Occupational Therapy Assistant (BS)

NEW UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM – STARTING FALL 2024

Why become an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA)

OTAs play a vital role in providing occupational therapy services in a variety of practice settings with people across the lifespan in collaboration with a licensed occupational therapist. Occupational therapy practitioners support people in the daily activities that are important to them. This is a fast-growing field which emphasizes the understanding that engagement in these everyday activities fulfills social needs, gives meaning to life, and is essential to the development, adaptation and well-being of individuals, groups, and populations. As an OTA you will provide critical services to clients facing a variety of illnesses, injuries, and disabilities so that they may live life to the fullest!

Why choose the UNH Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

The BS-OTA program provides an affordable option from an institution that has been a leader in occupational therapy education for over 75 years. Students will have the opportunity to earn this degree through a traditional 4-year plan or 2+2 pathway in collaboration with the Community College System of New Hampshire. As part of the OTA-BS program, students will complete their didactic coursework along with 16 weeks of fieldwork and a baccalaureate project. Upon graduation students will be eligible to sit for the occupational therapy assistant national certification examination. Students who obtain a bachelor’s degree will be well positioned for a successful career not only as a practitioner, but also as a future leader or educator in certain settings. Additionally, students wishing to continue their education will be well positioned to apply into graduate degree programs in Occupational Therapy or other related fields.

Potential Career Areas

Acute Care Hospitals
Rehabilitation Centers
Mental Health/Psychiatric Programs
Schools
Skilled Nursing Facilitates
Community Health Programs (Early Intervention, Home Services)
Emerging Practice Settings

Program Contact

Amy B. VanCamp, OTD, OTR/L
CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Director for the OTA-BS Program
amy.vancamp@unh.edu
(603) 862-2223
Occupational Therapy Hewitt
Durham, NH 03824

College of Health and Human Services
Hewitt Hall, 4 Library Way
The University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: (603) 862-1178
Email: unh.chhs@unh.edu

Program Curriculum
Anticipated Costs
Admission Criteria

The baccalaureate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program has applied for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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 individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.