Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Areas of Study - Degrees & Certificates  >  Health Sciences   > Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

Occupational therapy assistants, under the direction of a licensed occupational therapist, assist individuals with disabling conditions to achieve independence through the use of purposeful activity. The curriculum for the oc­cupational therapy assistant program covers a period of two years and is designed to lead toward an Associate of Applied Science degree. Students will engage in coursework for a period of four semesters followed by a fifth semester of full-time fieldwork at health care facilities in the community. The educational experience will include classroom instruction, laboratory activities and clinical work. Many clinical facil­ities will require students to successfully pass a background check. Students will be trained to work with all age groups in a variety of health care settings. 

The LSC-Kingwood and LSC-Tomball occupa­tional therapy assistant programs are 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, 301.652.AOTA. acoteonline.org

Graduates will be eligible for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occu­pational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy As­sistant (COTA). Most states, including Texas, require licensure to practice. Texas licensure is based on successful completion of the NBCOT examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT exam­ination or attain a state licensure.

The general education core will transfer to a variety of colleges and universities. For ad­ditional specific program information please contact the OTA program department at either LSC-Kingwood or LSC-Tomball or visit the web page at http://www.lonestar.edu/occupational-therapy-aas.htm.

Admission Criteria

Applicants must meet the college’s general admission criteria as well as program admis­sion criteria and submit all documentation to the occupational therapy assistant office at LSC-Tomball (Fall program start) or LSC-Kingwood (Spring program start). Contact Program Director for further information.

Program Admission Criteria

Apply for admission to the occupational therapy assistant department by submitting a formal application and all required official documents to the department. Applicant must be at least eighteen (18) years old by application deadline to apply to the program.

• Top ranking candidates will be scheduled for a personal interview, a writing sample and completion of a health care admis­sions examination (paid for by applicant).

• Final acceptance into the program is con­tingent upon a satisfactory background check (as required by hospitals), which will be completed by an approved agency at the applicant’s expense. If an applicant has been charged/convicted or received deferred adjudication of a felony or misdemeanor they must contact NBCOT and Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occu­pational Therapy Examiners (ECPTOTE) to determine certification and licensure eligibility. If a student is charged/convicted or received deferred adjudication of a felony or misdemeanor while enrolled in an LSC occupational therapy program, the student must inform the director in writing and submit a current background check. Clinical facilities may also require completion of satisfactory drug screening.

• Applicants will be notified by mail or email of their admission status. 

Minimum Academic Requirements

Submit COMPASS scores or other LSC approved test scores, completion of ENGL 1301  and completion of college level math or comparable testing.  See Kingwood for alternate math requirement.

Completion of a minimum of 10 hours of general education course credit with a minimum 2.5 GPA to include ENGL 1301 , BIOL 2401  and 3 hours of a general education course required in the degree plan. The general education course required for LSC-Kingwood is PSYC 2301 .

Upon admission to the program, student must have:

• Physical examination completed by a licensed physician; 
• Verification of updated immunization record; regulations require that prior to patient contact, the student must have completed the Hepatitis B immunization series that is received over a 3 - 6 month period; and, 
• Certificate of completion of CPR prior to Level I Fieldwork. 

Incomplete applications will not receive a department review. Applicants are responsible for contacting the OTA department to confirm that their application is complete. Applicants to the program will be ranked according to their level of achievement of the program admission criteria and will be accepted into the program on a competitive basis. Students must complete Level II fieldwork assignments within 18 months following completion of academic preparation. Additional information can be obtained from the occupational therapy assistant department at LSC-Kingwood and LSC-Tomball.

Program Curriculum

 By completing the program, students will earn one award:

1. Occupational Therapy Assistant, AAS