Keys to Success
A successful Occupational Therapy Assistant is committed to knowledgeable and ethical patient care. Professionalism in classroom and clinical settings is a must. Good communication skills with medical providers, patients and their families are also vital to success in this career. If you are compassionate, motivated, and disciplined, this is the program for you.
South College is committed to helping you reach your goals and provides many avenues for support, from free tutoring to frequent access to experienced faculty members. We endeavor to match students with the best fieldwork experiences possible. Students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program leave well-prepared to meet the demands of a challenging and fulfilling career.
Continuing Education
Additional Information
- Mission and Additional Program Information
- Student Learning Outcomes
- Admissions Requirements
Helpful Links
Accreditation or Approval
Asheville
The South College Occupational Therapy Assistant program offered at the Asheville campus 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, www.acoteonline.org. ACOTE’s telephone number is (301) 652- AOTA. Accreditation was granted in April 2014 for 7 years with the next site visit to be scheduled during the 2020/2021 academic year.
Knoxville
The South College Occupational Therapy Assistant – Knoxville campus 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. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION ACCREDITATION MANUAL VI.E. Revised July 2019 Section VI – Page 19 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 require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the 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.
Nashville
The South College Occupational Therapy Assistant program offered at the Nashville campus has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status 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. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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 require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. The program is scheduled to submit a full Report of Self-Study on March 2, 2020 and is scheduled for an initial on-site in the October-November timeframe.
