Occupational Therapy Assistant

About the Program

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is a full-time day program. Each year, the Program accepts 20-25 students. Portions of the program's courses incorporate the use of technology and/or may be offered in a distance learning format (online or hybrid).

AWARD TYPES: Associate of Applied Science

AREA OF STUDY: Health Sciences

Degrees and Certificates

Learn more about the Degrees and Certificates offered by this program by visiting the HCC Catalog.

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Program Information

A Career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant.

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy is a health care profession that focuses on helping people – The practice of occupational therapy involves the therapeutic use of everyday life activities - or "occupations" - with individuals or groups for the purpose of participation in roles and situations in home, school, work place, community, and other settings. Occupational therapy services are provided for the purpose of promoting health and wellness to those who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction. Occupational therapy addresses the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of performance in a variety of contexts to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life.

The Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)

Under the supervision of a Registered Occupational Therapist, the occupational therapy assistant provides patient treatment, collects data for evaluations, develops goals for treatment, and documents treatment. Treatment interventions include, but is not limited to, therapeutic exercises, transfer training, activities of daily living re-training, handwriting intervention, sensory integration activities, re-training in independent activities of daily living, and neuromuscular facilitation techniques.

Where do Occupational Therapy Assistants work?

Occupational therapy assistants work in a variety of settings which includes, but are not limited to hospitals, nursing homes, home health, work rehabilitation, psychiatric facilities, schools, and outpatient clinics.

Compliance Statement

A felony conviction may or may not affect a student's ability to sit for the national board certification exam required to be Texas licensed as an OTA. Students may opt for an Early Determination Review by the National Board of OT Examiners. Information on this process is available at this link to NBCOT. Searching the terms "Early Determination" or navigating the website using the following path: Students; Services; Early Determination.

Accreditation Information

Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)

6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929

Phone number 301-652-AOTA (2682)

www.acoteonline.org

Job Outlook for OTA

The National Bureau of Labor Statistics has found the following:

  • Employment of occupational therapy assistants is expected to increase 43 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average growth for other occupations.
  • Demand for occupational therapy is expected to rise significantly over the coming decade in response to the health needs of the aging baby-boom generation and a growing elderly population.
  • Occupational therapy is important with treating children and young adults with developmental disabilities like autism, genetic disorders, and complications from prematurity.
  • As of May 2015, in the state of Texas, the annual mean wage for occupational therapy assistants was $71,100 and the annual hourly rate is $34.18. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017).
  • Percentile wage estimates for this occupation from lowest to highest percentile follows:
Percentile 10% 25% 50% (Median) 75% 90%
Hourly Wage $18.48 $22.98 $27.82 $33.25 $37.54
Annual Wage $38,440 $47,800 $57,870 $69,170 $78,080

Licensure/Certification and Graduate Statistics

The Occupational Therapist Assistant program graduates licensures/certificates are issued by the nationally recognized National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.

2019–2020 Third-Party Licensure/Certification Exam Results
Occupational licensure and/or certification pass rates reported by academic calendar year (Sept. 1–Aug. 31). Results for the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 academic years are provided for comparison.

Program/ Aligned Award

Agency Standard

HCC Standard

2017–2018

Pass Rate
(# Passed)

2018–2019

Pass Rate
(# Passed)

2019–2020

Pass Rate
(# Passed)

2019–2020 Results

2017–2020

Pass Rate

(# Passed)

Occupational Therapist Assistant AAS

80%

80%

100% (22)

100% (17)

90% (18)

Exceeds Expectation

97% (57)

Year

Student Started

Student Graduated

Retention Rate

20172019

19

18

94.7%

20162018

23

22

95.7%

20152017

21

21

100%

A felony conviction may impact eligibility for certification and/or state licensure.

Pass rates for the certification exam for the National Board for Certification in Occupational can be found here.

Program Mission and Philosophy

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Houston Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant program is to produce entry level practitioners that are dedicated to lifelong learning and providing evidence-based interventions collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team to promote the health and wellness of our diverse community through participation in occupations.

Program Philosophy

The philosophy of the Houston Community College's Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is consistent with The Philosophical Base of Occupational Therapy (AOTA, 2017) and the Philosophy of Occupational Therapy Education (AOTA, 2018). The Philosophical Base of Occupational Therapy (AOTA, 2017) reflects the tenets of the occupational therapy profession, including the importance of occupation, the diverse contexts in which occupations occur and the importance of occupation in the overall health of our clients. The Philosophy of Occupational Therapy Education (AOTA, 2018) provides the foundation used to educate our students to the philosophies in their practice to produce an occupational therapy assistant that has an identity that is in line with the profession.

