Occupational Therapy

Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant

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Build your skills for assisting in occupational therapy, helping people of all ages to overcome difficulties, gain independence, and live a healthier, fuller life.

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Our Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) associate degree program is designed to prepare you to support and collaborate with an occupational therapist in helping patients restore the ability to accomplish tasks they want or need to do. Through immersive classroom and clinical instruction, you’ll focus on how to serve clients with impairments due to things like genetic or chronic conditions, illness, and/or trauma. You’ll study how to assess and instruct patients, explore how to adapt activities and environments to their needs, and gain hands-on experience with therapy equipment.

OTA didactic courses are delivered online.  Labs are completed on campus.  The program also includes 16 weeks of supervised off-campus experience in clinical environments working with patients under the supervision of an OT practitioner. As a graduate, you’ll have worked to develop a foundation of knowledge and skills for providing therapeutic strategies for children, adults, and seniors while serving under the supervision of an OT practitioner.

Develop Essential Skills In
  • Clinical reasoning
  • Client-centered care
  • Patient observation and assessment
  • Therapeutic strategies and techniques
  • Patient education and adaptations
Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Tuition and Fees

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Available Locations

Ranked #2 in the

Southeast Region

2023-2024 for

Associate Level

Occupational Therapist Assistant

Ranked #5 in the

Nation 2023-2024

for Associate Level

Occupational Therapist Assistant

Examples of Scholarships and Grants That May Be Available (Check with Your Campus Financial Aid Office For More Information)

South College Promise

This Grant is offered to provide assistance for recent high school graduates in order to help keep student loan debt to a minimum. Qualifications are required.

TN Promise

South College is proud to offer the TNP Scholarship for those that qualify helping to offset the first 2 years of tuition with required Community Service hours.

Yellow Ribbon

South College proudly participates in this program with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help pay for education for military members and Veterans.

Concentrations in this Program

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You May Enjoy This Line of Study If You…

  • Enjoy helping others and assisting them when they really need help
  • Like coming up with directions, plans and programs for other people
  • Are fascinated with the human body and how it moves, recovers and functions
  • Want to help people of all ages regain, develop or master everyday living skills for independent, satisfying lives
  • Act professionally and ethically in all settings
  • Provide holistic quality patient care and support
Mission, Additional Program Information, and Enrollment

Student Learning Outcomes

South College Asheville Location Graduation Rates
Calendar YearStudents Entering/GraduatingGraduation Rate
2021(13/13)100%
2022(8/8)100%
20235/5100%
3 Year Average26/26100%

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.

Student Learning Outcomes

South College Knoxville Location Graduation Rates
Graduation YearStudents Entering/GraduatingGraduation Rate
202117/17100%
20229/888.9%
202313/1292.3%
3 Year Average39/3794.9%

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.

Student Learning Outcomes

South College Nashville Location Graduation Rates
Graduation YearStudents Entering/GraduatingGraduation Rate
20215/5100%
20228/787.5%
20236/583.3%
3-year average19/1789.5%

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.

Admissions Requirements

Accreditation

Asheville

The South College Occupational Therapy Assistant program offered at the Asheville campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510 E. Bethesda MD 20814, www.acoteonline.org. ACOTE’s telephone number is (301) 652-6611. Accreditation was granted in August 2022 for 10 years with the next site visit to be scheduled during the 2031/2032 academic year.

Knoxville

The South College associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program offered at the Knoxville campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510 E. Bethesda MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number is (301) 652-6611 and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state.  Accreditation was granted for 7 years with the next site visit to be scheduled during the 2025/2026 academic year.

Nashville

The South College – Nashville Occupational Therapy Assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510 E. Bethesda MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number is (301) 652-6611 and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Accreditation was granted for 7 years with the next site visit to be scheduled during the 2027/2028 academic year.

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