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Occupational Therapy is used to prevent disability, and maintain health in the areas of work, play, leisure, education, communication interaction and activities of daily living.
Occupational Therapy (OT) is the use of everyday life activities (occupations) with individuals who have limitations. These limitations may include physical or mental health and developmental or learning abilities. Individuals may also be limited by poverty and cultural differences or the aging process. OT is used to prevent disability, and maintain health in the areas of work, play, leisure, education, communication interaction and activities of daily living.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program includes general and technical courses and supervised fieldwork experiences. The Level II fieldwork experience must be completed within 18 months of finishing the OTAC courses.
Enrollment in the OTA program may be limited due to the availability of fieldwork sites. Acceptance by the College does not constitute acceptance into the OTA program. Students are considered to be "Pre-OTA" until they have been accepted to enroll in OTA courses. Interested students must complete an OTA program application in order to be considered for enrollment in the OTA program. Students interested in enrolling in this major are encouraged to contact OTA faculty to find out specific requirements for admission into this program.
Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification exam for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT) 12 South Summit Ave, Suite 100, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150 (301) 990-7979. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be nationally certified. Many states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on results of NBCOT certification examination. History of a felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or obtain state licensure (inquire regarding appeals process).
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The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomory Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD, 208214-3449, (301)-652-AOTA.
Northland Community & Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Required Courses |
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| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HLTH 1106 | Medical Terminology | 2 credits |
| HLTH 1110 | Nursing Assistant | 3 credits |
| OTAC 1000 | Introduction to OT | 1 credits |
| OTAC 1100 | Movement in Context | 3 credits |
| OTAC 1110 | Clinical Conditions | 3 credits |
| OTAC 1120 | Occupations | 3 credits |
| OTAC 2010 | Physical Health I | 4 credits |
| OTAC 2020 | Mental Health I | 4 credits |
| OTAC 2030 | Evidence for Practice | 2 credits |
| OTAC 2110 | Physical Health II | 3 credits |
| OTAC 2120 | Mental Health II | 3 credits |
| OTAC 2130 | Professional Issues | 2 credits |
| OTAC 2140 | Community | 2 credits |
| OTAC 2150 | Special Projects | 1 credits |
| OTAC 2210 | FW Physical Health | 6 credits |
| OTAC 2220 | FW Mental Health | 6 credits |
| BIOL 2252 | Anatomy & Phys I | 3 credits |
| BIOL 2254 | Anatomy & Phys II | 3 credits |
| ENGL 1111 | Composition I | 3 credits |
| PSYC 1105 | Intro to Psychology | 3 credits |
| PSYC 2201 | Developmental Psychology | 3 credits |
| PSYC 2215 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 credits |
| SOCI 1101 | Intro to Sociology | 3 credits |
| G6: Human/Fine Arts Elec ( *See Elective Options Listed Below ) | 3 credits | |
| TOTAL CREDITS: | 72 credits | |
Program Specific Elective Course Options |
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 Electives for this program may be selected from the following list of courses below. Need help? Schedule an appointment with a Northland Academic Advisor for assistance in selecting courses. |
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| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
Humanities/Fine Arts Electives |
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| HUMN 1101 | Intro to Humanities | 3 credits |
| PHIL 1101 | Intro to Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 1102 | Intro to Ethics | 3 credits |
| PHIL 2210 | Morals and Medicine | 3 credits |
Counselors are available in the Career Center to assist with career advising, job search resources, employer connections, occupational descriptions, employment outlook, earnings, education/training requirements and sources.
Career opportunities include: Occupational Therapy Assistants for acute and long term care facilities, schools and community agencies. The OTA works under the supervision of an OT. An OTA is also qualified to work without supervision as a Director of an activities program.
The employment outlook for occupational therapist assistants in the state of Minnesota from 2009 to 2019 is 18.5%, a well above average growth percentage.
