Program Information
Programs Offered
The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) curriculum prepares individuals to work under the supervision of a registered/licensed occupational therapist in screening, assessing, planning, and implementing treatment and documenting progress for clients receiving occupational therapy services. Employment opportunities include hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, long-term/extended care facilities, sheltered workshops, schools, home health programs, and community programs.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program began in Fall 2017, and accepts up to 20 students each fall. Students are admitted through a competitive admissions process. See Admission Information for more details.
Students must achieve a grade of B or above in all OTA prefix courses and a grade of C or above in all general education courses in the OTA curriculum to progress in the program of study. After completing the OTA curriculum of study, the student is awarded an Associate in Applied Science degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant.
Accreditation
The OTA Program at Rowan-Cabarrus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®), of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at:
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-652-AOTA
acoteonline.org
Graduates of the Rowan-Cabarrus OTA program will be eligible to 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). In addition, all states, including North Carolina, require licensure to practice as a COTA; licensure in North Carolina is based on 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. These processes are separate from the college’s program and graduation requirements. Students are encouraged to contact the North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy (NCBOT) www.ncbot.org and the NBCOT, www.nbcot.org directly for additional information.
Program Costs
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $5,624 ($76 per credit) |
| Textbooks | $1,800 per program |
| OTA Student Fees (including Complio fees, OTA uniforms, lab fees for OTA courses, Trajecsys fees, liability insurance, AOTA and NCOTA annual membership dues, NBCOT COTA Exam Prep, Exam, and score release, etc.) | $1,600 ($320 per semester) |
| Student Activity Fee | $170 |
| Technology Fee | $180 |
| Campus Access Fee | $100 |
| Graduation Fee | $35 |
| Travel to Fieldwork sites (varies) | $500 |
| Total | $10,009 |
Program Outcomes
| Graduation Year | Students Entering/Graduating | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 10/14 | 140% |
| 2023 | 20/19 | 95% |
| 2024 | 20/17 | 85% |
| 3-Year 2022-2024 Totals | 50/50 | 100% |
Note: Program graduates may sit for the exam whenever they choose, so the number of first-time test takers does not match the number of graduates in a given year. The number of first-time test takers may also include graduates from the previous year.
Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found on the NBCOT website.
Amy Mahle
