student leaning over bed to help other student lift themselves up

Contact

Christine Gunnigle
Director/Instructor
Tech (Building 9), room 134B
919-536-7200, ext. 8102
gunniglec@durhamtech.edu

Admissions Questions

Dorothy Yates
Admissions Counselor
Wynn (Building 10), room 201
919-536-7200, ext. 1804
yatesd@durhamtech.edu

* This program is financial aid eligible.

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Long Term

The Occupational Therapy Assistant curriculum prepares individuals to work under the supervision of a registered/licensed occupational therapist in screening, assessing, planning, and implementing treatment and documenting progress for clients receiving occupational therapy services.

Course work includes human growth and development, conditions which interfere with activities of daily living, theory and process of occupational therapy, individual/group treatment activities, therapeutic use of self, activity analysis, and grading/adapting activities and environments.

Graduates may be eligible to take the national certification examination for practice as a certified occupational therapy assistant. Employment opportunities include hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, long-term/extended care facilities, sheltered workshops, schools, home health programs, and community programs.


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 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE's telephone number, c/o AOTA, is 301-652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org

The national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant is 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). In addition, most states, including North Carolina, require licensure to practice as a COTA; licensure in North Carolina is based on results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. These processes are separate from the college’s program and graduation requirements. Students are encouraged to contact NBCOT for additional information.

View program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and Durham Tech program outcomes.

Students may become members of the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA).

How to Apply

Program applications are due by April 2 for a program start the following summer.

Before you Apply

View the Admissions Checklist. Students are required to attend an information session (recommended). The are listed in the Upcoming Events section below.

Apply to the College

New students who are not currently enrolled at Durham Tech should apply to the College using the Health Tech Students then Steps to Apply.

Apply to the Program

Once prerequisites are completed, Apply to the OTA program using the Program Admissions Application.

Submit program applications electronically to Admissions, Registration, and Records (not Health and Wellness). Drop off locations are also listed on the Electronic Document Submission webpage.

Estimated Tuition & Fees

$5,940

Degree Type

Associate in Applied Science (AAS)

Minimum Credit Hours

69

Location

Main Campus

First-Semester Courses

Course Number Title Credit Hours
ACA-122 College Transfer Success 1
BIO-168 Anatomy and Physiology I 4
ENG-111 Writing and Inquiry 3
OTA-110 Fundamentals of OT 3
PSY-150 General Psychology 3

Suggested Paths

Long Term

(More than 12 months)

University Transfer

headshot of Hanna Robinson

“I moved from Asheville just to come to this program because Durham Tech has one of the best Occupational Therapy Assistant programs in the state. Our instructors stress the fact that the OT field is a very close knit community and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my classmates. The instructors are really incredible. They provide a vast amount of information that you don’t typically see at community colleges.”

—Hanna Robinson