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Occupational Therapy Assistant

Interested in a career helping someone overcome a disability or recover from an injury? If you said yes, the Occupational Therapy Assistant program is the way to start you on this path.

The Occupational Therapy Assistant curriculum prepares individuals to work under the supervision of a registered/licensed Occupational Therapist in screening, assessing, planning and implementing treatment, and documenting progress for clients receiving occupational therapy services. Course work includes human growth and development, conditions that interfere with activities of daily living, theory, and process of Occupational Therapy, individual/group treatment activities, the therapeutic use of self, activity analysis, and grading/adapting activities and environments. Graduates may be eligible to take the national certification examination for practice as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.

Selective Admission Process

The TEAS test is a minimum requirement to apply for this program. Potential applicants are encouraged to complete this form if they are not sure whether they are meeting eligibility requirements or have questions about the test. Applicants should also be sure to visit the FAQ page for general questions about the test.

*Minimum requirements are subject to change each academic year. Please refer to the information packet.

Quick information

Application Period
February 10, 2026 – May 14, 2026
Information Sessions
In-Person – Location: L-322
Certificate Provided from Health Sciences Enrollment Center for Attendees
Wed January 7, 2026 1pm to 2pm L-322
Wed February 11, 2026 1pm to 2pm L-322
Fri March 20, 2026 9am to 10am L-322
Occupational Therapy Assistant Course Information

Accreditation

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 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’S telephone number, c/o AOTA, is 301-652-AOTA, and its web address is www.acoteonline.org .

Related Information

Program Outcomes

Program Outcomes: The total number of graduates from Cape Fear Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program during the 3-year period between 2023-2025 was 58, with a graduation rate of 94.7%.

Graduation Year Students Admitted Completed in Expected Time Completed within 150% of Time Non-completer non-academic
/clinical reasons		 Graduation Rate
2023 19 16 2 0 94.7%
2024 20 16 2 1 94.7%
2025 19 18 0 0 94.7%
Total 58 50 4 1 94.7%

Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Board Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam within their preferred timeline. The number of first-time test-takers is not reflective of the number of graduates within a given year. The number of first-time test takers may also reflect graduates from previous years based on their preferred timeline to complete the exam.

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at the NBCOT website: https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance .
 

 

Certification and Licensure
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®). After successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. Please note, a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Students are encouraged to contact NBCOT for questions regarding certification.
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