Start your career as an

Occupational Therapy Assistant

at Parker University

Request more information by completing the form below.

Program Highlights

  • Parker University’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program consists of 8 pre-professional courses, 16 professional courses, which include 4 months of clinical fieldwork experience courses for a total of 6 terms (24 months) to receive an Associate in Applied Science degree.
  • Gain hands-on clinical experience throughout the program
  • Learn how to create, execute, evaluate, and optimize custom treatment programs for clients of all ages and abilities
  • Take one course at a time, one month at a time to better master the material
  • Manage other personal and professional commitments with flexible scheduling
  • ACOTE Accredited
  • Prepare to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Parker graduates have an 86% pass rate. The latest graduating class (2017) completed the NBCOT exam with a 93% pass rate! 

Why Parker University's Ota Program?

Get into the Occupational Therapy field in just 16 months!!

Fully Accredited

  • Parker University’s OTA program was the first accredited OTA program in the city of Dallas
  • In 2022, the OTA program was granted FULL reaccreditation status for 10 years by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)

Faculty Experience

  • Our faculty collectively have over 100 years of clinical experience in all practice areas of Occupational Therapy *Mental Health *Pediatrics *Adults *Geriatrics
  • All faculty are full-time
  • Students are taught by the faculty that started the program

Clinical Fieldwork sites – Diverse Hands-on clinical experiences

  • Our program works with over 100 facilities in DFW and Nationally
  • Opportunity to have clinical fieldwork experiences in all areas of Occupational Therapy
  • Every student completes FIVE clinical fieldwork rotations during the program

Small class and lab sizes

  • 1:1 Faculty instruction and mentorship
  • Variety of interactive group activities

Dedicated OTA labs

  • Parker University has two OTA skills labs that are fully furnished with a wide variety of therapeutic media and equipment that reflects current trends in OT practice.

Robust curriculum

Our program is designed to help individuals develop professionally to meet the demands of a competitive healthcare market

  • A variety of instructional enhancements (at no cost to the student)
    • EHR-GO documentation system (No cost)
    • International Clinical Educators- ICE video library (No cost)
    • 3D – Anatomy Dissection tables
    • Visible body Courseware (No cost)
    • Simucase- Virtual clinical simulations (No cost)
    • Computer lab in the College of Health Science
    • Mobile lap-top cart
    • In-lab I-PADs

NBCOT Certification Exam supports

  • Faculty led NBCOT exam review classes
  • NBCOT study pack (No cost)
  • AOTA-NBCOT exam prep subscription (No cost)
  • Certification and state license fees included in tuition

Great Reputation in the industry

  • Parker University graduates are highly sought after for jobs, high job placement rates

Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) Club

  • Active student club
    • Promote occupational therapy on campus and in the community
    • Explore professional development opportunities and collaborations
    • Support our community

Commitment to community service

  • Dedicated to helping individuals and groups through loving service

Begin Your Future at Parker University

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Career Opportunities*

Once you graduate and pass the NBCOT exam, you can pursue employment as an occupational therapy assistant in a variety of professional settings, including:

  • Outpatient clinics
  • Senior care centers and residential care facilities
  • Rehabilitation centers
  • Hospitals
  • Schools
  • Home health care services
  • Psychiatric and mental health centers
  • Community health programs

*These are examples of job targets and do not represent a guarantee that a graduate will secure any specific job title.

ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT

In Parker University’s Associate of Applied Science with a major in Occupational Therapy Assistant (AAS-OTA) program, you can gain the specialized training you need to help others recover and improve their daily lives and skills through therapeutic care and customized training.

SACSCOC Accreditation

Parker University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Parker University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

ACOTE Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy Program (OTA) at Parker University has been granted Full Accreditation Status in August 2016 by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD, 20814-3449. The phone number for ACOTE is (301) 652-AOTA (2682), and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Our graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT exam for professional certification and/or attain state licensure.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING

With online and on-campus classes available in many of our programs, you can study and learn at your convenience.

DISTINGUISHED REPUTATION

Rich in chiropractic tradition, Parker University enjoys a world-renowned reputation as the premier institute in health and wellness.

STUDENT RESOURCES

We provide workshops and services to help students develop better study skills, learning strategies, time management, and more.

IN PURSUIT OF HIGHER HEALTH

In its most recent report, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that the median annual salary for occupational therapy assistants and aides nationally is $61,730. Overall employment of occupational therapy assistants and aides is projected to grow 25% from 2021 to 2031.

. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook

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