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Program Description
The Associate in Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant Program prepares students to work in numerous practice settings, guided by the supervision of occupational therapists. Across the lifespan, individuals engage in meaningful occupations. Learning, playing, working, resting, and caring for self and others are among the occupations of life. A physical or psychological challenge may hinder an individual, group, and/or community from participating fully in meaningful occupations. Occupational therapy makes it possible for people to maintain or reclaim independence; thereby positively engaging in Living Life to its Fullest™. Upon successful graduation from the program, students must sit for and successfully pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) national certification examination to practice. Most states also require licensure as a condition for employment. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and obtain licensure. NBCOT may be contacted at:
NBCOT
One Bank Street
Suite 300
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
301-990-7979
www.NBCOT.org
To enter this major, students must have a high school diploma or its equivalent. To be admitted to degree candidacy, the applicant must have completed educational background requirements called Carnegie Units or Secondary School Units. Students are responsible for proof of liability insurance and other requirements specified by the facility providing supervised field experience.
The size of each entering class is limited so that optimal clinical experiences and practical application situations can be maintained. Students are expected to progress through the program in the prescribed manner. Fieldwork affiliations are maintained within a specified geographical area. Students may be required to make special housing and transportation arrangements during the fieldwork phase. Students must complete all Level II fieldwork within eighteen months of successful completion of OTA didactic course work. The 2OTCC and 2OTBL curricula are delivered in five semesters.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a practice informed by physical, psychological, and occupational science. It is with these skills and knowledge; occupational therapy assistants employ intervention plans that engage people in maintaining or reclaiming independence. A physical or psychological challenge may hinder an individual, group, and/or community from participating fully in meaningful occupations. When this occurs an occupational therapy assistant works with the client(s) to design a plan to Live Life to its Fullest™. As a certified occupational therapy assistant, you will work in numerous practice settings, guided by the supervision of occupational therapists. Most importantly, by choosing a career in occupational therapy, you will be at the forefront in making a difference in people’s lives by way of therapeutic use of self and an intentional relationship.
You Might Like This Program If...
You want to work in a variety of practice settings with individuals and groups across the lifespan. Physical, mental health, emotional, and other challenges prevent people from participating fully in the job of living. Occupational therapy makes it possible for people to regain independence and to enjoy life. By choosing a career in occupational therapy, you will make a difference in lives of people and groups in your community.
Entrance to Major
Students must request a Dean's review to change to this Associate degree after admission to the University.
Degree Requirements
For the Associate in Science degree in Occupational Therapy, a minimum of 69 credits is required:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Education | 21 |
| Requirements for the Major | 60 |
12 of the 21 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 3 credits of GWS courses; 6 credits of GS courses; 3 credits of GN courses.
General Education
Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all associate degree students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.
The keystone symbol 
appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.
Foundations (grade of C or better is required.)
- Quantification (GQ): 3 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 3 credits
Knowledge Domains
- Arts (GA): 3 credits
- Humanities (GH): 3 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits
Note: Up to six credits of Inter-domain courses may be used for any Knowledge Domain requirement, but when a course is used to satisfy more than one requirement, the credits from the course can be counted only once.
Foundations or Knowledge Domains
- Any General Education course: 3 credits
University Degree Requirements
Cultures Requirement
3 credits of United States (US) or International (IL) cultures coursework are required and may satisfy other requirements
Writing Across the Curriculum
3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.
Total Minimum Credits
A minimum of 60 degree credits must be earned for a associates degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 60 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.
Quality of Work
Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.
Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition
Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Requirements for the Major
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the major. To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn at least a C grade in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| BIOL 161 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I - Lecture | 3 |
| BIOL 162 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I - Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOL 163 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II - Lecture | 3 |
| BIOL 164 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II - Laboratory | 1 |
| ENGL 15 | Rhetoric and Composition | 3 |
| KINES 13 | First Aid & Safety, CPR/AED | 1 |
| OT 100 | Structural Foundations of Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| OT 101 | Conceptual Foundations of Occupational Therapy Practice | 2 |
| OT 103 | Occupational Performance Across the Life Span | 3 |
| OT 195E | Fieldwork Level I Experience in Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| OT 205 | Group Process Across The Lifespan | 3 |
| OT 207 | Assistive Technologies and Methods of Adaptation | 3 |
| OT 209 | Management, Leadership and Ethics in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OT 210W | Clinical Reasoning and Documentation in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OT 212 | Occupational Therapy for Child & Adolescent Health | 3 |
| OT 214 | Occupational Therapy for Psychosocial and Behavioral Health | 3 |
| OT 216 | Occupational Therapy for Physical Health and Rehabilitation | 4 |
| OT 295E | Fieldwork Level I Experience in Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| OT 395A | Fieldwork Level II Experience in Occupational Therapy | 6 |
| OT 395B | Fieldwork Level II Experience in Occupational Therapy | 6 |
| PSYCH 100 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| HDFS 129 | Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies | 3 |
| or PSYCH 212 | Introduction to Developmental Psychology | |
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
Berks
David Kresse
Program Director, Assistant Teaching Professor in Occupational Therapy
Tulpehocken Road, PO Box 7009
115 Luerssen Science Building
Reading, PA 19610
610-396-6425
dck12@psu.edu
DuBois
LuAnn Demi
Program Director, Assistant Teaching Professor in Occupational Therapy
1 College Place
OT House
DuBois, PA 15801
814-375-4748
ldb4@psu.edu
Mont Alto
Angela Hissong
Program Director, Associate Teaching Professor in Occupational Therapy
University College, Professor-in-Charge
1 Campus Drive
201 Residence B
Mont Alto, PA 17237
717-749-6165
anh1@psu.edu
Shenango
Tammy Divens
Program Director, Assistant Teaching Professor in Occupational Therapy
147 Shenango Avenue
104 Chadderton Lab
Sharon, PA 16146
724-983-2973
tsd13@psu.edu
Suggested Academic Plan
The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2021-22 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition (Note: the archive only contain suggested academic plans beginning with the 2018-19 edition of the Undergraduate Bulletin).
