Occupational Therapy Assistant Admission Requirements

Admission to the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is on a selective basis. Because of the academic demand of a curriculum that prepares graduates to take a national certification examination, applicants must meet certain academic standards. 

Students must make an appointment (636-922-8246) with a career counselor to plan course work and to apply for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. 

Students are eligible to enroll in Occupational Therapy courses when the following requirements have been met: 

•  Must meet all of the college admission requirements.
  
  
• ACT: Taken within the last five years. Beginning with entry into the program in 2013 students must obtain a composite score of 18.  Can be waived if student has an Associate or Bachelor's degree.
  
  
• GPA: Most current, 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale on at least seven hours of college work including Anatomy and Physiology I and English Composition I.  Must maintain 2.0 to remain in program.
  
  
• Grades in Science Courses: Must maintain at least a "C" in all science course work.
  
  
• Previous Official College Transcripts: Must submit official college transcripts (hand carried not accepted) if college courses will be counted toward the degree requirements. Must complete and submit a Request for Evaluation of Transfer Credit.
  
  
• SCC Assessment Tests: Must test into English Composition I (ENG 101) and MAT 098 OR take and pass ENG 096 and/or MAT 096 to initiate application process.

Accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

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 4720 Montgomery Lane Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE's telephone number c/o AOTA is (301)652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Graduates can 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). Many states, including Missouri, require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination.

Note: Clinical facilities require criminal background checks, drug screenings, child abuse clearance checks, etc. in order for students to participate in fieldwork activities and rotations. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and/or may prevent an individual from obtaining a license to practice. Students may wish to contact the program coordinator for additional information prior to enrolling in a program of study. Information obtained through various screening procedures may prevent entry into the OTA program.

Note: All OTA students must complete Level II fieldwork within 18 months following completion of academic preparation.

Program requirements and policies are subject to change. The student is responsible for maintaining current information.