Occupational Therapy Assistant AAS Degree

Schoolcraft program code # AAS.0P216 / AAS.00216

This program is built around a rigorous curriculum including lecture, laboratory, clinical, and internship experiences which will provide knowledge of and practice in the skills and information needed to work as an Occupational Therapy Assistant in various practice settings.  Upon program completion, students will be prepared to sit for the certifying exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).  Those who pass the exam will be eligible to apply for state licensure, which is required in most states, including Michigan, to practice as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. 

When applying for the certification examination through NBCOT, applicants will be asked to answer questions regarding felony convictions.  A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the National Board Certification in Occupational Therapy certification examination or attain state licensure. 

Students who successfully complete all program and college requirements will be awarded an Associate of Applied Science degree.

This program has achieved candidacy status for full accreditation from the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).  For more information about the program’s accreditation, please contact:

This program is offered at the Schoolcraft College Livonia Main Campus.  It uses a cohort model in which a group of students will move through their professional practice courses and experiences together in a sequential manner. Courses are only offered once per year. Students who need to repeat a course will only be allowed to do so when the course is offered.

All Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) courses, except OTA 110  - Introduction to Occupational Therapy Assisting, are open only to students officially admitted to the OTA program.  Occupational Therapy Assistant professional track courses must be taken in sequence.  A minimum grade of 2.5 must be earned in each OTA course in order to progress to the next course.

This program requires students to complete a specific list of requirements before being officially admitted into the program.  Students are listed in a pre-program code while the application requirements are being met.  The full program start date and implementation of program code may be dependent on space availability and application deadlines.  Requirements are listed online at https://www.schoolcraft.edu/admissions/apply-to-sc/students-with-selective-admissions. Contact the Admissions and Welcome Center at 734-462-4426 or admissions@schoolcraft.edu or the Advising Department at 734-462-4429 (option 4)/eadvise@schoolcraft.edu to complete the application.

Review the Schoolcraft College website for the official application, instructions for completion, and current deadlines for submitting a completed program application.  Students must complete all pre-requisite courses and meet all admission requirements, including submission of documentation of a minimum of 10 completed clinical observation hours in at least two different settings or with two different populations.  A meeting with the Program Director will be scheduled for applicants that meet all the admission requirements based on the application packet received.

The OTA program has pre-admission and admission requirements that are reviewed annually.  Students may only defer one time to start another year without having to repeat the application process.  Students who accept a spot and do not complete the final admission requirements by scheduled deadlines will be administratively canceled.

This program is designed as a full-time cohort program so students will work through their OTA professional courses and clinical experiences in a sequential manner with a set group of students.  Students are encouraged to not have an additional job outside of their OTA program studies. 

Students must furnish and maintain uniforms and other supplies as required by the department and clinical facilities.  Students also must meet all health and background check requirements, have a negative drug screen on the first attempt and meet any specific clinical requirements, such as a TB test or immunizations. 

Not all courses are offered each semester. Students are encouraged to work with an academic advisor to develop a schedule that will work for them and ensure all admission requirements are met. If a student is unable to meet all requirements, students will need to wait until the next enrollment period to apply.  Students planning to transfer should check the transfer institution’s requirements/guides or discuss their options with an academic advisor.  Number of credits may vary depending on the course selection.