January 2024 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Dec 27, 2024  
January 2024 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant


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Herzing University is currently not enrolling new students into this program.

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:

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

Program Content

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

Required Support Course


9.00 semester credit hour is required.

Required Occupational Therapy Assistant Core Courses


All courses, 42.00 semester credit hours, are required.

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 18.00 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.

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