Occupational Therapy Assistant, AS (OTA)

This program is available in the following Florida campuses:

Daytona Beach Campus, Fort Lauderdale Campus, Fort Myers Campus, Jacksonville Campus, Melbourne Campus, Miami Campus, Orlando Campus, Pembroke Pines Campus, Tallahassee Campus, Tampa Campus, West Palm Beach Campus

Keiser University’s Associate of Science degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant prepares students to work as occupational therapy assistants under direct supervision of a licensed occupational therapist. Occupational therapy is the art and science of helping people gain skills needed to become independent in daily living activities. Students learn the therapeutic use of occupations which include self-care, work and play/leisure activities in order to maximize independent function, enhance development, prevent disability and maintain health. Intervention strategies may include adaptations to a task or environment or compensatory approaches in order to facilitate clients’ achievement of maximum independence.

Program Description

Keiser University’s Associate of Science degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant prepares students to work as occupational therapy assistants under direct supervision of a licensed occupational therapist. Occupational therapy is the art and science of helping people gain skills needed to become independent in daily living activities. Students learn the therapeutic use of occupations which include self-care, work and play/leisure activities in order to maximize independent function, enhance development, prevent disability and maintain health. Intervention strategies may include adaptations to a task or environment or compensatory approaches in order to facilitate clients’ achievement of maximum independence.

Program Mission

The OTA program promotes the development of career-oriented individuals from diverse backgrounds, to achieve the standards of competency necessary for entry-level professional practice. The program strives to prepare the occupational therapy assistant student for an ever-changing healthcare environment. The program adheres to a “students first” philosophy and the acquisition of a foundational knowledge base in occupational therapy, building skills in clinical reasoning, professionalism, evidence-based research and practice, and development of competencies necessary to work as a generalist.

The OTA program is committed to enhancing the Occupational Therapy (OT) profession at the local, state, and national levels. The program sees as part of its mission, the establishment of community partnerships to enhance the provision of student and educator training, to be responsive to practitioners in the field by offering continuing education opportunities, and any additional services needed to advance the OT profession.

Graduates of the program are eligible candidates for the National Board of Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination. Under state guidelines, passage of the NBCOT certification exam permits the graduate to become a licensed professional. A licensed and certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) practitioner practices under the supervision of a licensed Occupational Therapist (OT) practitioner (Revised, 2023).

Program Goals

The program’s mission is further defined in the following goals:

Goal 1. Students will demonstrate professional behavior reflective of an ethical, competent entry-level OTA practitioner working under the supervision of an OTR supervisor.

Goal 2. Students will demonstrate emerging clinical skills in treatment techniques, methodology and rationale for implementation, including clinical reasoning skills, as an entry-level professional joining the health care arena.

Goal 3. Students will demonstrate an academic foundation that clearly evidences occupational therapy’s unique focus on daily living activities and interventions that promote engagement in occupations that support clients’ participation within a social/cultural context.

Accreditation

Click here to see Keiser University OTA Program Performance Data on the NBCOT® National Certification Examination. When you get to the site, select ‘Florida’ for the state and ‘OTA Level Program’ for the program type and choose the year you’d like the view the results for.

Keiser University’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program, Fort Myers, Miami, Pembroke Pines, Jacksonville, Daytona, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach campuses, are fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). ACOTE can be reached at ACOTE c/o Accreditation Department American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD  20814; Office phone: (301) 652-AOTA; website: www.acoteonline.org.

The occupational therapy assistant program at Keiser University-Melbourne, Melbourne, Florida, was placed on Probationary Accreditation effective April 22, 2023, because the area of noncompliance related to 2018 Standard A.6.4 (certification exam pass rate) is so serious that the capability of the program to provide acceptable educational experiences for the students is threatened. On August 2nd, 2024, ACOTE voted to continue the program’s accreditation status as Probationary Accreditation.

The occupational therapy assistant program at the Orlando Campus has been granted a status of Accreditation-Inactive by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. ACOTE’s decision to grant probationary accreditation-inactive is effective as of August 2nd, 2024. This status indicates that the program is not currently enrolling new students and does not plan to enroll new students in the future. While the program is on Accreditation-Inactive status, the 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). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all 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.

The occupational therapy assistant program at Keiser University-Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was placed on Probationary Accreditation effective August 4^th, 2024, because the area of noncompliance related to 2018 Standard A.6.4 (certification exam pass rate) is so serious that the capability of the program to provide acceptable educational experiences for the students is threatened.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Testimonial

Prerequisites for Major Courses

• Satisfactory background check and drug screening (for information on graduate’s eligibility for certification and credentialing click here). 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). 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.
• Completion of general education courses with a minimum grade of ―”C” for each course.  Successful completion of the following prerequisite courses: BSC2085C, BSC2086C, MAT1033 and PSY1012.
• Cumulative grade average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Must earn a minimum of an 18 on the University Entrance Exam.

Cost of Attendance

• View OTA Tuition & Costs

Program Outline

To receive an Associate of Science degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant, students must earn 83 credit hours. Program requirements are as follows.

Each course in the Occupational Therapy Assistant major is a prerequisite for the subsequent course and therefore must be passed with a minimum “C” grade in order to proceed successfully through the program.

Program Outcomes

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State Licensure Disclosure

• Click here for State Licensure Disclosure Information