Occupational Therapy Assistant

This two-year program prepares individuals for careers as Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs). In Texas, COTAs must obtain state licensure to practice under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist (OT).

Occupational Therapy focuses on helping individuals develop or regain the skills needed for everyday living, with the goal of increasing independence and functional participation. Clients may experience challenges at any stage of development, and services address a wide range of physical, cognitive, psychological, and psychosocial conditions.

Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants help people across the lifespan engage in meaningful everyday activities, known as occupations, to support health, well being, and participation. Intervention approaches may include engaging clients in therapeutic activities, using preparatory methods and technologies, providing education and training, supporting advocacy, and offering group or virtual interventions to enhance their ability to participate in daily life. These services assist children in developing skills for school and social participation, help individuals recover from injury regain functional abilities, and support older adults experiencing physical or cognitive changes in maintaining independence (AOTA, 2020).

The OTA program is a full-time program that uses face-to-face instruction as its primary delivery model. Some courses are offered in hybrid or fully online formats, and all OTA program courses are web-enhanced.

The Fieldwork Level II capstone courses listed in the fifth semester must be completed within eighteen (18) months after the completion of the academic/technical courses to be eligible for graduation.

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Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program was granted reaccreditation for a period of ten (10) years in February 2024. The next onsite evaluation will be scheduled during the 2033-2034 academic year.

The OTA Program is accredited 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 301-652-2682 or 301-652-6611, and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Graduates of the OTA program will be eligible to register 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). The state of Texas also requires licensure to practice. Regular licenses are issued by the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (TBOTE) after the successful completion of the NBCOT certification examination.

A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to register and complete the NBCOT Certification exam or to obtain state licensure to practice as a COTA. Applicants must successfully clear a criminal background check prior to being accepted into the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.

OTA Student Outcomes

OTA program students graduate within an average program length of two years (21 months). *Unable to calculate 2025 Graduation Rate due to students in progress towards 150% of published length of the program per 2023 ACOTE Standard A.6.5.

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) program data results: https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance

Work Environment

Occupational Therapy Assistants typically are employed in clinical or community settings working in out-patient clinics, in-patient rehabilitation centers, public schools, and/or patients' homes. Supervision by an Occupational Therapist is required for practice in Texas.

Potential Job Titles

• Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA)
• Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)

Salary Data

National Mean Average Wage: $32.78/hour
National Mean Annual Wage: $68,170/year
Texas Hourly Mean Wage: $35.43/hour
Texas Annual Mean Wage: $73,690

Bureau of Labor and Statistics May 2023
https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes312011.htm

• Application Requirements & Forms

  Application Requirements

  Applicants to the OTA program must submit the application for program selection by Thursday, June 25, 2026 before 5 p.m., provided they meet the requirements outlined in the Academic Catalog.

  OTA Forms:

  • Documentation of Volunteer Experience Form
  • Volunteer Attendance Log

  All applicants must:

  1. Participate in the required Prospective Student Information session. To schedule a session please contact Mari Ponce-Vargas, Guided Pathways Specialist, at marip@southtexascollege.edu or 956-872-3216. For additional information visit  https://www.southtexascollege.edu/ota/  or contact the Occupational Therapy Program at 956-872-3161 or 956-872-3041.
  2. Be admitted to the college as a high school graduate or GED equivalent.
  3. Meet TSI College Readiness Standards, or meet TSI exemption standards.
  4. Complete all prerequisite courses with a minimum of "B" as listed in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Degree plan.  OTHA 1305  Principles of Occupational Therapy  must be completed within the past two years.   OTHA 1305  Principles of Occupational Therapy  is offered in both a hybrid and fully online course format.
  5. Complete the HESI A2 (Admissions Assessment) Exam as follows: Achieve an English Language Composite Score of 75% or higher, a Science (Anatomy & Physiology) Score of 75% or higher, a Math Score of 75% or higher, and a Composite Score of 75% or higher. Scores must be current within the last 2 years. HESI A2 Exemptions are not permitted.
  6. Earn a minimum grade of “B” in “Principles of Occupational Therapy” course within the last two years.
  7. Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all courses, including transfer courses, and those completed at STC.
  8. Pass a criminal background check, 10-panel drug screen through approved providers, and complete all required immunizations including Hepatitis B series. Students with criminal histories must provide proof of licensure eligibility from the Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners (ECPTOTE). This process may take up to 6 months to complete. For more information contact the HSP Clinical Affairs Specialist at 956-872-3022.
  9. Submit the Documentation of Volunteer Experience Forms as evidence of volunteer experience completed under the supervision of a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) or an Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR). A total of 50 volunteer hours is required. While the applicant may complete all hours at the same facility, it is recommended that students seek opportunities across multiple clinical settings-such as inpatient facilities (e.g., hospitals or nursing homes), outpatient, or pediatric clinics-to gain a more comprehensive understanding of occupational therapy practice. Please Note: Home Health hours are not accepted. Therapists who supervise volunteer experiences cannot be a relative or personal friend of the student applicant.  
  10. Meet Technical Standards as stated by the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program.
  11. Submit a completed OTA program application by the stated deadline. For more information contact Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at 956-872-3216 or 956-872-3041 or access the information online at   https://www.southtexascollege.edu/ota/.

