Mar 28, 2024  
2020-21 Catalog 
    
2020-21 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Occupational Therapy Assistant, A.S.*


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Program Design

The American Occupational Therapy Association in its VISION 2025 statement describes Occupational Therapy as “an inclusive profession that maximizes health, well-being, and quality of life for all people, populations, and communities through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living.”

Scholastic Preparation and Admission Process

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program utilizes a selective admissions process and applicants are required to meet specific admission criteria in preparation for the academic rigor of the OTA Program. The OTA application is available online, after July 1, with a Feb 1 deadline for applications, annually.

To qualify for application to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, students must have a grade point average at or above 2.5., and have completed BIO* 115 , ENG* 101 , and PSY* 111  with a grade of C or better. Applicants must also be eligible for college level math, and have attended an OTA Information Session.

Curriculum

THE OTA program offers an accelerated, a full-time and part-time plan of study, thereby enabling the student to complete the program in 3 semesters, 4 semesters or 5 semester’s respectively.  Courses with an OTA designator are offered exclusively during the day. All course work must be completed with a grade of C or better and a minimum GPA of 2.5 must be maintained throughout the program. The clinical semester, which is offered both fall and spring semesters, provides a four-month, full-time, supervised learning experience with a focus on psychosocial, physical dysfunction and developmental disability areas of practice. Students must complete the clinical semester within 18 months of the completion of academic work. Due to standards set by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), students are advised that the fieldwork sites to which they are assigned for fieldwork rotations, as well as state regulations, may require that they submit to a criminal background check before beginning their fieldwork experiences. Manchester Community College cannot be responsible for finding an alternate clinical placement for a student who fails to pass the background check. A student who is unable to complete the required fieldwork experience will be unable to complete the requirements for the associate degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant but may be able to apply some or all of the credits completed to an associate degree in General Studies. Students are advised to meet with an MCC counselor to discuss degree completion requirements.

Accreditation

The 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 its web address is www.acoteonline.org

Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant, administered by the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual is then credentialed as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Additionally, Connecticut requires licensure in order to practice Occupational Therapy. Note that a felony conviction may be affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

NBCOT Certification Results

Graduates of the program are eligible 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 exam, the graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).  Additionally, all states require licensure to practice; However, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification exam. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification exam or attain state licensure.

Year Total Number of New Graduates Testing Total Number of New Graduates Passing (% passing) Total Number of New Graduates Failing (% failing) 
2018 16 16 (100%) 0 (0%)
2017 20 19 (95%) 1 (5%)
2016 20 20 (100%) 0 (0%)
2015 15 15 (100%) 0 (0%)

 

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx

Learning Outcomes


Upon successful completion of all Occupational Therapy Assistant degree program requirements, graduates will

  1. Sit for the national certification exam.
  2. Demonstrate the clinical skills required for working as an Occupational Therapy Assistant.
  3. Demonstrate the interpersonal skills necessary to function as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
  4. Comprehend the scope of occupational therapy practice.
  5. Apply principles in analysis and application of occupational therapy treatment in the spectrum of human occupation.

In addition, the graduate will complete the comprehensive learning outcomes identified with the General Education Core.

Total Minimum Credits Required: 61


Professional-Level Occupational Therapy Program


These courses are recommended for students who plan to transfer to a professional-level occupational therapy program.

Notes:


*Becoming Connecticut State Community College

A merger of Connecticut’s 12 community colleges is underway. As a part of this merger, modifications will be made to academic programs. Students who do not complete their programs by the end of the Spring 2023 term will be matched with the Connecticut State Community College (CT State) program that most closely aligns with ​the student’s Spring 2023 program and is offered at the current Manchester Community College location. The College is committed to students completing their education with a minimum of disruption. Further details can be found and will be updated on the Frequently Asked Questions page: www.ct.edu/ctstate/academics.

Must have been taken within last five years.

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