Occupational Therapy Assistant

Accreditations

The Minnesota West OTA Program has achieved candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).

This associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status 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. The program must complete an on-site evaluation, adjust standard B.4.14. and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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). Students must complete 16 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 18 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. 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.

Please see the following table for a comprehensive, anticipatory list of events in the accreditation process.

Additionally, Minnesota West Community and Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

To view all Minnesota West accreditations including the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) please view our Accreditations page.

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Occupational Therapy Assistant

What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational Therapy is a healthcare profession that works with people of all ages, diagnoses, and living situations to help achieve increased independence in their valued occupations. We consider the tasks of daily living, such as making breakfast, taking a shower, caring for children, playing, and even sitting in school, as important occupations that help individuals succeed in life. When someone is unable to do one or several of their valued occupations, an occupational therapy assistant may have the opportunity to work with the individual on an established plan of care to achieve the goals that the individual has helped set. It is a growing, challenging, and exciting career path for anyone who enjoys using their creative skills to help individuals become, regain, or work toward independence.

It is a growing, challenging, and exciting career path for anyone who enjoys using their creative skills to help individuals become, regain, or work toward independence. An occupational therapy assistant is supervised by an occupational therapist.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Mission

To provide students with the entry-level skills and service competencies to be professional, successful practitioners at providing individualized interventions across the lifespan.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Vision

To broaden student knowledge and awareness of all individuals as occupational beings while enhancing the regional community’s access to excellent occupational therapy care.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Philosophy

To prepare OT practitioners to work with and among individuals of all ages, abilities, and living environments using the values of engagement, inclusivity, professional judgment, intra- and interprofessional partnerships, lifelong learning and advocacy, and the awareness of local and global occupational needs.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Curricular Threads

Faculty and staff weave the following curricular threads throughout the coursework, fieldwork experiences, and discourse to achieve the OTA Program’s mission, vision, and philosophy. These five concepts drive our program:

• Comprehensive
• Committed
• Competent
• Communal
• Collaborators

Graduation Rates (3-Year look back)

Graduation Month and Year (Cohort number)	Number of Students Upon Start of Program	Number of Students Upon Graduation	Retention Rate
December 2024 (Cohort 1)	5	-	-
May 2025 (Cohort 2)	5	-	-
May 2026 (Cohort 3)	To be updated August 2024	-	-
3 Years in Total (2024, 2025, & 2026)	To be updated.	-	-

NBCOT Pass Rates

When students graduate from an ACOTE-accredited program, they are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam. Passing the NBCOT exam is a crucial step in becoming a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA). Once certified, individuals can then apply for licensure to practice in their chosen state. Licensing requirements may vary slightly from state to state, but holding NBCOT certification is typically a prerequisite for obtaining a license.

NBCOT pass rates on the Certification Exam are indicated below and can also be accessed at nbcot.org >

Questions?

This page is maintained by:
Anna Sandager, MAOTR/L
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Director
Worthington Campus
507-372-3445
anna.sandager@mnwest.edu

Request Information for Occupational Therapy Assistant