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.
- Advising checklist for the OTA program
- Selection procedures for the OTA program
- Health Occupations Aptitude Exam (HOAE)/Test – Overview (required for OTA application)
All admission requirements must be met to enter applicant pool for following spring semester start.
Important Deadlines
- Applications are due Monday, Aug. 10, 2020.
Information Session
Mandatory information sessions will be conducted to share information and answer questions regarding the occupational therapy assistant program.
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.
- Oct. 2, 2019
- Dec. 4, 2019
- Feb. 19, 2020
- April 15, 2020 – 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
- June 17, 2020
- Aug. 4, 2020 – 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Investment in Your Future
Occupational therapy assistant (OTA) courses have a variable tuition rate. For the 2019-2020 academic year, OTA courses have an in-district rate of $263 per credit hour. Tuition for other courses in the program run the standard in-district rate of $131.50 per credit hour. Fees are $11 per credit hour. View summer 2019 tuition information. 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, ext 62872
Eleanor.Wild@llcc.edu
Gretchen Conway MOT, OTR/L
Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
217-786-2833
800-727-4161, ext 62833
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, ext 62436
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 4720 Montgomery Ln., Ste. 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. 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 write 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 |
|---|---|---|
| December 2015 | 16/15 | 94% |
| December 2016 | 16/13 | 81% |
| December 2017 | 16/15 | 94% |
| Totals | 48/43 | 90% |
Retention rate in the 2015/2016 academic year for all enrolled OTA students was 94%.
(as of 4/18/2016)
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.