Dec 03, 2024  
Catalog 2024-2025 
    
Catalog 2024-2025

Occupational Therapy Assistant, AAS-T


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94 CREDITS

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.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant AAS-T degree prepares students to work in a variety of settings including hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, client homes, long term care facilities, retirement communities, assisted living facilities, school systems, and mental health centers. Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) provide occupational therapy services with the direction and supervision of occupational therapist.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. AOTA’s phone number is (301) 652-AOTA. The website for ACOTE is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the Program will be able to sit for the national certification examination for OTAs administered by the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) located at 800 South Frederick Avenue, Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. After successful completion of this examination, the graduate will become a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA). Washington State requires licensure to practice as a COTA.

Occupational Therapy Assistant AAS-T degree graduates will:

  • be prepared to obtain an entry-level position in their field
  • be eligible to take the National Registration Examination for Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • teach patients or clients to manage basic activities of daily living, such as dressing and grooming
  • teach exercise and purposeful activities to increase coordination, strength, and work tolerance
  • assist the occupational therapist with assessments of patient function
  • demonstrate communication, critical thinking, cultural humility, information literacy, and teamwork skills
  • meet Humanities , Natural Science , Quantitative Reasoning , Social Science , and Written Communication  general education distribution area outcomes

Lake Washington Institute of Technology does not offer every course each quarter. It is the student’s responsibility to consult the Class Schedule and work out an individual schedule with an advisor. Any developmental coursework a student may be required to complete may increase the program length.

Prerequisites


In addition to a high school diploma or GED, students must complete the following courses with a 3.0 grade or higher prior to enrolling in the Quarter One OTA courses.

General Education Requirements - 5 Credits


The following courses must be completed before Term VI. It is recommended that these general education requirements be taken before the student enters the program.

Diversity and Social Justice Requirement


Within the degree requirements, students must complete a 3-5 credit course that meets the college’s Diversity and Social Justice (DSJ) requirement. DSJ courses are designated in the college schedule and are designed to meet other general education or technical requirements simultaneous to meeting the DSJ requirement (e.g., ENGL& 101 with the DSJ attribute meets both the ENGL& 101 requirement and the DSJ requirement).

Note: Not all sections of a course meet the DSJ requirement. Students should review the class information to ensure the class section includes “course attributes: meets diversity requirement.”

Visit the DSJ requirement webpage to view the current list of general education and technical courses that meet the requirement.

Students who have taken a DSJ class in a previous certificate or degree, do not have to take another DSJ class.

Total Program Credits: 94


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