Collectively, the Houston Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program works to ensure that instruction embodies the philosophy and current vision of the occupational therapy profession and reinforces the importance of meaningful occupation in interventions that promote optimal health and engagement in the client's environment. We believe that health and wellness is achieved and maintained through participation in purposeful activities or occupations. All individuals have the right to engage in meaningful occupations, build social relationships, and have an impact on their environment. The outcomes of occupational therapy can support this engagement through health promotion, prevention, habilitation, restoration, compensation and/or adaption.

Beliefs about Teaching and Learning

The program's educational philosophy is based on the theories of andragogy and constructivism. These theories encourage learners to be active participants of the learning

experiences. They foster critical thinking and clinical reasoning through interactive integrated experiences, which will create connections and impact the learner overall.

We believe that:

  • Students need to know the "why".
  • Students learn experimentally
  • Students approach learning as problem solving.
  • Interacting with others is vital to learning
  • Learning is an active process
  • Learning is based on each individual's own perspectives and experiences
  • Learning exists in the mind.

Tuition Costs

Estimated Cost
Initial Costs
Polo $25.00
Scrubs $35.00
Stethoscopes $60.00
Shoes $65.00
Health Physical $85.00
Vaccines $150.00
Photo ID / Pre-check $70.00
Total $490.00
Prerequisites In District    Out of District    Out of State
HPRS 1201  $153.00    $345.00    $438.00
PSYC 2301  $229.50    $517.50    $657.00
OTHA 1301  $229.50    $517.50    $657.00
BIOL 2401  $306.00    $690.00    $876.00
Total for prerequisites 918.00 2070.00 2628.00
1st Year
1st Semester
Required Courses  In District    Out of District    Out of State
12 Credited Hours  $918.00    $207.00    $2628.00
Books  $460.00    $460.00    $460.00
Parking  $350.00    $350.00    $350.00
Lab Fees  $24.00    $24.00    $24.00
Liabilities Ins  $12.00    $12.00    $12.00
Total  $1,764.00    $2,916.00    $3,474.50
2nd Semester
11 Credit Hours  $841.50    $1897.50    $2409.00
Books  $250.00    $250.00    $250.00
Parking  $350.00    $350.00    $350.00
Lab Fees  $24.00    $24.00    $24.00
Liabilities Ins  $12.00    $12.00    $12.00
Total  $1,477.50    $2,533.50    $3,045.00
3rd Semester
Required Courses  In District    Out of District    Out of State
6 Credit Hours  $459.00    $1035.00    $1314.00
Books  $160.00    $160.00    $160.00
Lab Fees  $24.00    $24.00    $24.00
Liabiliy Ins  $12.00    $12.00    $12.00
Total  $655.00    $1,231.00    $1,510.00
TOTAL YEAR 1  $3,696.50    $6,680.50    $8,029.50
2nd Year
1st Semester
Required Courses  In District    Out of District    Out of State
9 Credit Hours  $688.50    $1552.50    $1971.00
Books  $320.00    $320.00    $320.00
Parking  $350.00    $350.00    $350.00
Lab Fees  $24.00    $24.00    $24.00
Liabilities Ins  $12.00    $12.00    $12.00
Total 1,394.50    $2,258.50    $2,677.00
2nd Semester
7 Credit Hours  $535.50    $1207.50    $1533.50
Books  $320.00    $320.00    $320.00
Parking  $350.00    $350.00    $350.00
Lab Fees $24.00    $24.00    $24.00
Liabilities Ins  $12.00    $12.00    $12.00
Clinical Sim Lab fees  $12.00    $12.00    $12.00
Total  $1,253.50    $1,925.50    $2,251.50
TOTAL YEAR 2  $2,648.00    $4,184.00    $4,928.50
TOTAL PROGRAM COSTS  $6,344.50    $10,864.50    $12,957.50

Note:

  • All students must carry a person health insurance policy to attend clinical training which is an additional cost.
  • All fees and tuition costs are subject to change.

Employment

There are 280 Occupational Therapy Assistants employed in the Greater Houston Area. This number is expected to increase by 25.7% over the next four years.

  • The estimated annual job openings is 28 jobs a year.
  • Median Wages - $31.60 hourly, $66,000 annually

Marketable Skills

Learn more about the marketable skills—skills valued by employers that can be applied in variety of work settings—so you can communicate these to potential employers. Click on the relevant award title below to see descriptions of marketable skills for that area.

Occupational Therapy Assistant, A.A.S.

Online Information Session

Learn more about the Human Occupational Therapy Assistant Program by completing an online information session.

The online information session is a mandatory requirement of the admission process.

Once you have completed the information session, you will receive an email containing the admissions application.

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Students can apply for the jobs below by logging into their CareerHub accounts here - www.hccs.edu/careerhub.

Resources

Search for a Occupational Therapy Assistant Professor or request more information

  • Find Professors
  • More information

Accreditation

Accreditation Resources Links

  • AOTA
  • NBCOT
  • AOTA - online

Get in touch

Chariti Davis

Administrative Assistant