Overview

The demand for highly-trained OTAs and increasing accreditation requirements prompted the American Occupational Therapy Association to vote in support of entry-level education for OTAs at the bachelor’s level, in addition to the traditional associate’s degree. Our BHS-OTA degree is the first such program at a public institution in Missouri, and one of only a few in the nation.

“The BHS-OTA program opens the door for affordable, high-quality, evidence-based OT education with an entry-level degree that leads to immediate professional health care employment or further education in OT.”—Dr. Tim Wolf, Occupational Therapy Department Chair.

Coursework

Students will complete 74 credit hours over 2 years in a full-time onsite cohort model curriculum. Students will also be required to pass a national certification exam administered by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) in order to gain entry into the profession and obtain licensure. Students will have the ability to customize their educational plans through unique combinations of fieldwork and baccalaureate projects.

BHS-OTA Program Outcomes

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. Students must complete 16 weeks of Level II fieldwork as well as completion of a baccalaureate project within 24 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program.