General Information

Occupational therapy assistants, under the direction of a licensed occupational therapist, assist individuals with disabling conditions to achieve independence through the use of purposeful activity. The curriculum for the occupational therapy assistant program covers a period of two years and is designed to lead toward an associate of applied science degree.

Students will engage in coursework for a period of four semesters followed by a fifth semester of full-time fieldwork, a minimum of sixteen weeks, at health care facilities in the community. The educational experience will include classroom instruction, laboratory activities and clinical work. Many clinical facilities will require students to successfully pass a background check. Students will be trained to work with all age groups in a variety of health care settings.

The general education core will transfer to a variety of colleges and universities. Contact a counselor or faculty member at any of the colleges for specific information. For additional specific program information please contact the OTA Program Department at either LSC-Kingwood or LSC-Tomball.

Course Credit for AAS Degree programs in the Creative Arts/Language/Philosophy & Culture component area requirements from the current catalog.  See the current catalog for courses that meet the Creative Arts/Language, Philosophy and Culture elective requirement.

Program Admission Criteria

1. Applicants must be 18 years old to apply, meet the college’s general admission criteria as well as program admission criteria and submit all documentation to the Occupational Therapy Assistant office at Lone Star College-Tomball (fall program start) or Lone Star College-Kingwood (Spring program start).

2. Complete Lone Star College Admissions Process. Be able to Perform the Essential Job Functions (see link for details).

3. Complete and submit OTA application packet to the LSC college of your choice by the posted deadlines.

4. If a student is accepted into the program, this will be a conditional acceptance pending a clear criminal background check in order to complete the fieldwork rotations (clinical). Students are responsible for paying all fees and working with the background check company to clear up and reporting discrepancies. Students may also be asked to complete a drug screening at their own expense based on clinical site requirements. If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor (excluding minor traffic violations) or felony, it is your responsibility to contact the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. at 301-990-7979, www.nbcot.org AND the Executive Council for Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners at 512-305- 6900, www.ecptote.state.tx.us to determine your certification and licensure eligibility. This process can take months to compete.  It is your responsibility to have letters from both of these entities verifying your eligibility included with your application in order for your application to be considered. These letters must be received before the application deadline-the last workday in August each year.

5. Submit Compass scores or other LSC approved test scores showing  completion of ENGL 1301
6. Submit an official transcript from all colleges attended other than Lone Star College.
7. Complete a minimum of ten hours of general education course credit with a minimum 2.5 GPA (with no grade below a "C") to include ENGL 1301, BIOL 2401 and 3 hours of a general education course required in the degree plan. Note: LSC-Kingwood applicants need to complete PSYC 2301 to meet this requirement. An overall GPA of 2.0 is required on all other courses.
8. If all other college experience has already been evaluated by the Records Department of the Lone Star College (degree audit), you may submit a copy of this official evaluation.

Application Ranking System

1. Initial student ranking is based on the following criteria:
   • Ten hours of completed coursework
   • Number of general education courses completed from degree plan
   • GPA is based on all hours taken within the degree plan
   • Previous degree earned
   • Experience as an aide to an occupational therapy practitioner (school aide, psychiatric technician, rehabilitation aide, etc.)
   • Number of times course(s) in degree plan taken
   • Observation hours: non-paid time observing (job-shadow) with an occupational therapy practitioner (optional)
2. The top-ranking applicants, based on this initial information, will be invited for an interview. Interviewees will be notified by telephone or in writing of the time, date and location of the interview. In addition, interviewees will be required to complete a writing sample as well as a healthcare admissions exam (to be paid for by the applicant) at the time of interview. Upon completion of the interview, admissions examination, and writing samples, applicants will be re-ranked with the top applicants chosen to join the program.
3. Incomplete applications will not receive a department review. Each applicant is responsible for contacting the OTA department to confirm that their application is complete. Applicants to the program will be ranked according to their level of achievement of the program admission criteria and will be accepted into the program on a competitive basis. Students must complete Level II fieldwork assignments within 18 months following completion of academic preparation (Prior Approval Required). Additional information can be obtained from the occupational therapy assistant department at LSC-Kingwood and LSC-Tomball.

Upon Admission Requirements

1. Documents (dates for document submission will be provided later):
   • Program Prerequisites
   • Background Check
   • Physical Exam
   • Texas Success Initiative
   • Malpractice/ Liability Insurance
   • Bacterial Meningitis immunization
   • TB Test**
   • Hepatitis B**
   • Varicella-Zoster**
   • MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)**
   • Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis)**
     ** If unable to meet any of these immunizations requirements for medical reasons, please follow the process below
     1.  Applicant must request and sign the World Health Occupations Immunization Waiver and obtain documentation from healthcare provider explaining that the applicant is not an acceptable candidate for the immunization(s)/titer.
     2. Applicant must submit the documentation to the Program Director.
     3. Applicant must upload documentation into immunization tracking system used by the program.
        
        Students must accept and assume the risk of being denied acceptance by a clinical partner for not meeting the clinical partner’s immunization requirements. Additionally, students must accept and assume the risk that if they are unable to complete required clinical rotations for any reason, they may be unable to continue in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program.
2. All successful applicants admitted to the OTA program will be required to attend an orientation session. Evidence of a physical examination completed by a licensed physician or healthcare provider along with verification of update immunization records must be submitted at that time. Persons interested in applying to the program are recommended to begin as soon as possible the Hepatitis B series of immunizations as it takes several months to complete. Hepatitis B is required by state law in the State of Texas for all students involved in healthcare programs. Student liability insurance is required prior to enrolling in Level I Fieldwork. Students must submit a certificate of completion of CPR for Healthcare Providers prior to Level I. The majority of coursework requirements include competence in basic computer use skills including some components of distance learning. Computer labs for student access are available on Campus.
3. LSC tuition & fees can be found at http://www.lonestar.edu/tuition.htm and on Application/ Cost Information link.  In addition, students will pay for liability insurance for clinical course work each year, a criminal background check, immunizations costs as needed, drug test, transportation to and from health care facilities, uniform costs where applicable, and any other costs associated with clinical sites. 

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 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, (301) 652-AOTA. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA).

Most states, including Texas, require licensure to practice. Texas licensure is based on successful completion of the NBCOT examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT examination or attain state licensure. Any form of charges or conviction results on a criminal background check may be cause for exclusion from admission to the program.

Legal Information

Lone Star College Policy is consistent with Texas law as to requirements and admission of any resident or non-resident student.  For admission and tuition purposes, residency is defined within Texas Education Code §54.052. In addition, LSC will notify students prior to, but not as a condition or requirement of admission, that health care facilities will require students to have a Social Security number or a Visa as a condition of being assigned to a clinical facility. Students who are unable to complete the LSC health program clinical skills requirement will not be able to complete the program due to a lack of clinical placement.