HU OTA class in the science building.
Department Of

Occupational Therapy Assistant

HU student working in an OTA project. HU student working in an OTA project.
WHY OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY?

Occupational Therapy Practitioners Improve Lives

Earning an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) degree positions you to come alongside clients in their daily lives and make a difference. At Huntington University, our Christ-centered setting places an emphasis on God’s design of the human body and equips you with the knowledge of how it works. 

HU’s accredited OTA program provides you with various opportunities in the workforce and/or paths to a graduate degree. Opportunities include:

  • preparing for required board exams 

  • pursuing an OTD path

  • experiencing science in a personal way 

  • providing therapy to patients

  • improving lives through therapy

IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY A GOOD FIT FOR YOU?

You might be a future occupational therapy assistant if…

Your passion is to be directly involved in helping others develop, recover, and improve skills for daily life, and as an OTA, that’s exactly what you’ll do.

This HU program — the first accredited OTA bachelor's degree program in the United States — provides Christ-centered education that develops highly skilled practitioners who deliver compassionate, competent, occupation-based interventions while demonstrating leadership and advocacy skills and a commitment to lifelong learning.
 

Career Opportunities
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Occupational Therapist (continued education required)
Occupational Therapy Assistant Student, 2023

One thing I love about our OTA program is how the professors make the material applicable and hands-on. Being able to take what we learn in the classroom and apply it in the labs has helped me learn better and excel in my classes.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Student, 2023

The OTA program at HU is a unique experience. There aren't many places, if any, that offer a bachelor's degree in OTA. The professors care about you and want you to learn and grow, and they show that by pushing you and exposing you to as many tools as they can while you are here.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Student, 2023

The amount of resources, labs, equipment, and opportunities we have in this major is more than I could have ever asked for. The professors and head of the department have created the most creative and beneficial learning environment possible. Learning how to sacrifice my body and my knowledge for the good of people who need it most has been challenging but very rewarding and I'm very excited to get out into the real world!

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Why Choose HU?

HU students paying attention in the classroom. HU students paying attention in the classroom.

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NBCOT Eligibility

Graduates of the program 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. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. 

ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational programs satisfy the states’ educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Students graduating from an ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational program are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, please refer to the AOTA State Licensure webpage.

Visit the NBCOT website for pass rate information by university.

Accreditation

Huntington University’s baccalaureate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program is accredited (As of April 9, 2020)  by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E  Bethesda, MD 20814. 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 National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

 

Graduation Year

Number of Students Entering the Program/Number of Students Graduating from the Program

 

Graduate Rates

2021

11/11

100%

2022

11/11

100%

2023

14/14

100%

Totals/Averages

36/36

100%

 

 

Graduating Year

NBCOT New Graduate Pass Rate

2020

100%

2021

100%

2022

100%