90% of the OTA practitioners in the northeast Louisiana Region are ULM graduates
Certified OTAs work in hospitals, school systems, and the healthcare industry
100% of OTA practitioners in the region's school system are ULM graduates
ULM's OTA program is one of only three in Louisiana
Enroll in ULM's Occupational Therapy program today!
The Occupational Therapy Program at the University of Louisiana at Monroe is located in Caldwell Hall, on University
Avenue. The OT program offers an Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant
(OTA) and the OTA to Master of Occupational Therapy Bridge Program.
Occupational Therapy is a health profession which evaluates and treats people with developmental, social,
emotional, or physical problems and helps these individuals develop the skills to
overcome the challenges of a disability. The aim is to enable those who are temporarily
or permanently disabled to be as independent as possible in the areas of work, home,
self-care, and leisure skills while recovering from or adapting to their disability.
Occupational therapy services typically include
Customized treatment programs to improve one's ability to perform daily activities
Comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation recommendations
Performance skills assessments and treatment
Adaptive equipment recommendations and usage training
Occupational therapy practitioners work in a wide range of settings including schools,
hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health, outpatient rehabilitation clinics,
psychiatric facilities, and community health programs. School systems, hospitals,
and long-term-care facilities are the primary work settings for occupational therapists
and occupational therapy assistants.
The Associate of Science in Degree Occupational Therapy Assistant Program (AS OCTA)
consists of:
Five academic semesters divided into two segments, pre-occupational therapy assistant
(POTA) and occupational therapy assistant (OCTA)
Level II fieldwork for a minimum of 16 full-time weeks in approved settings scheduled
and coordinated by The University of Louisiana at Monroe.
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 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.
The Bachelor of Science in Degree Occupational Therapy Assistant Program (BS OTA)
consists of:
Eight academic semesters divided into two segments, pre-occupational therapy assistant
(POTA) and occupational therapy assistant (BS OTA)
Level II fieldwork for a minimum of 16 full-time weeks in approved settings scheduled
and coordinated by The University of Louisiana at Monroe.
The Master of Occupational Therapy Program (MOT) consists of:
Six academic semesters
Level II fieldwork of a minimum of 24 full-time weeks (or the equivalent if completed
on a part-time basis) in approved settings scheduled and coordinated by The University
of Louisiana at Monroe.
Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 18 months following completion
of the didactic portion of the program.
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination
for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification
in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual
will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).
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.
Accreditation
ULM’s Associate of Science Degree in 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.
ULM’s Bachelor of Science Degree in 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 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. 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).
ULM’s Master of Occupational Therapy 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.
NOTE: Applicants to either the OTA or MOT who acknowledge a felony conviction are warned
that the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and/or their state's
occupational therapy licensing board may bar persons with a felony record from taking
the certification examination or from state licensure.
You may contact these organizations for further information:
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) http://www.nbcot.org/ (an Early Determination review is available)
If a prospective students is concerned about any prior issues which might prevent
him or her from securing a cleared background check, she or he may choose to undergo
a character review prior to applying for the OTA or MOT Program. This is done by
requesting the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy to complete
an Early Determination Review. For further information about the process and fees
please click this link: https://www.nbcot.org/Students/Services#character
Occupational Therapy
