Helping patients regain their independence with the help of specialized exercises and equipment
Key Program Features
Consider a career in a rapidly-growing and rewarding allied health profession! Occupational therapy assistants help people develop or recover skills needed for daily living and working. They help injured or ill patients do therapeutic activities and teach patients with permanent disabilities how to use specialized equipment. LLCC’s occupational therapy assistant (OTA) degree program prepares students to perform these and related tasks under the direction and supervision of an occupational therapist. LLCC OTA graduates are working as occupational therapy assistants in hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, schools and home health settings.
Job Outlook
Due to occupational therapy being a significant component of treatment for people with various illnesses and disabilities, employment of occupational therapy assistants and aides is predicted to grow 40 percent from 2014 to 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. In May 2016, the median annual wage for occupational therapy assistants was $59,010.
Degree Program
LLCC offers the following degree program to successfully prepare students for a career as an occupational therapy assistant. Learn more about the program and required courses:
Occupational Therapy Assistant • Associate in Applied Science
Time to completion: 2 years
Timeline for coursework
After completion of prerequisites, any non-OTA courses may be taken (see admission procedure below). Following admission to the program, students will begin the OTA coursework.
View the LLCC Occupational Therapy Assistant program course schedule. The program begins with the spring semester and graduation is in December of the following year. Students must complete six semesters of combined general education, OTA academic coursework and fieldwork.
Upon program completion, students are eligible for licensure (see accreditation/licensure below).
Courses
View occupational therapy assistant classes in the course schedule. Visit www.llcc.edu/course-schedule for more information on exploring class options.
Admission Procedure
The occupational therapy assistant program has specific admission requirements. Click on the links below for important admission information.
- Student success checklist for the OTA program
- Selection procedures for the OTA program
- ATI TEAS Exam
All admission requirements must be met to enter applicant pool for following spring semester start.
Important Deadlines
- Due to the pandemic, the application deadline has been extended to Monday, August 17
Information Session
The mandatory information session as been cancelled for the 2020 admissions cycle.
The following subjects will be discussed:
- Occupational therapy as a chosen career
- Admission and selection process
- Curriculum content
- Program policies and requirements
- Clinical affiliation requirements
- General practice and licensure information
- General course advising
Pre-registration is not required. All interested new students are welcome.
All meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. (unless noted otherwise) and will be held in Logan Hall, Room 1115.
Investment in Your Future
Occupational therapy assistant (OTA) courses have a variable tuition rate. For the 2020-2021 academic year (fall 2020, spring 2021 and summer 2021), OTA courses are $266 per credit hour for in-district residents, and all other courses in the program have a standard in-district rate of $133.00 per credit hour. Fees are $11 per credit hour. Get more information on tuition and fees.
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Contact Us
Eleanor Wild, OTD, OTR, PTA
Director
217-786-2872
800-727-4161
Eleanor.Wild@llcc.edu
Gretchen Conway MOT, OTR/L
Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
217-786-2833
800-727-4161
Gretchen.Conway@llcc.edu
Melissa Behl, BS, COTA
Adjunct Instructor
Melissa.Behl@llcc.edu
Cynthia Maskey, PhD, CNE, RN
Dean, Health Professions Department
217-786-2436
800-727-4161
Cynthia.Maskey@llcc.edu
Accreditation/Licensure
The LLCC 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. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is 301-652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Following successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination.
LLCC and its occupational therapy assistant program recognize that accreditation status represents a promise of quality to the students, the college, the community and the profession of occupational therapy.
LLCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Graduation Rates
| Graduation Year | Students Entering / Graduating | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 16/16 | 100% |
| 2018 | 16/16 | 100% |
| 2019 | 14/16 | 88% |
| Totals | 46/48 | 96% |
NBCOT Certification Examination Pass Rates
View pass rates for LLCC OTA graduates at the NBCOT Score comparison webpage (test scores as compared to other OTA programs in the State of Illinois).
*As directed by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), graduate statistics/pass-rates are calculated for a calendar year (not based upon cohort or academic year). Therefore, the data reported for each calendar year shown above reflects pass-rates for the graduates from the preceding year, while the number of graduates for each calendar year shown above reflects the number of graduates completing the program requirements in May or December of that same calendar year.