Program: Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant - Herzing University

January 2021 Undergraduate Catalog

Apr 09, 2025

Program Description

The primary goal of the occupational therapy assistant educational process is to produce competent and ethical occupational therapy assistant practitioners. In conjunction with Herzing University’s commitment to provide a learning environment that is caring, convenient, and career-focused, this program prepares the student for entry-level competence as an occupational therapy assistant. Students begin by learning principles of occupational therapy and perform activities that demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the material presented. Students are then given opportunities to apply this knowledge using human occupation and activity analysis. Students then move to the next level by getting opportunities to develop and present structured groups, write new programs, and develop adaptive, assistive equipment. Herzing University’s OTA Program uses developmental theory as the program progresses from birth to old age. Each Level I fieldwork observation is carefully chosen to complement the course-room lecture and the specific developmental level being studied. Following graduation, students must successfully pass a national certification examination and obtain licensure in their chosen state of practice.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student should be able to:

Apply PEOP model within diverse occupational therapy settings.
Utilize culturally appropriate materials and approaches in program development
Facilitate adaptation, and mediate dysfunction for all age groups, disabilities, and occupational roles
Demonstrate high quality occupational therapy services across traditional, community, and emerging practices
Design assistive technologies and strategies for use in program planning and occupational care.
Accurately document and communicate client needs through use of applicable technology.

Potential Occupational Titles

Potential occupational titles for this program include, but are not limited to, occupational therapy assistant.

Program Content

A minimum of 71.00 semester credit hours are required for graduation.

Required Support Course

9.00 semester credit hour is required.

HC 101 - Medical Terminology Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
SC 146 - Anatomy and Physiology I Semester Credit Hours: 4.00
SC 246 - Anatomy and Physiology II Semester Credit Hours: 4.00

Required Occupational Therapy Assistant Core Courses

All courses, 42.00 semester credit hours, are required.

OT 100 - Life Span Development Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
OT 110 - Principles of Occupational Therapy Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
OT 125 - Documentation and Computer Technologies in Occupational Therapy Semester Credit Hours: 2.00
OT 150 - Level I Fieldwork: Community and Emerging Practice Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
OT 201 - Theory of Pediatric Occupations Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
OT 201L - Theory of Pediatric Occupations Lab Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
OT 210 - Occupational Therapy in Physical Disabilities I Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
OT 225 - Functional Kinesiology Semester Credit Hours: 2.00
OT 235 - Occupational Therapy in Physical Disabilities II Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
OT 240 - Psychosocial Dysfunction and Group Dynamics Semester Credit Hours: 3.00
OT 244 - Level I Fieldwork: Traditional Settings of Occupational Therapy Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
OT 251 - Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics and Community Settings Semester Credit Hours: 2.00
OT 260 - Occupational Therapy in Program Development Semester Credit Hours: 2.00
OT 265 - Assistive Technology Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
OT 266 - Team-Based Case Synthesis and Intervention Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
OT 270 - Level 2A Fieldwork Semester Credit Hours: 5.00
OT 275 - Level 2B Fieldwork Semester Credit Hours: 5.00
OT 280 - NBCOT Review Course Semester Credit Hours: 1.00

General Education Prerequisite

The following general education prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C (70%) or better for a student to be continued in the OTA program:

Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology I Lab
Anatomy and Physiology II and Anatomy and Physiology II Lab

All other general education courses must be passed with a grade of D (60%) or better to be continued in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program.

A student who is dropped from the OTA program for failing to achieve the minimum grade specified in the general education courses, but who otherwise meets the academic standards of the University, may transfer to another Herzing degree program and/or may reapply to this program in a future cycle.

Required Courses in General Education

Students enrolled in this associate degree must complete a minimum of 24.00 semester credit hours in general education (◊includes 6.0 credit hours from Anatomy and Physiology listed in above required) distributed among the following disciplines. Refer to the General Education section of this catalog for Herzing University courses that would satisfy these requirements.*

Note: Computer literacy is a component of the core curriculum in this program.

9.00 Semester Credit Hours in Communications
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Humanities (must include 3 semester credit hours of cultural diversity)
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social or Behavioral Science
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics

◊Science Semester Credit Hours are satisfied through Anatomy and Physiology requirement listed above.

* Transfer students may transfer courses that are within 1.00 semester credit hour of the courses listed above to meet these discipline requirements. Any resulting deficiency in the total of 24.00 semester credit hours required in general education may be made up with general education electives from any of the listed disciplines.

Personal and Professional Development Courses

2.00 semester credit hours are required.

PD 121 - Professional Development I Semester Credit Hours: 1.00
PD 202 - Professional Development II (Semester Credit Hour Course) Semester Credit Hours: 1.00