Occupational Therapy Assistant
The deadline for application for Fall 2013 has passed.
The Appllication period for Fall 2014 admission will begin in January 2014.
What is an Occupational Therapy Assistant?
Occupational therapy assistants help individuals of all ages with rehabilitative activities and exercises outlined in a treatment plan developed in collaboration with an occupational therapist. Occupational therapy assistants, through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations), help people affected by disease, illness, injury, or condition, to participate in the things they want and need to do. Occupational therapy has a holistic perspective, focusing on finding a fit between the person, his environment, and his chosen life activities/occupations.
Accreditation Information
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Developing Program Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
Once accreditation status has been granted to CPCC, the graduates of the OTA program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant, which is administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Contact information for the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) is listed below:
ACOTE c/o Accreditation Department
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
4720 Montgomery Lane, Ste. 200
Bethesda, MD 20814-3449
(301) 652-2682
Quality training
Students will spend more than 600 hours of supervised clinical training in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, pediatric clinics, and other settings to gain invaluable hands-on experience that supplements and complements traditional classroom learning.
Become a licensed professional
After successful completion of the national certification exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice. Licensure generally requires initial certification by the NBCOT. The job outlook for occupational therapy assistants is excellent. This occupation is projected to grow faster, through 2018, than other occupations requiring post-secondary training or an associate degree, or on-the-job training (The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Vision and Mission Please click here to view our program's vision and mission
For more information on applying for Fall 2014 admission, please attend one of the Information Sessions for Fall 2014 admissions.
Monday, April 8, 2013 at 5:30pm in Health Careers Building #1116
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at 5:30pm in Health Careers Building #1116
Monday, August 12, 2013 at 5:30pm in Health Careers Building #1116
Thursday, October 3, 2013 at 5:30pm in Health Careers Building #1116
Monday, December 2, 2013 at 5:30pm in Health Careers Building #1116
Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 5:30pm in Health Careers Building #1116
For more information, please call 704.330.6424 or email brenda.kennell@cpcc.edu or call 704-330-6756 or email jennifer.coyne@cpcc.edu
A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT Certification Exam or attain state licensure. Contact the North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (NCBOT) at 919- 932-1380 or www.ncbot.org and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT at 301- 990-7979 or www.nbcot.org for further information.
