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The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is coordinated by the Natural and Applied Sciences Department, and offers a course of study leading to the Associate in Science (AS) degree.
Graduates work with occupational therapists providing services to persons with needs caused by physical injuries, developmental impairment, aging, mental health concerns, or other disabilities. Such services include: using developmental and play activities to help the child who has growth delays or learning disabilities develop the skills to manage school and social learning; assisting the elderly and others with diminished physical endurance to perform essential tasks of daily living and achieve maximum independence; working with individuals who have lost a limb to use a new prosthesis and master normal skills; designing and fabricating hand splints and instructing the client in their use; helping depressed clients feel more positively toward their environment through the use of productive activity.
Special progression standards exist for occupational therapy assistant majors. Students admitted into this program are considered to be in the “pre-clinical” phase of the major. To progress to the “clinical” phase, students must meet specific criteria, which are described in the program’s handbook. It is available from Admissions Office and from the program office.
Achievement of the minimum progression standards does not guarantee advancement to the clinical phase. Currently, approximately twenty students are admitted to the clinical phase of the program each semester due to limited program capacity. The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is accredited by ACOTE, The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200; Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. AOTA’s telephone number is (301) 652-AOTA.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification exam for the occupational therapy assistant, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Most states require licensure in order to practice. State licensure is usually based on the NBCOT certification exam. However, New York State does not currently require the exam for practice as an occupational therapy assistant.
All Occupational Therapy Assistant students must pursue fieldwork within 18 months of completing the respective academic theory course. The entire program must be completed in a timely fashion as content changes with current practice. After completion of the introductory occupational therapy course, all remaining occupational therapy courses should be completed within four years. Students who are deficient in reading, writing, mathematics and communication will be required to take basic skills and/or ESL courses. These courses are not listed in the curriculum. Their scores on the college placement test determine the particular courses students must successfully complete.
Credentialing requirements for New York State licensure include graduation from the program without a credentialing examination. Credentialing requirements for other states may include passing the NBCOT examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
COURSES
| PRE-CLINICAL PHASE
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CLINICAL PHASE
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Counseling
New Student Seminar
Electives: 6 credits
Humanities Liberal Art Elective (see college catalog for restrictions)
Liberal Arts Elective
English: 6 credits
ENG101 - Composition I 3 *
ENG102 -Writing Through Literature 3
Natural and Applied Sciences: 13 credits
SCB203 - Fundamentals of Human Biology I 4 *
SCB204 - Fundamentals of Human Biology II 4
SCN195 - Community Health 2 *
SCO230 - Functional Pathology 3
Psychology:
9 credits
SSY101 - General Psychology 3 *
SSY230 - Abnormal Psychology 3
SSY240 - Developmental Psychology 3
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Clinical courses may be taken by students who have already applied for candidacy and been accepted in the OTA program.
Occupational
Therapy Foundations and Skills: 20 credits
SCO101
Introduction to Occupational Therapy 3
SCO214
Occupational Therapy Skills and Functional
Activities I 3
SCO200
Physical Aspects of Human Growth & Development 2
SCO215
Occupational Therapy Skills and Functional Activities
II 3
SCO110 Legal
& Ethical Aspects of Occupational Therapy 3
SCO114 Documentation
in Occupational Therapy 3 -
SCO175 Clinical
Reasoning Occupational Therapy 3
Occupational Therapy Theory and Practice: 8 credits
SCO204 Occupational Therapy Process: Psychosocial Dysfunction and Geriatric Conditions 4
SCO205 Occupational Therapy Process: Physical and Developmental Disabilities 4
Cooperative Education(Fieldwork): 7 credits
SCO284 Occupational Therapy Clerkship
for Psychosocial Dysfunction and Geriatric Conditions
1.5 (Only
available in Fall-Session I and Spring-Session I)
SCO285 Occupational Therapy Clerkship for Phisical and Developmental Disabilities 1.5 (Only available in Fall-Session I and Spring-Session I)
SCO294 Occupational Therapy Fieldwork in Psychosocial Dysfunction and Geriatric Conditions 2 ** (Only available in Fall-Session II and Spring-Session II)
SCO295 Occupational Therapy Fieldwork in Physical and Delopmental Disabilities 2** (Only available in Fall-Session II and Spring-Session II)
NOTES:
(1) * Key courses for candidacy
(2) ** While all other courses are offered both day and extended days, fieldwork placements are available during the day only, and are accompanied by an evening seminar class. |
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