OTA - Occupational Therapy Assistant (AAS)

Occupational Therapy Assistant students will be able to: 

• Demonstrate a strong foundation of knowledge and understanding in the biological, physical, social, behavioral science across the life span, with consideration to external factors that impact occupational performance. 

• Demonstrate and articulate the Occupational Therapy history, philosophy, theory, frame of reference, scientific evidence, practice standards and the role of occupational performance on health and wellness. 

• Work collaboratively with the Occupational Therapist, patient/client, family/significant others, caregivers, and interdisciplinary team in a variety of settings (including traditional and non-traditional environments) to develop client-centered, culturally relevant, occupation-based goals and intervention, based on evaluation and assessment.  

• Exhibit entry-level competency by demonstrating the ability to safely modify or adapt interventions, activities and/or the environments by incorporating evidence based/best practice for maximal patient/client engagement in desired occupations. 

• Understand and appreciate Occupational Therapy professional ethics, values, attitudes, behaviors, advocacy, and the responsibilities of an occupational therapy practitioner as it relates to service delivery. 

• Assist with the management of occupational therapy services by maintaining records and required documentation for occupational therapy services provided. 

• Understand the importance of academic teaching, scholarly activity, seeking life-long learning opportunities, and professional development activities for skill enhancement. 

Graduation ceremonies are held at the end of each trimester. Application for graduation must be made through the Registrar’s Office by the published deadline, but preferably at least one semester prior to graduation. Students who apply for graduation but fail to meet graduation requirements must reapply and pay appropriate fees. The Registrar’s Office will certify the completion of graduation requirements. Parker University’s graduation requirements for an Associate of Applied Science with a major in Occupational Therapy Assistant Program are as follows:

• Have satisfactorily fulfilled all requirements of the institution’s academic regulations and curriculum for that program

• Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale

• Have a grade of at least a “C” or 70% in all courses; passing the final course prior to graduation

• Are not on academic probation or subject to disciplinary sanctions at the time of graduation

• Have satisfactorily fulfilled all indebtedness and other obligations to the university

• Have exhibited the integrity and high morals expected of a professional

• Have had a financial aid exit interview, if financial aid was received while at Parker University.

• Have completed the OTA National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam readiness process – scoring a 75% or above on the Occupational Therapy Knowledge Exam (OTKE). Please note that the OTA NBCOT exam readiness process must be completed within twelve months of completion of the programmatic curriculum.

In Addition, students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program must comply with all established criteria as outlined in the programmatic curriculum in order to be eligible for graduation. Students must compete 16 weeks of fieldwork level-II externship within 12 months of completing the academic coursework. The level-II fieldwork will require a minimum passing grade of 70% in order to obtain full credit.

The Associates of Applied Science – Occupational Therapy Assistant is a 73-credit hour program which requires:  

• 24 credit hours- General Education– Pre-professional phase 

• 49 credit hours - OTA major courses – Professional phase 

Clinical Fieldwork Experiences 

Clinical Education is an important part of the curriculum of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. A portion of the student’s fieldwork experiences occur after the didactic portion of the program is completed. Supervised fieldwork experience is essential for professional preparation, as it provides the students with a “hands- on” opportunity to integrate academic knowledge with application skills in a clinical or community work situation. Students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program must comply with all established criteria as outlined in the programmatic curriculum in order to be eligible for graduation. 

Prior to clinical fieldwork experiences students will be required to provide proof of statement of good health, immunization record, medical/health insurance, Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers, drug screening and level-3 background check. If a student has a felony charge/conviction on their record they may not be placed in a hospital, pediatric or skilled nursing facility for their clinical experience. This may interfere with their ability to graduate in a timely manner.  

Every effort will be made to provide local clinical fieldwork experiences for Level II placement; however, students are not guaranteed local fieldwork placements and should expect to complete at least one Level II clinical fieldwork experience outside of the area requiring travel to and from the facility or possible short-term relocation. 

Clinical Fieldwork experiences consist of both Level I and Level II rotations. Level I fieldwork experiences are comprised of three short-term assignments totaling 96 hours that occur in conjunction with specific coursework representing different practice areas during each semester to reinforce learned concepts. Level II fieldwork experiences are completed over a total of 16 weeks at two different service delivery settings. Each Level II clinical fieldwork rotation equals 8 weeks in length, Full-time equivalent or 32 - 40 hours per week (ranging from 256 - 320 total hours per rotation). Fieldwork experiences are NOT paid and DO NOT guarantee employment after completion. Students must compete all 16 weeks of fieldwork level-II externship within 12 months of completing the academic coursework. The level-II fieldwork will require a minimum passing grade of 70% in order to obtain full credit. The student must receive a score of > 91 points on the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (FWPE).  Fieldwork must be completed within 12 months of the completion of didactic coursework.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program student who graduates from the accredited program is eligible to sit for the national certification examination, to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). This examination is administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Successful completion of the NBCOT exam is required to be licensed by the State of Texas to practice as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT exam for professional certification and/or attain state licensure.  

• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) 

  1 Bank St #300  

  Gaithersburg, MD 20878  

  (301) 990-7979

  www.nbcot.org 

  *NBCOT results of graduate performance are monitored through the OTA program’s assessment process. NBCOT graduate pass rates are found on the OTA program webpage at: https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx 

• The State of Texas license may be applied for and be obtained from: 

  The Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners (ECPTOTE) 

  333 Guadalupe, Suite 2-510 

  Austin, TX 78701-3942 

  Phone: (512) 305-6900 

  Fax: (512) 305-6970 or (512) 305-6951 

  info@ptot.texas.gov 

  Professional Organizations and Regulatory Agencies 

• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)  

  6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200 

  North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929 

  Phone:(301)652-6611  

  www.aota.org 

• Texas Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA) 

  1106 Clayton Lane, Suite 516W   

  Austin, TX  78723 

  Phone: 512-454-8682 

  https://www.tota.org/ 

• Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)  

  c/o Accreditation Department  

  American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)  

  6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200 

  North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929 

  Phone:(301)652-6611 x2042 

  Website:https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Accreditation.aspx 

  email:accred@aota.org 

Enrollment in and graduation from Parker University’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program does not guarantee future licensure or employment. Each state sets the requirements for professional licensure within that state. Students are responsible to know and to meet the licensure requirements of the state(s) in which they intend to practice. Initial certification from NBCOT is a requirement for licensure in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. More information regarding professional licensure at the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. At this time, it is unknown if the Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant meets the educational requirements for professional licensure in the following territories as there is no licensing board or regulating body: 

• American Samoa 

• Federated States of Micronesia 

• Northern Mariana Islands 

• Republic of Palau 

• Republic of the Marshall Islands 

• US Virgin Islands 

For additional information, please check our website at Parker.edu and the list of state requirements.