Job Description

Occupational therapists are healthcare workers who use purposeful activity (or occupation) to treat clients across the lifespan who have been disabled by inactivity or disease, accidents at the workplace, traumatic injuries, spinal cord injuries, neurological injuries, orthopedic injuries, and those who were born with a disability. Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA) treat clients in hospitals, pediatric and adult outpatient centers, rehabilitation centers, hand clinics, community centers, long term care facilities, and mental health facilities with goal of returning the individual to independence.

Career Opportunities

Now is the time for you to gain work in a profession that the U.S. Department of Labor predicts will grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2014. The growth in the field will come from an increase in the aging population, including the baby boom generation, the prevalence of sensory disorders in children, and the need and recognition of the importance of COTA's in patient rehabilitation. The rewards as a COTA include great job opportunities and flexible work scheduling in diverse local, regional, and national employment settings.

CSN OTA Program Description

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at the College of Southern Nevada is a nationally accredited program offering an Associates of Applied Science degree to graduates. The full-time program curriculum is four academic semesters; currently 3 days/week, plus 16 weeks full-time clinicals at the completion of all coursework. The curriculum consists of general educaton and specific occupational therapy professional courses. The courses are designed to help the student develop the intellectual, technical and social skills necessary to become a competent Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). The program is also available part-time (approximately 6 academic semesters). For further information, contact the OTA Program Director at (702) 651-7411.

Program Accreditation and Certification Exam

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Bpx 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. AOTA's phone number is (301) 652-AOTA. Graduates of the program will be able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).  After successful completion of this exam, the individual with be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. *Please note there are additional costs associated with the national certification exam and state licensure. An individual who has ever been charged with a felony, regardless of whether convicted, must seek approval of the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) in order to sit for the national certification exam.

National Occupational Therapy Examination Results

Admission Requirements

The is Occupational Therapy Assistant program  is a Limited Entry Program.  Therefore, an application for admission into the program must be submitted to the Limited Entry Office, K122 at the West Charleston Campus. All prerequisite requirements must be completed by the application/completion deadline in order to be eligible for consideration.  Applications that are incomplete or received after the Application/Completion deadline will be considered if space permits.

Occupational Therapy Program at CSN

Program Course Sheet and Application Deadlines

Career Guide and Approximate Costs

OTA Observation Report Record

Students First Checklist

New students planning to register for courses at CSN must follow the steps outlined on the Students First Checklist. This checklist provides information on the registration process for new students seeking a Limited-Entry Health Science Degree or Certificate.

How to Transfer Credits to CSN From Other Colleges

For further information, contact the Health Programs Advisement office.  Additionally, it is very important that interested students attend an orientation as soon as possible for complete admissions information.   Program orientations are held weekly.  You can call (702)651-5015 for pre-recorded orientation information. 

If you require other information, please e-mail the Health Programs Advisor directly.