Occupational Therapy, A.S. at Berks Campus
The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 15 or 30H (GWS)‡ | 3 | BIOL 163* | 3 |
| BIOL 161 (GN)*† | 3 | BIOL 164* | 1 |
| BIOL 162* | 1 | HDFS 129 or PSYCH 212 (GS)*† | 3 |
| PSYCH 100 (GS)*† | 3 | OT 103* | 3 |
| OT 100S* | 1 | General Education Course (GQ)‡ | 3 |
| OT 101* | 2 | KINES 13* | 1 |
| 13 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| OT 195E* | 1 | OT 295E* | 1 |
| OT 205* | 3 | OT 210W* | 3 |
| OT 207* | 3 | OT 212* | 3 |
| OT 209* | 3 | OT 214* | 3 |
| General Education Course (GA) | 3 | OT 216* | 4 |
| General Education Course (GH) | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | ||
| OT 395A* | 6 | ||
| OT 395B* | 6 | ||
| 12 | |||
| Total Credits 69 | |||
| * | Course requires a grade of C or better for the major |
| ‡ | Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education |
| # | Course is an Entrance to Major requirement |
| † | Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement |
University Requirements and General Education Notes:
US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).
W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.
GWS, GQ, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GN, GA, GH, and GS). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better.
| 1 | The following courses are offered Fall Semester only: OT 100S, 101, 195E, 205, 207, 209. |
| 2 | The following courses are offered Spring Semester only: OT 103, 210W, 212, 214, 216, 295E. |
| 3 | For General Education Course (GQ), the following courses are recommended: MATH 17, 34, 35, or STAT 100. |
| 4 | For General Education Course (GA), course must be interactive in that it has a "hands-on" element such as acting (THEA 102), creative writing (ENGL 50), or drawing (ART 20). Consult adviser for details. |
| 5 | The following courses must be completed prior to enrolling in OT 210W, 212, 214, 216, 295E: BIOL 161, 162, 163, 164, ENGL 15 or 30, HDFS 129 or PSYCH 212, PSYCH 100. |
| 6 | Students may not progress to the next semester if they earn less than a C in any OT course. Should this occur, consult adviser for progression options within the program. |
| 7 | All didactic degree requirements must be completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.00 prior to enrolling in OT 395 and 395B. Consult adviser for details. |
| 8 | OT 395A and 395B must be completed within eighteen (18) months of completing all didactic degree requirements. OT 395A and 395B are typically two (2) eight (8) week full-time professional placements which are set by the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator. Academic advising is required to establish OT 395A and 395B placements. Consult adviser for details. |
| 9 | A felony conviction on your record may affect your ability to sit for the certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) after you graduate. This can subsequently affect your ability to attain state licensure. Before applying for the 2OTBK_AS program, you can contact NBCOT for information on their early determination program to assess examination eligibility. Go to www.nbcot.org and read the "Early Review" section for details. |
Career Paths
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA's) work in numerous practice settings. Across the lifespan, individuals engage in meaningful occupations. Learning, playing, working, resting, and caring for self and others are among the occupations of life. A physical or psychological challenge may hinder an individual, group, and/or community from participating fully in meaningful occupations. Occupational therapy makes it possible for people to maintain or reclaim independence. Following graduation from the nationally accredited program, students are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam.
Careers
A Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) supports individuals of all ages develop, recover, improve, or maintain the skills necessary for daily living, leisure, play, and work. COTA’s work in public and private schools, early intervention programs, general, psychiatric, and pediatric hospitals, day treatment centers, hospices and home health agencies, rehabilitation hospitals and centers, skilled and intermediate care facilities, community living programs, community wellness centers, and/or hand therapy clinics.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES OF THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
Once a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) has completed the associate in science in occupational therapy degree, they may decide to further studies by obtaining a baccalaureate degree. Common degrees include biology, psychology, occupational science, biobehavioral health, integrated social sciences, and other health related degrees.
Many COTA’s decide to complete a baccalaureate degree secondary to the benefits of advancing their education as applied to occupational therapy and/or as part of positive progression of employment. Additionally, some COTA’s complete a baccalaureate degree to prepare for graduate studies at the master’s or doctoral degree entry-level to become occupational therapists.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES
Professional Resources
Accreditation
The Penn State Occupational Therapy Assistant program is fully accredited by ACOTE, which can be reached at:
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200
North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929
301-652-6611 ext. 2042
email: accred@aota.org
www.acoteonline.org
The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) is an Associated Advisory Council of the Executive Board of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA®). ACOTE® is recognized as the accrediting agency for occupational therapy education by both the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). ACOTE is also an active member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA). ACOTE currently accredits or is in the process of accrediting nearly 600 occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational programs in the United States and its territories as well as programs in the United Kingdom.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION
Professional Licensure/Certification
Many U.S. states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map.
Contact
Berks
Tulpehocken Road, PO Box 7009
115 Luerssen Science Building
Reading, PA 19610
610-396-6425
dck12@psu.edu
https://berks.psu.edu/associate-occupational-therapy
DuBois
1 College Place
OT House
DuBois, PA 15801
814-375-4748
ldb4@psu.edu
Mont Alto
1 Campus Drive
201 Residence B
Mont Alto, PA 17237
717-749-6165
anh1@psu.edu
Shenango
147 Shenango Avenue
104 Chadderton Lab
Sharon, PA 16146
724-983-2973
tsd13@psu.edu