Associate in Applied Science Upon completion of the occupational therapy assistant program, the associate degree graduate will be educationally prepared to provide service to individuals having difficulties in living due to developmental deficits, physical injury and illness, psychological and social disabilities, and the aging process. The occupational therapy assistant works with, and under the direction of, a registered occupational therapist, and assists with the processes of client evaluation, goal setting, implementation of care, and documentation of occupational therapy services. The coursework includes a series of general education courses with an emphasis on the biological and psychological sciences. Professional studies focus on how human occupational development is affected by illness and injury, and how function can be facilitated.
Minimum program hours: 66 credit hours
Program Codes
Degree option:
Associate in Applied Science
General requirements
General requirements hours:
26 credit hours
Humanities
6
ENG 1530: English Composition II
3
ENG 1540: Writing about Literature
3
Social Sciences
9
PSY 1510: General Psychology I
3
PSY 2510: Life Span Development
3
PSY 2560: Abnormal Behavior
3
Mathematics/Sciences
11
BIO 2510: Anatomy and Physiology I
4
BIO 2520: Anatomy and Physiology II
4
MAT 1500: Problem Solving with Mathematics (or a higher level mathematics course)
3
Core requirements
Core requirements hours:
40 credit hours
OTA 1510: Foundations of Occupational Therapy
3
OTA 1520: Medical Specialties
3
OTA 1530: Fundamental Skills of OTA I
1
OTA 1620: Psychosocial Concepts & Techniques
2
OTA 1630: Fundamental Skills of OTA II
1
OTA 1640: Therapeutic Groups
2
OTA 1650: The Growing Years: Birth to Yound Adult
3
OTA 1700: Fieldwork I A
1
OTA 2520: Adulthood and Aging
2
OTA 2540: Fieldwork I B
1
OTA 2550: Technology & Environmental Apps for Living
3
OTA 2560: OT Intervention Across the Lifespan
1
OTA 2570: Classroom to Clinic: Preparation for Practice
2
OTA 2620: Physical Rehabilitation
3
OTA 2700: Fieldwork IIA: Principles of Practice
6
OTA 2720: Fieldwork IIB: Service Management
6
Electives
Important points
In order to be admitted into the OTA program, students must have successfully completed high school chemistry, CHE 1500, or CHE 1530 and must be eligible for ENG 1530. Students must have online computer access to successfully meet course requirements. Students are responsible for meeting the screening requirements for each facility and incurring screening expenses. Fingerprinting and criminal background checks must be completed prior to second semester OTA coursework and Level I and Level II fieldwork placement. Health physicals and Mantoux tests must be updated annually. The four semester sequence of OTA courses begins each fall semester OTA courses are offered only on the Jamestown Campus. All other required courses are scheduled so they may be taken at either the Jamestown or Cattaraugus County campuses. All OTA courses, other than fieldwork, are only offered one time per year and must be taken sequentially starting in the fall. Transfer options are available and require additional coursework. BIO 2510 and BIO 2520: Anatomy and Physiology I and II must be completed with a minimum grade of “C.” All students must successfully pass each OTA course with a minimum grade of “C" and a GPA of 2.5 or better to enroll in OTA 2700 and OTA 2720. A student will be permitted to repeat two OTA core courses one time. Should the student be unsuccessful in repeating any OTA course, he/she would be ineligible to continue in the OTA program. Should a student be required to repeat more than two OTA core courses he/she will be ineligible to continue in the OTA program. Both course and fieldwork levels I and II experiences require travel. Students must have transportation to participate and successfully meet all course and fieldwork requirements. Special housing may be needed for one or both Level II fieldwork experiences. All students will take OTA 1700 either concurrently with OTA 2520 and OTA 1650 or during the summer following completion of OTA 2520 and OTA 1650. All OTA students must complete the full-time Level II Fieldwork within 18 months following completion of OTA 2510, 2530, 2550, and 2620. CPR certification through the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association (Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers) is required prior to registering for OTA 2700 or OTA 2720.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:
Assess and refine professional behaviors through ongoing self-assessment and personal development plans.
Articulate the importance and provide intervention strategies for the varying degrees of therapeutic interventions using the adjunctive, enabling, purposeful activity and occupation-based treatment continuum.
Understand the elements of the OT Process (i.e.: evaluation, assessment) and participate in all aspects of the OT Process through case study and intervention planning activities.
Embody the importance of wellness by developing and implementing programs that support health and participation.
Recognize themselves as a cultural being and develop an awareness of the role culture plays in the practice arena.
Demonstrate the ability to use the computer to develop presentations, research scientific literature to learn best practices, and to discover resources to improve treatment outcomes.
Develop clinical reasoning skills to uncover community resources, solve problems, and offer innovative treatment strategies in occupational therapy practice.
Transfer Agreements
© Jamestown Community College • All rights reserved.