  Prerequisites:

  Course	Description
  ****	Humanities Elective* *the only Humanities Electives accepted are: Phil 1301, PHIL 2303, PHIL 2306 and HUMA 1301
  PSYC 2314	Lifespan Growth and Development
  BIOL 2401	Anatomy & Physiology I
  SPCH 1318	Interpersonal Communications
  ENGL 1301	Composition
  OTHA 1305	Principles of Occupational Therapy Requires OTA Program approval to register for this course.

  To register for OTHA 1305, please contact the OTA Program at 956-872-3216 or email marip@southtexascollege.edu. This course is offered in a hybrid or fully online format.

• Degree Plan

  View Catalog

• OTA Program Tuition & Fees

  OTA Program Cost

  In District Costs	Prerequisites	Fall Year 1	Spring Year 1	Summer Year 1	Fall Year 2	Spring Year 2	Total
  Tuition & Fees	$3,341.00	$2,629.00	$2,390.00	$478.00	$2,151.00	$2,151.00	$13,140.00
  Insurance	$0.00	$10.00	$0.00	$0.00	$10.00	$0.00	$20.00
  Books and Supplies	$770.00	$603.00	$75.00	$92.00	$260.00	$80.00	$1,880.00
  Complio	$0.00	$90.99	$0.00	$0.00	$90.99	$0.00	$181.98
  Uniforms	$0.00	$160.00	$0.00	$0.00	$195.00	$0.00	$355.00
  Cadeceus Publishing Preparation Course	$99.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$99.00
  NBCOT Practice Exams (2) included in tuition & fees	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$60.00	$60.00
  Test Preparation Workshop	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$210.00	$210.00
  Total Estimated Cost of Program	$4,210.00	$3,492.99	$2,465.00	$570.00	$2,706.99	$2,501.00	$15,945.98

  Occupational Therapy Assistant Program costs reflect the 2025-2026 academic year and are subject to change. Out-of-District and Non-Resident costs may vary.

  For details on tuition and fees, the cost of attendance or ways to pay for college, please see the following:
  Tuition and Fees | Cost of Attendance | Paying for College

• Program Resources and Policies

  Standards and Policies:
  These standards and policies apply to OTA students at the program, division and college levels. Students are responsible for reviewing and abiding by all standards and policies.

  • OTA Program Manual of Student Standards
  • HSP Student Handbook
  • HSP Functional Abilities Standards

  Complio Requirements:
  Students entering the OTA Program will need to complete all Complio compliance requirements through the Office of Clinical Affairs.

  • Clinical Affairs

  Certification & Texas Licensure Requirements:
  Upon graduation, students will be required to complete two steps to enter practice as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA):

  1. Apply to the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to take the national certification examination, which is required prior to obtaining licensure. The NBCOT website offers detailed information on exam eligibility, requirements, registration, scoring, and renewal of certification.
  2. After successfully passing the NBCOT exam, graduates will be able to obtain state licensure through the Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners (ECPTOTE) to practice legally as a COTA in Texas. The ECPTOTE website provides information on licensure requirements, applications, rules, and the renewal processes.

  Professional Organizations:
  Membership in state and national professional organizations offer valuable resources, advocacy, continuing education and professional networking. Students are encouraged to join to benefit from these opportunities, including reduced student membership rates.

  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Texas Occupational Therapy Association
• Faculty

  Faculty

  Name	E-mail	Phone	Location
  Casas, Celina - Department Chair	ccasas	956-872-3041	HSP A-320
  Guevara, Lizett - Academic Fieldwork Coordinator	lguevara_1402	956-872-3150	HSP A-321
  Luna, Claudia - OTA Lecturer	crodriguez_4770	956-872-3042	HSP A-322
  Montanez, Nereida - Adjunct Faculty	nmontanez_5678	956-872-3035	HSP A-327

  For faculty not listed, please contact the department.

• Staff

  Staff

  Name	E-mail	Phone	Location
  Cardoza, Anabel - Lab Assistant	acardoza	956-872-3035	HSP A-327
  Melchor, Jacqueline - Secretary	jmelcho1	956-872-3161	HSP A-331
  Vargas, Mari - Guided Pathways Specialist	marip	956-872-3216	HSP A-100D

• Media
  Watch: We Look at the Whole Person Watch: OT Distinct Value