Occupational Therapy Assistant
Your Occupational Therapy Assistant Pathway
Join LWTech’s Occupational Therapy Assistant program for immersive hands-on learning paired with strong theoretical foundations. Under the guidance of expert instructors, you'll engage in practical lab sessions, applying your learning to real-life scenarios in grooming, bathing, and home management.
In your program, you’ll benefit from small class settings, ensuring personalized attention and hands-on training for an enriched learning experience.
Graduating from this program equips you with skills in functional anatomy, kinesiology, therapeutic activities, and aiding diverse individuals across age groups and challenges, conducting therapeutic groups.
Your degree isn't just a milestone; it's a seamless gateway to a rewarding career in health sciences.
Discover a world of opportunities with our Occupational Therapy Assistant program at LWTech!
Occupational Therapy Assistant, AAS-T
OTA Program Mission
The mission of the OTA Associate in Applied Science Transfer Degree Program at LWTech is to prepare students with the skill base, fund of knowledge, ethical base, understanding and demonstration of the behaviors required to successfully assume the roles required of occupational therapy assistants in the current environments of OT Practice.
In congruence with the mission of the college at large, the focus is on successful workforce education of individuals from diverse backgrounds and life experiences, giving them the skills, knowledge and attitudes to successfully gain employment and cope successfully with ever-changing workforce requirements. We will provide our students with an engaging curriculum which encourages life-long learning, and high standards of occupational therapy assistant practice.
OTA Admissions Process
Admission to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program is non-selective. Non-selective means students are not selected into the program based on essays and formal testing scores. Rather, admissions into the OTA program requires these steps:
- completion of LWTech's general online application
- completion of the Program Prerequisites with a 2.0 GPA or higher, see below for details
- upload official transcripts for review
- a meeting with the Student Success Navigator, Sonya Marano. Transcripts will be reviewed for transfer of credit during this meeting.
Once general registration opens at LWTech for Summer and Fall quarter classes, incoming students can enroll in the Summer Pre-Requisite course: OTA 100, then enroll in the first courses of the OTA program starting Fall quarter.
Program Prerequisites
The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is filled on a first-register, first-in system with a maximum of 20 students. In order to enroll in the first quarter of the OTA Program, you must have all pre-requisite courses completed or be in progress at LWTech to be eligible. If you receive a grade of less than 2.0 at completion of your in-progress classes, you will be removed automatically from the OTA classes before Fall quarter begins.
Below is a detailed list of all the requirements to enter the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at LWTech. Occupational Therapy Assistant program admissions course prerequisites are listed in the College Catalog and below:
- Students must have completed the following classes with a 2.0 GPA or higher, or be
in progress with in these classes at LWTech, in order to register for OTA classes:
- BIOL&241 Anatomy & Physiology - 6 credits
- ENGL&101 English Composition I - 5 credits
- MATH&146 Introduction to Statistics - 5 credits
- PSYC200 Lifespan Psychology - 5 credits
- OTA 100 Introduction to OTA - 4 credits Note: This course is only offered summer quarter at LWTech.
-
Co-requisite communications course is recommended to be completed prior to the admission into the OTA program. However it can be taken as a corequisite while in the program if necessary:
- CMST& 220 or CMST&230
Sequence of Classes
Graduation Requirements: to graduate from the OTA program, students take the following courses with a 2.0 GPA or higher. Courses are taken together as a cohort in the same sequence over seven quarters. One cohort begins each Fall quarter with a maximumof 20 students.
Quarter One, 1st year, Fall. On-campus, in-person
OTA 101 Conditions in Occupational Therapy
OTA 110 Foundations for Occupational Therapy Assistants
OTA 112 Functional Movement and Kinesiology I
Quarter Two Winter. On-campus, in-person
OTA 131 Human Activity and Occupational Performance
OTA 132 Functional Movement and Kinesiology II
OTA 140 Pediatrics and Occupational Therapy
OTA 144 Fieldwork Level IA with Seminar
Quarter Three Spring. On-campus, in-person
OTA 120 Professional Communication in Healthcare
OTA 180 Functional NeuroRehabilitation
OTA 211 Mental Health and Occupational Therapy
OTA 217 Fieldwork Level IB with Seminar
Quarter Four Summer. On-campus, in-person
OTA 190 Assistive Technology
OTA 218 Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation I
OTA 219 Professional Topics in Occupational
OTA 227 Occupational Therapy with Older Adults
Quarter Five, 2nd year, Fall. On-campus, in-person
OTA 225 Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation II
OTA 226 Occupational Therapy Assistant Capstone
OTA 232 Fieldwork Level IC with Seminar
Quarter Six Winter. Full-time Fieldwork Experience
OTA 235 Fieldwork Level IIA
OTA 236 Seminar IIA (remote course)
Quarter Seven Spring. Full-time Fieldwork Experience
OTA 240 Fieldwork Level IIB
OTA 241 Seminar IIB (remote course)
Estimated Program Costs
Degree Type: AAS-T
Total Credits: 94
Estimated Tuition: $10,474
Estimated Books & Supplies: $2,119
Estimated Class/Lab Fees: $2,065
Estimated Mandatory Campus/Technology Fees: $5,037
Total Estimated Program Cost: $19,694
Fees are subject to change.
Visit the Estimated Cost by Program page to view an estimate of cost by individual programs broken down by degree/certificate.
Accreditation
Status: Accredited
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
Address: 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 652-AOTA or (301) 652-2682
Web address: acoteonline.org
The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of the 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.
To be eligible for employment, graduates must also take and pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). For information on the LWTech OTA program certification exam results visit the NBCOT's School Performance Data Page.
Information Sessions
Prospective students should contact Program Director, Evonne Osorio, with questions and information.
OTA Information Sessions happen every 3rd Wednesday of the month starting at 6pm, on Teams.
Microsoft Teams Meeting Information and Dates
Wednesday, March 18th, 2026, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 15th, 2026, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 20th, 2026, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 17th, 2026, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Microsoft Teams Help
- Teams can be used on a computer, tablet, or smartphone or you can call in.
- Teams does not require registering for an account.
- Visit MS Teams Support for more information and help videos.
Program Outcomes
| Graduation Year | Students Entering | Students who withdrew, or did not graduate with the entering cohort, for reasons other than academic performance | Students Graduating | Graduation Rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2025 |
8 | 0 | 8 | 100% |
| 2024 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 92% |
| 2023 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 61% |
| 2022 | 15 | 3 | 12 | 80% |
| Total (2022-2024 only) | 45 | 11 | 34 | 78% |
Publication of Program Outcomes are required to meet ACOTE accreditation standards A.4.2.
Key Contacts
Explore Careers and paths in Occupational Therapy
We are proud of the many pathway options our students have to complete an Applied Bachelor’s degree, at LWTech, and at in-state universities and colleges. All degrees, whether DTA/MRP, AAS-T or AAS, can fulfill transfer requirements at multiple institutions thanks to the articulation (transfer) agreements between LWTech and the transfer college. An applied bachelor's degree can improve your chances in the job market and help you make more money.
To learn more about transferring to another college or university, please visit our Transferring from LWTech page.