Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate Degree Program
Program Type
Associate Degree
Delivery Method
On Campus
Course Length
Approximately
20 months
Program Objective
An occupational therapy assistant assists patients of all ages, all backgrounds and with different types of disabilities and challenges to participate in everyday activities. Some patients may need to regain skills after an injury or rebuild their health, independence and self-esteem after an illness. This role works under the supervision of an occupational therapist.
The day-to-day responsibilities of occupational therapy assistants include providing treatments that assist people with disabilities to function independently in their home and community.
Students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program will study a broad range of topics including activity analysis, growth and development, human occupations, and ethics. Classes also cover kinesiology and occupational therapy for mental health.
Classes are taught by expert instructors, using real-world labs that provide true hands-on experience. Students in this program will gain confidence in providing/managing treatment plans for patients of all ages, encouraging patients to complete their therapeutic activities/exercises, leading children who have developmental disabilities in play activities that promote coordination/socialization and recording patient progress.
Graduates of the program from this school 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).
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Careers as an Occupational Therapy Assistant
What Are My Career Opportunities as an Occupational Therapy Assistant?
What Are My Career Opportunities as an Occupational Therapy Assistant?
This associate degree program will prepare graduates to apply their skills in a variety of environments, such as:
- Hospitals
- Public schools
- Rehabilitation centers
- Mental health centers
- Nursing homes
- Other community settings
Job Outlook
Job Outlook
Occupational therapy will continue to be an important part of treatment for people with various illnesses and disabilities.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall employment of occupational therapy assistants and aides is projected to grow exponentially from 2020 to 2030.
When you’re a Pima Medical Institute student, you get access to our Career Services team—here for you when you need extra help with finding the right job opportunities, building a resume, strengthening your interview skills or just looking for general guidance.
Clinical Externships
At Pima Medical Institute, most programs allow students to work in their field through clinical externships—a chance to be mentored by full-time professionals and interface with real patients.
In addition to real-world experience, clinical externships offer students resume-worthy opportunities, letters of recommendation from supervisors, and sometimes job placement directly after graduation.
Program Outline
Learn more about the courses in this program.
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Semester l
Semester lI
Semester III
Semester IV
Semester V
*Program is 80 weeks in length. The total number of program hours is 1,712 at all campuses except Las Vegas. The Las Vegas campus program hours total 1,757. The Las Vegas program includes one additional 3 credit class (HST 205 Nevada History and US Constitution). Graduates will receive an Occupational Associates degree with the exception of Houston and El Paso program graduates, which will receive an Associate of Applied Science degree. Graduates of an accredited OTA 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).
Interested In Starting This Program?
Find out more about our Admissions Requirements or view our How to Apply page.
Success Is Within Reach
We are truly invested in making sure our students succeed.
“I enjoyed my clinical experience and was known as the person who asked lots of questions. I wanted to know what I didn’t know. I am currently working for Encompass Health and am also working in pediatric home health. If I can wake up every day and help people and make them happy, then I am happy. I’m so thankful to my classmates and instructors and everyone at Pima Medical who supported me. I will always be grateful!”
Dwight Scypion, Jr., Occupational Therapy Assistant Graduate
Pima Medical Blog
Pima Medical Institute Launches Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at its San Marcos Campus
Pima Medical Institute has launched the occupational therapy assistant associate degree program at its San Marcos campus. The approximately 20-month program, prepares graduates to help…
5 Occupational Therapy Assistant Career Opportunities
No day is the same for occupational therapy assistants (OTA) and the places they can work are unique too. Their job duties consist of helping…
Disclosures And Accreditations
State Licensure Determination Disclosure
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is offered via on-ground and hybrid delivery methods. The program is available to residents of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and Washington, and meets applicable licensure requirements in those states. While there may be online components, completion of this program requires on-ground attendance at the campus at which the student is enrolled and cannot be completed solely via distance education. Prospective students and enrolled students should understand that moving out of the state in which they enrolled may adversely impact a student’s ability to complete the program. If a student is planning to relocate outside of their state of enrollment he or she is required to discuss this with the Student Services Coordinator and/or Program Director.
In compliance with 34 CFR 668.43 Pima Medical Institute has made a reasonable effort to determine graduate eligibility for licensure in all states for programs designed and advertised as leading to licensure. The document below lists Pima Medical Institute programs and states where the curriculum meets licensure requirements, states where the curriculum does not meet licensure requirements, and states in which Pima Medical Institute has been unable to determine if the curriculum meets state licensure requirements. All consumers should be advised that due to the frequent changes to state statutes, rules, and regulations Pima Medical Institute cannot guarantee licensure based on the lists below.
Accreditation and Program Information
The Occupational Therapy Assistant programs at the Denver, El Paso, Houston, Las Vegas, Mesa, Renton, San Marcos and Tucson campuses are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number, c/o AOTA, is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.
- successfully completed the program of study with a minimum grade average of 77 percent in each course
- completed exit requirements with Financial Services and Career Services personnel
- have successfully completed the program of study with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater; and
- Level II fieldwork must be completed within 18 months of completing the didactic portion of the curriculum.
Graduates of an accredited 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). After successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
View accreditation information for all programs by campus
NBCOT National Certification Examination Program Performance Data
View program costs, additional disclosures and outcomes for this program (if applicable)