Program Information
For more information on program accreditation, students may see the San Jacinto College Occupational Therapy Assistant webpage.
Showing compassion and patience are strengths of those who choose occupational therapy for a career. You will assist patients to develop, recover, and improve skills for daily living.
As an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA), you will work under the direction and supervision of an Occupational Therapist in a variety of settings and situations from adults recovering from a stroke, to children and young adults with developmental disabilities. Patients and their needs are widely varied and each day holds new, rewarding challenges.
The San Jacinto College Occupational Therapy Assistant program:
- Includes three Level I fieldwork experiences over the span of three semesters in the areas of pediatrics, mental health, and physical disabilities. In the final semester, students complete Level II fieldwork, which consists of two 8-week rotations in pediatrics or physical disability areas;
- Consists of 60 credit hours; 20 credit hours are prerequisites and 40 credit hours of core courses; and
- Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared to test for the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).
OTAs work in a variety of settings including, but not limited to: hospitals, pediatric clinics, skilled nursing facilities, home health, and school systems.
Program Accreditation
The San Jacinto College Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by:
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
ACOTE
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814
Telephone Number: 301-652-6611
Email: accred@aota.org
Website: https://acoteonline.org/
Career Opportunities
Employment of OTAs is expected to increase 43 percent over the next seven years, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. This adds 14,100 OTA professionals to the field. According to the 2017 US News Rankings, OTAs are ranked No. 1 in Best Health Care Support Jobs and No. 12 in the 100 Best Jobs.
Earning Potential
Occupational Therapist Assistant: $75,981 per year
- 1
Source: texaswages.com, median salary Gulf Coast region, 2022
For more information, students may contact 281-998-6350, x3141 or send an email to otaprogram@sjcd.edu.
Campus
South Campus
Information
Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA) are a vital member of the health care team. The everyday tasks that most of us take for granted—getting dressed or brushing our teeth, for instance—are an OTA's crowning achievements. These health care professionals help patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed to get back into the routine of daily living and working. OTAs are directly involved in providing therapy to patients and work under the direction of an Occupational Therapist (OT). OTAs work primarily in hospitals, nursing care facilities, in home health care, and in schools. OTAs spend much of their time on their feet working with patients and engaging them in everyday activities.
Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site.
Admission
In accordance with Texas House Bill 1508, the College informs all students in this program who may have a criminal background that a criminal history could keep graduates from being licensed by the state of Texas. Students with any questions about their background and licensure may speak with the Department Chair.
Students may view admission information and obtain an application packet on the Occupational Therapy Assistant webpage.
Plan of Study
3OCC-THRPY
| Prerequisites | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| BIOL 2301 & BIOL 2101 | Anatomy and Physiology I (Lecture) and Anatomy and Physiology I (Lab) | 4 |
| BIOL 2302 & BIOL 2102 | Anatomy and Physiology II (Lecture) and Anatomy and Physiology II (Lab) | 4 |
| PSYC 2301 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PHIL 2306 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 |
| Credits | 20 | |
| First Term | ||
| OTHA 1305 | Principles of Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OTHA 1309 | Human Structure and Function in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OTHA 1315 | Therapeutic Use of Occupations or Activities I | 3 |
| OTHA 2301 | Pathophysiology in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Second Term | ||
| OTHA 1241 | Occupational Performance from Birth through Adolescence | 2 |
| OTHA 2304 | Neurology in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OTHA 2231 | Physical Function in Occupational Therapy | 2 |
| OTHA 1160 | Clinical - Occupational Therapy Assistant | 1 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Third Term | ||
| OTHA 2209 | Mental Health in Occupational Therapy | 2 |
| OTHA 1319 | Therapeutic Interventions I | 3 |
| OTHA 1253 | Occupational Performance for Elders | 2 |
| OTHA 1161 | Clinical - Occupational Therapy Assistant | 1 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Fourth Term | ||
| OTHA 1249 | Occupational Performance of Adulthood | 2 |
| OTHA 2302 | Therapeutic Use of Occupations or Activities II | 3 |
| OTHA 2235 | Health Care Management in Occupational Therapy | 2 |
| OTHA 1162 | Clinical - Occupational Therapy Assistant | 1 |
| Credits | 8 | |
| Fifth Term | ||
| OTHA 2266 | Practicum (or Field Experience) - Occupational Therapy Assistant | 2 |
| OTHA 2267 | Practicum (or Field Experence) - Occupational Therapy Assistant | 2 |
| Credits | 4 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Capstone Experience: OTHA 2267 Practicum (or Field Experence) - Occupational Therapy Assistant
Note: Occupational Therapy Assistant students must earn a C or higher in all courses in the curriculum. Additionally, students must maintain an overall grade point average of at least 2.0 in order to graduate from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program.