Occupational Therapy Assistant
Make a difference in someone’s life – every day
Tidewater Community College’s nationally accredited occupational therapy assistant program will get you moving — toward a rewarding career. Occupational therapy assistants help people regain independence and live life to the fullest after an illness or injury. Sometimes that means training patients to brush their teeth or dress and bathe themselves. Other times it can be helping them learn to use a wheelchair or rehab equipment. Occupational therapy assistants establish a partnership with their patients, who range from young children to the elderly.
Semesters:6Credits:67 View CurriculumLocations:Virginia Beach Campus | Associate of Applied Science - Occupational Therapy AssistantLearn how to assist individuals in meeting a level of independence to perform the occupational roles necessary for productive living. Course work includes: kinesiology, neurological concepts, physical and developmental disabilities therapy, therapeutic media and skills, and assistive technology. |
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at located at 7501 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number, c/o AOTA, is 301-652-6611 and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Exam 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).
TCC has an average pass rate of 87% for 2022-2024 for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy Exam.
NBCOT Exam Data is available here.
In addition, all states require licensure 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 a state licensure.
Admission to the occupational therapy assistant program is very selective and requires a separate application in addition to general admission to the college.
To qualify for this competitive program, you will need to complete and submit your application by May 15 for fall admission.
Applicants must also attend a mandatory information session, which is held the third Thursday of each month at 3 p.m. (except December) at the Regional Health Professions Center on the Virginia Beach Campus.
Admission to the college does not guarantee admission to the occupational therapy assistant program.
Download program admissions packet
Download Technical Standards for Occupational Therapy Assistant
The OTA Program is offered in-person and begins each fall semester in August. Students seeking admission will need to be able to attend classes full-time, in-person during traditional weekday hours to complete this program, as well as the ability to participate in two synchronous hybrid model classes offered in semester four. Upon admission, it is a two-year (five consecutive semester) Associate in Applied Science program. The OTA program education experiences consist of on-site lectures, hands-on lab instruction, computer web- based instruction through the college learning management system (Canvas), and a variety of coordinated internship experiences.
Students planning to enroll in the OTA program should have regular access to a computer and reliable internet access. The computer must be able to support web-based Microsoft Office (provided by TCC to all students) and have a functioning web camera for use with web conferencing software. The OTA program utilizes Canvas as its learning management system throughout the curriculum. This system facilitates online courses and supplements traditional classroom instruction at TCC. Canvas provides a student with web-based access to course announcements, assignments, discussions, presentations, video conferences, emails, and grades. Students can access the TCC Canvas website from anywhere they have internet access. All TCC students may access computers with internet and other student-based resources at Learning Assistance Centers, Open Computer labs on each campus, or College Library locations. TCC provides its students with support resources for all online technology.
Graduation Year: 2024 Students Entering/Graduating:14/14 Graduation Rate:100%
Graduation Year: 2023 Students Entering/Graduating:30/30 Graduation Rate:100%
Graduation Year: 2022 Students Entering/Graduating:24/21 Graduation Rate:87.5%
Total for 3 Years: Students Entering/Graduating:68/65 Graduation Rate:95.6%
This program prepares students to sit for professional exams and/or apply for professional licensure that is required for employment in the related occupation in Virginia. ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational programs satisfy the states’ educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Students graduating from an ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational program are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, please refer to the AOTA State Licensure webpage.
Is this program for you?
Yes, if you:
- have excellent communication skills
- have patience
- enjoy working with people