Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program Information

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Program Locations

Occupational therapy courses are offered at the Corsicana and Midlothian campuses. Students are assigned to a location upon admission to the program. 

OTA courses are offered in hybrid format, with a portion of the courses completed via distance education. Students must have Internet access and basic word processing skills to participate in the distance education components.

Admission

A new cohort of Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) students begins coursework each August. Approximately 45 students are accepted each year across the Corsicana and Midlothian campuses.

OTA Program Admission Criteria

To apply to the Navarro College Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program, you must first apply to Navarro College and obtain a student ID number, complete the required criminal background check through CastleBranch, submit the OTA program application by the deadline, and attend an Interactive Admission Session with OTA faculty. You may apply while completing the prerequisite courses, ENGL 1301 (Composition I) and BIOL 2401 (Anatomy and Physiology I), but both courses must be completed before the program begins. For detailed instructions, visit the Steps to Apply webpage. 

Admission Decisions

Admission to the OTA program is competitive and based on a points system that considers your Interactive Admission Session, grades in prerequisite courses, relevant service or human-centered experience, and prior college education. Applicants are ranked according to their total points, and admission offers are based on these rankings and available seats. 

The Interactive Admission Session gives applicants an opportunity to meet OTA faculty and respond to brief scenarios that assess communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making skills. This is not a traditional interview, and no prior healthcare experience or knowledge of occupational therapy is required. Applicants should come prepared to participate, share their perspectives, and think through each situation. Attendance is required for admission consideration.

All applicants will be notified of their admission status by mid-June. A correct and current email is very important in the notification process. 

Students selected for admission into the OTA program will be required to attend a mandatory orientation during the summer. Classes will begin in August.

Transfer Students

A student who has been enrolled in another OTA program and is interested in transferring to the Navarro College OTA program should contact the program director directly to discuss the process.  

Degree Requirement

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program provides the basic knowledge and skills required of an entry-level occupational therapy assistant into the workforce. Upon satisfactory completion of this curriculum, the student will be awarded an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree and will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to become a certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA).

The Associate of Applied Science Occupational Therapy Assistant degree consists of 60 credit hours, which includes sixteen (16) weeks of full-time fieldwork in occupational therapy settings under the supervision of an occupational therapist. The degree consists of seventeen (17) credit hours of academic courses and forty-three (43) credit hours of program-specific courses.

OTA courses are offered in a set sequence. Once admitted into the program, the student must progress through the curriculum as designed. This means a student may not “jump ahead” in the curriculum and take advanced occupational therapy courses. Academic courses not completed prior to acceptance into the OTA Program are the student’s responsibility to arrange around OTA courses.

A glossary defining terms related to Course Sections is accessible on the Catalog Course Description page.

Curriculum Overview

Prerequisite Courses   

Course Title	Credit Hours
BIOL 2401: Human Anatomy & Physiology I	4
ENGL 1301: Composition I	3

                                                         

Core Curriculum and Related Requirements

Course Title	Credit Hours
BIOL 2402 Anatomy & Physiology II	4
PSYC 2314 Lifespan Growth & Development	3
PHIL 1301 or PHIL 2306	3

 

Major Course Requirements 

Semester	Course Title	Credit Hours
First Fall	OTHA 1405: Principles of Occupational Therapy	4
First Fall	OTHA 1315: Therapeutic Use of Occupations I	3
First Fall	OTHA 2301: Pathophysiology in OT	3
First Spring	OTHA 2309: Mental Health in OT	3
First Spring	OTHA 1309: Human Structure and Function in OT	3
First Spring	OTHA 2302: Therapeutic Use of Occupations II	3
First Spring	OTHA 1341: Occupational Performance Birth-Adolescence	3
First Spring	OTHA 1161: Clinical in OTA I	3
Summer	OTHA 1419: Therapeutic Interventions I	4
Second Fall	OTHA 2304: Neurology in OT	3
Second Fall	OTHA 2235 Healthcare Management in OT	2
Second Fall	OTHA 1162: Clinical in OTA II	1
Second Fall	OTHA 2405: Therapeutic Interventions II	4
Second Spring	OTHA 2366: Practicum in OTA I	3
Second Spring	OTHA 2367: Practicum in OTA II	3

 

Academic Progression

The OTA faculty of Navarro College are committed to ensuring that each student has opportunities to experience success while enrolled in the OTA coursework. Common reasons for withdrawal from the OTA Program include academic, health, financial, and/or personal reasons. Students having trouble and considering withdrawal from the program are encouraged to meet with the program director to discuss options.

Progression Requirements

The student must complete proof of required or state mandated health screenings and immunizations and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training prior to client contact, which includes coursework and fieldwork education (clinical and practicum level), or they will not be allowed to continue in the program.

Occupational therapy courses must be taken in sequential order. Students are not allowed to “jump ahead” in occupational therapy coursework.

A student who interrupts the sequence of OTHA courses may require additional coursework to ensure clinical readiness. Faculty will determine if a student will be required to take additional courses prior to readmission to the program.

