Earn an occupational therapy assistant Associate in Applied Science. The Human Services Technology program also awards an interdisciplinary certificate in children with exceptionalities offered in collaboration with the Early Childhood Education and occupational therapy assistant programs.

The college catalog details the occupational therapy assistant program options currently available at Central Piedmont as well as program eligibility and course requirements. If you would like information on opportunities to transfer associate degree credit to a four-year institution, please visit the Transfer Resource Center.

Visiting Students

If you wish to transfer occupational therapy assistant course credit back to your home institution, explore how to enroll at Central Piedmont as a visiting student.

Corporate and Continuing Education

Central Piedmont's Corporate and Continuing Education provides non-credit, non-degree courses and programs, including job skills, industry-focused career training, certificates, certifications, professional licensure, and personal enrichment. Day, evening, weekend, and online opportunities are available.

College and Career Readiness

If you are looking for programs to gain the knowledge or skills necessary to finish a high school degree or to get a job, visit Central Piedmont's College and Career Readiness.

College Credit for High School Students

Visit Career and College Promise to learn about opportunities for high school students to earn college credit at Central Piedmont.

The occupational therapy assistant program requires the completion of 76 credit hours completed full-time in six consecutive semesters (two years). The curriculum includes general studies courses as well as program-specific courses. General studies courses can be taken at any time. For detailed information on occupational therapy assistant course and program requirements, visit the Central Piedmont Community College catalog. 

While awaiting your admissions decision, you are encouraged — but not required — to complete general education courses, particularly BIO 168, BIO 169, MED 120, PSY 241, and PSY 281. There a time limit for expiration of BIO 168 and BIO 169: each class is looked at separately, and each of them must be fewer than five years old at the time of application. The points on the application are given for ENG 111 and/or BIO 168, not for higher level classes. The program chair may approve course substitutions for courses taken at another institution.

Fieldwork education is a crucial part of your preparation to become an occupational therapy assistant. It provides you an opportunity to carry out practice and other professional responsibilities under supervision and role modeling by an experienced practitioner.

All applicants are required to undergo a criminal background check and drug screen per clinical agency and healthcare system requirements. More information on how to complete these requirements will be provided upon acceptance.

If you are refused access to clinical experiences because of a positive criminal background check or drug screen, you will be unable to complete the clinical component of the course. Inability to complete the clinical requirements will result in a failure to progress in the program. Under North Carolina law some people with criminal backgrounds may be eligible for an expunction to remove charges or convictions from their record.

If you would like to know whether or not you are eligible, contact Central Piedmont's Single Stop at 704.330.2722, ext. 6435 or email singlestop@cpcc.edu to schedule a legal consultation. To learn more about expunctions, explore the NC Justice Center’s guide. 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 and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) at 301.990.7979 for further information.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Application

Applying to the occupational therapy assistant program requires you to document the completion of observational hours on the application. Due to COVID-19, you now have the option to complete review videos and answer questions regarding the occupational therapist assistant profession in lieu of observations. You must complete and submit the lieu of observations form (PDF) with your application in order for your application to be considered.

• Review the occupational therapy assistant essential functions (PDF) before applying for the program to determine if becoming an occupational therapy assistant is right for you.
• Watch the how to apply to a health program video.
• Review the occupational therapy assistant pre-admission guide (PDF) for ways to enhance your application and to get started on general education courses.
• Submit the occupational therapy assistant program application (PDF). The application deadline has been extended to October 15, 2020.
  • Lieu of observations form (PDF)
• Meet with a program admissions specialist if you have questions.

There is only one admission cycle per year which starts each spring semester. Applications are accepted in the fall semester to begin the program in January. The application requires completion of observation or volunteer experience.

It is suggested that you contact local facilities that employ occupational therapists and/or occupational therapy assistants (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, or school systems) to set this up. You can find these numbers on the internet under occupational therapy or rehabilitation.

You can also look for specific settings such as Pediatric Occupational Therapy Clinics. Applicants to the program will need to complete observation experiences totaling at least 12 hours in at least 2 separate environments and with clients from different age groups or conditions.

These requests are made quite frequently and you will find most facilities accommodating. Be prepared to discuss your reason for the request and your availability. You are advised to call facilities rather than email them.

Central Campus

Program courses are only available during the day on weekdays. Please note that course offerings and availability are subject to change from semester to semester. Always confirm which courses are required to complete this program in the college catalog and confirm where courses are available using Schedule Builder.

• Classroom/Lab/Clinical
• Combined (Classroom/Lab/Clinical and Online)

Please note that course offerings and availability are subject to change from semester to semester. Always confirm which courses are required to complete this program in the college catalog and confirm course delivery methods using Schedule Builder.

Most states regulate occupational therapy assistants. 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). All states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

The exam is national, so you can take it anywhere it is offered. Your exam results will be reported to the appropriate state regulatory bodies that you have previously indicated. Once you successfully pass the national certification examination, you can apply for a license in any state.

As opposed to an occupational therapist, occupational therapy aides usually receive their training on the job and are not eligible for certification or licensure. Occupational therapy aide programs are not accredited by AOTA's Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and certification of aides is not required.

You can contact the North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (NCBOT) to determine what services and regulations apply to occupational therapy aides in North Carolina. Occupational therapy aides provide supportive services to the occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant.

Occupational therapists are employed in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, long-term or extended care facilities, sheltered workshops, schools, home health programs, and community programs. 

All entry-level educational programs prepare you to be a generalist. Specializing in one area of practice would be something you would pursue after you graduate and successfully pass the national certification examination. Many practitioners do select a specialty area of practice.

Others change their area of practice throughout their careers. Occupational therapy provides a great deal of career flexibility. Visit Central Piedmont’s Career Coach or the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for occupational therapy assistant career requirements and opportunities, salary information, and job openings.

Central Piedmont provides real-world, affordable, hands-on education and career training. Learn how much it costs to attend Central Piedmont. Financial aid and scholarships are available.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Costs

In addition to regular tuition and fees, there are laboratory fees assigned to courses with a lab/clinical component. Additional costs include textbooks, workbooks, medical fees for a physical exam, and drug screening and immunizations.

Total estimated program costs (PDF)

Occupational Therapy Assistant Scholarships

In particular, students interested in the occupational therapy assistant program should consider the following scholarships. Please note that many scholarships are managed by organizations outside of Central Piedmont.

• OTA Scholarships
• AOTF Scholarships

Review the virtual information session. You'll be able to learn more about our program and get points on your application for attending once you're ready to get started with the admissions process. The virtual information session will prompt you to:

1. Provide us with some basic contact information information about yourself so that we know you are interested in the program.
2. Watch the video: the full video is approximately 25 minutes long and contains all of the information provided at an in-person information session.
3. Answer three final questions about information provided in the video and select "Submit" so that we can credit you for attending once you apply.

• Biomedical Equipment Technology
• Cardiovascular Technology
• Cytotechnology
• Dental Assisting
• Dental Hygiene
• Emergency Medical Science
• Healthcare (Non-Credit)
• Health Information Technology
• Human Services Technology
• Medical Assisting
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Medical Office Administration
• Nurse Aide
• Nursing
• Ophthalmic Medical Personnel
• Pharmacy Technology
• Physical Therapist Assistant
• Polysomnography
• Respiratory Therapy
• Surgical Technology

Students at Central Piedmont have a faculty advisor for each program of study offered.

Contact occupationaltherapyassistant@cpcc.edu.