Occupational Therapy Assistant

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Deadline Extended to May 31, 2023 at midnight.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program leadership has decided to accept qualified applications on a SPECIAL FIRST-COME FIRST-SERVE basis to fill a limited number of distance education seats. See page six of the Fall 2023 Program Bulletin for additional information on the participating college cohort areas and the associated advisors. The program is also accepting qualified applications for all cohort areas on a first-come first-served basis to be added to the program’s alternate lists (traditional LBCC and distance education areas). Alternates are contacted in the event a vacated seat needs to be filled prior to the start of the program.

Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) work with individuals who have mental, physical, or developmental disabilities or who have had their life interrupted by an injury or illness. OTAs work under the supervision of an occupational therapist to help clients become independent with their daily activities and routines.

The LBCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is a two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. The program follows a hybrid delivery model and includes classroom, laboratory, and fieldwork components.

Successful graduates will be eligible and prepared to sit for the national certification examination and to be employed as entry-level occupational therapy assistants in a variety of practice settings.

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Accreditation

This program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA).

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) can also be found online.

Note: a felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. A felony and/or misdemeanor may also affect a student's ability to be admitted to the program.

New Graduate* Examination Data

Year	Candidates Tested National	Pass Rate National	Candidates Tested LBCC	Pass Rate LBCC
2021	4,392	92%	16	94%
2020	3,509	86%	12	100%
2019	4,661	89%	23	87%

*New Graduate = Candidates testing within one year of graduation, regardless of the number of attempts on the examination.

Graduation Rate

The total number of graduates from the LBCC Associate of Occupational Therapy Assistant program during the three-year period of 2019-2021 was 58, with an overall graduation rate of 81%.

Graduation

The LBCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is a two-year program which students typically complete within the specified time frame. However, special circumstances may allow for an extension to complete program requirements. All extensions must be approved by the program.

All students must complete Level II fieldwork within 18 months of completion of the didactic portion of the program. Students must fulfill all graduation requirements within 36 months of admission into the program.

Cost of Attendance

The estimated cost of the program for 2022 is $24,673.80 (subject to increase). This cost includes both the estimated LBCC Tuition & Fees and the estimated Program Fees. See a more detailed breakdown of costs.

Admission

For additional details on admission requirements, application procedures, and tuition rates, view the Occupational Therapy Assistant Application bulletin .