.
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. AOTA’s telephone number is (301) 652-AOTA.
Graduates of the program will be able 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 examination, 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 results of the
NBCOT Certification Examination.
Individuals who have been convicted of a felony may not be eligible for licensure. If
convicted of a felony, it is recommended that you contact the Occupational Therapy Board
in the state where you plan to seek licensure to verify your eligibility for licensure. All
students will be required to complete a national criminal background check prior to
placement in clinical externships. Some clinical facilities may also require a drug screen
prior to placement (students may be responsible for payment). The clinical affiliate
determines whether a student can participate in the clinical rotation based upon the results
of the background check and drug screen.
Additional OTA Program Requirements:
1. The OTA program requires a full-time commitment from the student. Generally,
classes will be scheduled Monday through Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm with
some evening and/or weekend time commitments as needed.
2. Since clinical education is a critical component of the program, all clinical
practicums must be passed. Traveling out of town will be necessary. Students
are responsible for their own transportation, food and lodging during the
practicums unless other arrangements are made by the clinical site or student.
3. Students must provide evidence of the following prior to the first clinical
practicum:
a. Health insurance (available through Darton State College).
b. Completed health form, including evidence of initiation of the Hepatitis
B Vaccine series.
c. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification – American Heart
Association BLS Health Care Provider course must be maintained
throughout the program.
d. Malpractice insurance (available through Darton State College).
e. Signed letter of confidentiality and honor code.
4. The student is expected to assume responsibility for his/her own health in the
event of illness, accident, or exposure to communicable disease.
5. A minimum grade of “C” is required in all OTA courses to advance in the
program.
6. Fieldwork must be passed to graduate. In the event of unsatisfactory
performance, a practicum may be repeated one time within 18 months of
completion of didactic course work.
7. Once enrolled in the program, failure to satisfactorily complete the course work in
the scheduled sequence will result in the student being withdrawn from the
program. The student must re-apply, be re-accepted and repeat ALL determined
course work.