All coursework (core courses and OTHA courses) must be taken prior to Level II fieldwork and must be successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better for a student to be eligible to proceed with Level II fieldwork.

If for any reason a student must withdraw from the OTA program, readmission will require approval of the Program Director.

Interruption of sequence of studies may require additional coursework to help ensure clinical readiness.

A felony conviction may affect the student’s ability to progress with coursework, sit for the NBCOT certification examination, and/or obtain state licensure.

Grade Requirements

A minimum grade of C (≥ 75) must be earned in each occupational therapy course to progress in the program. All additional coursework (non-OTHA courses) requires a grade of C (≥ 70) or better to complete the program. The final grade for each Level II fieldwork rotation will be graded and recorded as either pass or fail. A student receiving a grade less than a “C” in an OTHA course will be academically dismissed from the program. The student can apply for readmission into the program during the next open application period if eligible.

The OTA program will follow the Health Professions grading system listed below:

• A = 100-90

• B = 89-80 

• C = 79-75

• D = 74-60 

• F = 59-0

Students must earn a “75” or above in all OTA coursework to progress in the program. A grade of “C” or better (70 or above) must be obtained in all other academic core courses in the OTA degree plan.

Time Limits

Entry into Level II fieldwork must occur within six (6) months of completing academic studies or the student will be dismissed from the program.

Completion of Level II fieldwork must occur within sixteen (16) months of completion of academic studies.

The program must be completed within four (4) years of registration of OTHA 1405.

Graduation Requirements

To be awarded the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant, students must meet the following graduation requirements:

1. Successful Completion of All Program Courses
   
   Students must complete all required OTA and general education coursework as outlined in the program’s curriculum plan. A minimum grade of “C” or higher must be earned in all Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) courses and required general education courses.

2. Completion of Fieldwork Requirements
   
   Students must earn a “Pass” in all Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences in accordance with Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards. Level II fieldwork must be completed within 16 months of academic coursework completion.

3. Application for Graduation

   Students must submit a formal Application for Graduation by the College deadline for the intended semester of graduation.

Health and Safety Requirements

Immunizations

After admission to the program, the student will receive instructions to submit evidence of current immunization status. It is recommended that the student have completed 2/3 of the Hepatitis B series prior to application to the program. Any associated cost is the responsibility of the student.

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)

Evidence or two doses OR TITER (serological evidence of immunity). There must be 30 days or more between the two doses.

Hepatitis B (Hep B)

Evidence of three doses or TITER (serological evidence of immunity). The series typically takes 6 months to complete.

Tetanus/Diptheria/Pertussis (TDAP)

Evidence of current TDAP vaccine (within 10 years) through anticipated completion of Level II fieldwork.

Varicella

Evidence of two doses or TITER (serological evidence of immunity).

Tuberculosis Skin Test (TB)

Required annually. If a chest x-ray is necessary, the student must document a negative chest x-ray within the past two (2) years.

Some fieldwork sites are requiring students and faculty to be fully vaccinated for influenza.

Proof of vaccination may be required prior to fieldwork.

Health Evaluation

After admission to the program, the student will submit evidence of a health evaluation by a certified health professional. The program will provide the form to the student. Any associated cost is the responsibility of the student. 

Drug Screen

Drug screens will occur randomly after acceptance into the program. The student will be responsible for any cost involved in a drug screen. Failure to comply with the drug screen or to pay for the drug screen will result in dismissal from the OTA Program.

Personal Health Insurance

Some fieldwork sites may require that students have personal health insurance. Students may be asked to show proof of health insurance prior to fieldwork assignment.

Professional Liability Insurance

Students enrolled in the OTA program are required to have professional liability insurance. Students purchase liability insurance via a course fee and the College secures the limited liability insurance coverage. Students may wish to purchase additional liability insurance.

NOTE: The liability insurance that each student will have does not pay for injuries to the student – only for injuries to the patient.

The student is completely responsible for personal medical costs incurred while at fieldwork sites.

If a patient is injured by the student, the limited liability insurance may or may not cover all legal costs.

Criminal History Background Check

The applicant will obtain a federal background check via CastleBranch prior to application to the OTA program. Additional background checks may be required by fieldwork education sites. Costs associated with all required background checks are the responsibility of the applicant.

Students cannot participate in lab or fieldwork studies involving clients without a “clear” criminal history background check. Clinical training sites, in accordance with the regulations of the State of Texas and national accreditation agencies, require employees, students, and volunteers who work with children, the elderly, or the disabled to have a “clear” criminal history background check. Agencies vary as to what the definition of “clear” means. The facilities may choose to request additional nationwide and international criminal history background checks. The final decision regarding acceptance of a student for fieldwork training based on previous criminal history rests with each facility.

A student who does not have a clear criminal history record is required to meet with the OTA Program Director prior to admission into the OTA Program to discuss the implication of the criminal record on his/her potential progression in and completion of all requirements of the curriculum. Counseling may include referral to the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (TBOTE) and the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy certification examination or attain state licensure.

 

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