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How do people occupy their time? Whether it is a child learning through play, a teen going to school, an adult being successful at school, work and at home, or a grandparent holding their grandchild, occupational therapy (OT) helps to enable people to be independent in the everyday activities that are important to them.
An occupational therapy assistant works under the direction of an occupational therapist (OT) to use meaningful activity to work in hospitals, school districts, clinics and community-based organizations to help people stay healthy.
OT works on activities of daily living, like teaching a person who has had a stroke to dress themselves or make a meal, to developmental skills, like crawling and handwriting in children, to adapted driving and computer skills following a spinal cord injury, for example.
With classes held at MCC-Penn Valley Health Science Institute, the OTA program is the most established program in the area, founded in 1984, with a good reputation for quality graduates and consistently strong success rates on the national boards exam.
Additional steps are required for acceptance into this program beyond the standard MCC admissions application. This is a four-semester program that begins in August and accepts approximately 20 students per year.
Within two weeks of the application deadline you will receive an email to inform you of your status. You will also be contacted via email or phone to schedule an interview.
Students accepted into the program will be expected to attend an orientation session in July.
Students not accepted into the program should contact the Student Advising Department or MCC's Health Science Institute healthcare@mcckc.edu to determine next steps.
Students who apply to the program with previous OT coursework, whether from an OTA or OT school will be evaluated on an individual basis. Transcripts will be audited by the Student Data Center. Students may be expected to take all OTHA courses in sequence beginning with semester one offerings. Work experience cannot replace OTA program course content requirements.
In order to receive an A.A.S. degree in Occupational Therapy the student must complete all courses with a grade of “C” or better in each course required for the degree and must successfully pass all laboratory checkouts as outlined in each course syllabus.
Additionally, students are expected to maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 in the program. Progression through coursework is outlined in the curriculum sequence noted in the Information Packet with no opportunity to complete OTA courses in a variation of the sequence.
Students failing to meet these requirements will be required to reapply to the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program, and if accepted, retake all OTHA courses in sequence beginning with semester 1 offerings.
The occupational therapy assistant 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. PH: 301.652.AOTA.
As a graduate, you'll be eligible to take the national certification exam, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
You should know that you will not be able to obtain a license to practice or be allowed to participate in clinicals should you have an unacceptable background as defined by state law regarding health care providers. An unacceptable background includes a felony and/or class "A" misdemeanor conviction.
Prospective students may contact the NBCOT for an early determination review at professional.conduct@nbcot.org or for the code of conduct.
Fifty-seven students graduated from the OTA program between 2019 and 2022 resulting in a graduation rate of 71.25%. The switch to virtual learning during the pandemic impacted student retention.
| Graduation year | Students entering/graduating | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 20/9 | 45% |
| 2021 | 20/16 | 80% |
| 2020 | 20/16 | 80% |
| 2019 | 20/16 | 80% |
| Total 2019-2022 | 80/57 | 71.25% |
| Graduation year | Students taking the NBCOT/passing the NBCOT | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 9/9 | 100% |
| 2021 | 15/15 | 100% |
| 2020 | 16/16 | 100% |
| 2019 | 15/16 | 92% |
Note - due to the Covid-19 pandemic table reflects the year of graduation, not date of certification exam
Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can also be found online at NBCOT.
| Tuition | OTA A.A.S. 74 credit hours |
|---|---|
| In-district $116/credit hour |
$8,584 |
| Out-of-district $228/credit hour |
$16,872 |
| Out-of-state $307/credit hour |
$22,718 |
| Program Fees* | OTA A.A.S. |
| Textbooks/materials | $1200+ |
| Clinical management (Background check, drug screen, documentation review) | $116 |
| Immunizations and physical exam | Cost will vary |
*Approximate - subject to change
Total approximate cost of the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program (In-district): A.A.S. - $9,900
Approximate cost for OTHA course per semester - $2,478
OTA students responsible for housing and transportation costs while at MCC. Students responsible for transportation to and from school and clinical sites.
Refer to this link to find out more about MCC's payment plan.
New OTA classes are only accepted once a year beginning in the Fall semester
Once admitted to the program the OTA coursework is completed within two years (four semesters)
Students applying with previous degrees awarded still take the OTA coursework as outlined in the curriculum checklist. The program is two years in duration regardless of previous general education coursework
The program is full-time with classes meeting during the day most days of the week, excluding weekends. The schedule changes each semester; however, classes generally start at 9 a.m. and end by 4 p.m.. Fieldwork each semester is based on the working schedule of the fieldwork educator.
Students have the summer between year one and two to complete any outstanding general education coursework that is required.
There are two courses in the OTA program offered via distance-education.
At this time there is no option for part-time coursework. The OTA program currently is a fulltime program (please refer to question 3 for further detail)
The following courses must be completed prior to applying:
Anatomy and Physiology and Introduction to Occupational Therapy must have been taken within the last five years to be accepted
Completion of all required general education prior to starting in the OTA program would help to "lighten" the student's load, and is recommended. Completion of the anatomy and physiology requirement prior to application to the program is strongly recommended.
All students who have not taken placement tests in the past 3 years will be required to take the placement tests to establish reading level.
Even students with a degree will need to take the reading placement test prior to application to the program.
Prerequisites may be taken at other institutions, however students will need to submit their transcripts for determinations. Please refer to the information below:
MCC accepts credit in transfer from both public and private regionally accredited institutions of recognized standing.
Transfer work will be evaluated and posted once MCC receives official transcripts, either directly from the transferring school or in a sealed envelope.
Transcripts may also be sent electronically from the National Student Clearinghouse, if your previous institution participates.
Students may use a Request for Academic Transcript form to request transcripts from any previously attended school. Transcripts should be submitted by mail to:
MCC-Student Data Center
3200 Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64111.
All courses taken at other colleges and universities become part of the student's permanent record. However, only courses equivalent to those in the student's MCC program will be applied toward an MCC degree or certificate.
While the MCC GPA is used for an MCC degree or certificate, the transfer GPA will appear on the MCC transcript as a transfer GPA and be included in the combined GPA.
The number of students admitted per cohort currently is 20 students per year.
Interviews will occur on campus with the OTA program faculty, as feasible based on the health and safety protocols in place at the college at the time of interviews. Should face-to-face interviews not be possible, interviews will take place over Zoom.
The interviews will be scheduled with prospective students during one week in July via email/phone call.
Students are expected to arrive early or on-time and may be required to complete a writing sample as a part of the interview process.
Students are required to have regular access to computer technology with up-to-date software, reliable broadband connection to the internet and the ability to install software that may be required for the course. Technical skills required for online courses include:
Yes, students who are not accepted may reapply for the program.
Apply to MCC today!