Occupational Therapy Assistant
Program Overview
The Program was placed on Probationary Accreditation-Inactive effective August 8, 2024.
An Occupational Therapy Assistant works under the direction of an Occupational Therapist to guide patients in selected treatment interventions in order to help them holistically achieve or recover their independence in activities of daily living (ADLs). Occupational therapy allows people across the lifespan to do the activities they want and need to do.
Young or old, we all have a job to do—the job of living. Learning, growing, playing, working, managing our homes, and caring for our families are among the “occupations” of life. Unfortunately, physical, emotional, or other challenges prevent people from participating fully in the job of living. Disease, injury, depression, or developmental problems can make it difficult for people to do everyday tasks or be active and independent. Occupational therapy—a vibrant, growing profession—makes it possible for people to achieve independence and to enjoy life to its fullest.
By choosing a career as an occupational therapy assistant, you can make a difference! You will improve the lives of people, from newborns to the very old by employing treatment interventions that focus on self-care activities, work or school tasks, driving, leisure, home management, and community involvement. If you are looking for a challenging career and have a desire to learn, achieve, and give your best to society, a career as an occupational therapy assistant is for you!
The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Albany State University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), which is located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, and can be contacted at (301) 652-AOTA or www.acoteonline.org.
More Information about an Occupational Therapy Assistant and accreditation of OTA Programs can be obtained from the American Occupational Therapy Association and Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education websites.
You can also view the program pass rates for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam as well as program graduation rates.
OTA Program COVID-19 Application Addendum
The current COVID-19 Pandemic has affected our program’s admission process and standards. OTA Program applications are still due by June 1st. Use the application packets that are currently on the website, but omit any paperwork that is not needed per the following updates to our policies and procedures:
For students who have already completed the application packet requirements, there are no changes or additional requirements to meet. Simply use the information at the bottom of this notice to submit your completed application.
For students who have not completed the observation hours and/or TEAS exam, the following criteria will apply to this year’s applicants:
- The Observation Hours component of the application process will be waived for this year’s applications that were unable to complete hours due to the COVID-19 health crisis.
- Three Recommendation Forms are required with application submission. However, they do not have to be completed by an Occupational Therapy Practitioner. The forms can be completed by professional or educational references such as immediate supervisors at a place of employment or previous employment, previous or current faculty instructors or high school instructor, etc. The recommendation forms cannot be completed by a family member or friend.
- The Essay requirement will be modified, and take the place of the Observation Hours requirement as well as meet the essay requirement. Applicants must include a typed essay using APA formatting to explain why you have chosen OTA as a career, and explain the practice setting in which you wish to work in the future. Setting information should include information about the types of patients seen, treatment interventions used, treatment team members, supervision guidelines, and any other pertinent info you find. Required minimum length of the paper is 3 pages with double spacing and 12-point font. Applicants will be graded on content, grammar, spelling, correct formatting, and correct use of citations.
- The TEAS Exam is still required, but with an extended due date. In consideration of testing site closures in response to COVID-19 precautions, the
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program has elected to temporarily accept applications
without TEAS scores by June 1. However, for applicants missing ONLY their TEAS results, the most we will potentially be able to provide is provisional acceptance into our program. Provisional acceptance does not guarantee full acceptance or eligibility
for continuation within the program, and failure to meet this admission criteria prior
to the established deadline will result in the revocation of acceptance status and
prevent further progression through the program. For applicants who receive provisional
acceptance based upon missing TEAS scores, please be aware of the following deadlines
for TEAS score submissions:
- Applicants must complete the TEAS exam, and submit score report to the OTA Program Director no later than June 25.
- Please note that the OTA Program does not coordinate testing dates and times or make decisions about cancellations at a testing site. The applicant is responsible for contacting and coordinating with testing sites.
- Modifications to TEAS test deadline may be made at a later date based upon updated information.
Please be sure to submit completed application packet by either mail or e-mail to:
Albany State University
Health Sciences Division – OTA Program
2400 Gillionville Road
Albany, GA 31707
OR
Scan and e-mail to:
tonya.curles@asurams.edu
BEFORE YOU APPLY: PROGRAM NOTES
Prospective applicants should be aware of the following:
- The courses to be completed for the degree will vary based on the student’s preferred area of study which is referred to as the “pathway” for the career program of choice. Therefore, it is important to meet with an adviser to map out the best academic plan to achieve his or her goal. The student should first focus on taking the prerequisites required for the program for which they will be applying.
- All career programs have a selective admissions process. This means that a seat in any program is awarded only to the top applicants. Simply meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to a program.
- The general education courses required for each career program are summarized in the comparison chart for all 2-year health career programs at Albany State University on the last page of the packet.
OTA Program Fees
All fees are payable at the beginning of each semester unless otherwise stated and registration is not complete until these fees have been paid. For a complete listing of fees and costs, see the Tuition and Fees Information on the Albany State University website or contact the Business Office. All fees are subject to change.
| Current Cost | Fall Semester | Spring Semester | Summer Semester | Fall Semester | Total Cost of Program |
| Tuition & Student Fees | $1,140.00 | $1,140.00 | $1,045.00 | $1,140.00 | $4,465.00 |
| Books | $560.00 | $450.00 | $250.00 | $0.00 | $1,260.00 |
| Supplies & Equipment | $0.00 | $60.00 | $60.00 | $0.00 | $120.00 |
| Certification Exam Fee | $150.00 | $150.00 | $150.00 | $150.00 | $600.00 |
| Miscellaneous Costs | $100.00 | $115.00 | $0.00 | $75.00 | $290.00 |
| Professional Liability Insurance | $13.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $13.00 | $26.00 |
| Criminal Background Check | $50.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $50.00 |
| Fieldwork Costs (varies) | $0.00 | $160.00 | $0.00 | $300.00 | $460.00 |
| Total | $2,013.00 | $2,075.00 | $1,505.00 | $1,678.00 | $7,271.00 |
Miscellaneous Costs are comprised of:
- Goniometers: $40.00
- Gait Belt: $30.00
- Blood Pressure Cuff & Stethoscope: $30.00
- Uniforms & ID: $115.00
- Graduation Fee: $75.00
Fieldwork Costs will vary by location and are comprised of:
- Fieldwork Travel: $300.00
- Drug Screen: $75.00
- CPR Certification: $10.00
- Physical: $45.00
- TB Test: $30.00
Additional Program Costs, in addition to regular ASU fees, are listed below. It is
important to note that some students may be required to complete additional drug screens
or other tests as required by their fieldwork sites, and will be responsible for any
associated fees.
- Immunizations: $710.00 max (if none prior to enrollment)
- Licensure Application (after graduation & certification): $55.00 (varies by state)
The Division of Health Sciences is responsible for the information on this page.
To inquire about the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, please contact Tonya Anglon.