Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) on line program

What is an Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy is a specialized healthcare intervention using purposeful activity or "occupation" to improve one's function and independence thus enhancing the quality of life.

What is an Occupational Therapy Assistant?

Occupational Therapy Assistants provide services to individuals with physical, mental or developmental disabilities across life phases, who need to rehabilitate skills to perform self –care, work and /or leisure activities. Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTA) work under the direct control of a supervising Registered Occupational Therapist. The major requires general education courses, including biological, social, and behavioral sciences, in addition to occupational therapy courses.

What Can I do with this degree?

Occupational Therapy Assistants work with the entire spectrum of the patient population and are employed in a wide variety of settings including: hospitals and medical centers, rehabilitation centers, pediatric facilities or school systems, private physical therapy clinics, home health care agencies, convalescent centers and extended care facilities.

Online Program

This program is offered entirely online. General education courses and electives may be taken on line at City Colleges of Chicago – Center for Distance Learning.

The program follows the guidance and requirements of the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation and American Occupational Therapy Association.
Graduates of the program will qualify to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)

Is this the right Career for me?

If the following describes you, then this may be the career choice for you:

  • Like working with people and possess good people skills
  • Patient, caring, and like a challenge
  • Can follow directions with good observation and reporting skills

Salary Information

According to Payscale, www.payscale.com, occupational therapy assistants often earn between $25-30 per hour.

Economic Outlook and Growth of the Industry

Employment opportunities in the occupational therapy field are expected to increase in coming years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), www.bls.gov. Like nearly all health care professionals, occupational therapist assistants can look forward to increased demand for their services as the country's population ages.