Mission
The Felician University Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, within the framework of Catholic tradition and commitments to Franciscan values, strives to prepare a diverse student population with a customized education that provides the technical knowledge and professional skills required by current and emerging local, state, and national occupational therapy markets. The program has established high educational standards to facilitate the development of the profession’s future leaders to provide collaborative, effective, client-centered, outcome-based occupational therapy services within the ever-changing environments and demands in healthcare.
Philosophy
- Students will demonstrate knowledge and appreciation of the client’s sociocultural background’s impact on health and participation in occupations and respect for the treatment of others in diverse settings. (Respect)
- Students will uphold the Christian concepts of service and will advocate for and provide competent, compassionate care to those experiencing occupational dysfunction or deprivation. (Compassion)
- Students will demonstrate a quest for truth and provide current evidence-based efficient effective client-centered care. (Competence)
- Students will transform into health care professionals who communicate and demonstrate the use of self effectively as members of a health care team. (Character)
- To educate, through a variety of learning experiences, a diversity of students who will become committed life-long learners who practice a client-centered approach that upholds the Franciscan values. (Diversity)
- Students will use critical thinking as a basis for ethical decision-making while engaging in peaceful interactions both in and out of the classroom, celebrating diversity, and providing service to others. (Service Learning)
The Felician University values (Respect for Human Dignity, Compassion, Transformation, Solidarity with the Poor, Justice and Peace). are foundational to the OT Program philosophy, values, and beliefs. The OTA Program’s beliefs and values form the basis for curriculum design, delivery, assessment, and directed change. The OTA Program philosophy continues to evolve and respond to changes in the profession and to ensure relevance with current professional practice. The faculty continuously engages in focused assessment and analysis of the educational program to make reasoned decisions for curricular changes based on current best practices, policy changes, and emerging practice areas that will affect the profession.
The transformation from student to clinician can only effectively occur within a collaborative, supportive environment. Students are the future leaders of the occupational therapy profession. Membership in student and professional organizations and interdisciplinary experiences facilitate their ability to collaborate with members of other professions, as they learn the art of teamwork. Both students and faculty are involved in an ongoing continuous learning process as they advocate for the advancement of the profession of occupational therapy.
A curricular focus on a foundation of inter-professional collaboration, a breadth and depth of knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences, and an understanding of issues related to diversity, will thread through the courses and is reflected in requirements for program completion.
Opportunities for students to choose and pursue areas of interest, direct their own learning, and participate in inter-professional experiences will be built into the course projects, service learning, and fieldwork experiences, as faculty take on the roles of facilitators and mentors.
Accreditation
The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Felician University 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 (Formally 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, ND 28052). Their phone number is (301) 652-AOTA, and the web address is www.acoteonline.org.
Upon successful completion of both the classroom and fieldwork components, Felician University OTA program graduates are awarded an Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS), with which they are eligible to sit for the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of the 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.
Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found at: (https://www.nbcot.org/en/Educators/Home#SchoolPerformance
Preparing Tomorrow’s Healthcare Leaders
Occupational Therapy Assistants are in high demand, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 31% growth from 2018-2028 (much higher than average). New Jersey is the second highest state for salaries, and the Newark area is the top in the state, with an average salary of $69,530. Complete your associate degree at Felician in this 20-month program to begin benefiting from all that this field has to offer!
The OTA program will use a holistic admission process that supports a diverse student body. In this way, the University’s diversity and inclusion goals are supported. A well- developed rubric will combine quantitative data and qualitative indicators such as GPA, interview, and volunteer/related experience.
Application requirements for the Occupational Therapy Assistant program include:
- Submit a completed Application.
- Provide an official U.S. high school transcript indicating successful completion, or official documentation of a U.S. GED or provide documentation establishing successful completion of secondary school through homeschooling, as defined by the law of the State in which the homeschooling was provided.
- Official sealed transcripts from all institutions attended.
- Minimum GPA of 2.5 from high school or last institution attended.
- Interview with the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Director or designee.
- Writing prompt providing a description of why applicant chose occupational therapy as a profession and intended career goals. May be linked to volunteer/observation experience.
- A minimum of 4 volunteer/observation hours in a setting that provides occupational therapy services or alternative option (attend OTA interactive information session or meet with an admission counselor to determine other available options)
- A signed background and illegal drug testing disclosure for clinical fieldwork which also indicates that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification exam or attain state licensure.
The Program Director will subsequently complete the OTA Program Admissions Rubric. This rubric considers GPA, experience in prerequisite courses (e.g. natural sciences), observation/volunteer experience, writing sample, prior degrees, work in a related field, and interview.
The following must be completed prior to or within the first semester of program study
- Proof of current CPR certification from the American Heart or Red Cross-BLS for Health Care Provider
- Proof of health clearance including a current physical, documentation of vaccinations and immunizations, and proof of health insurance coverage. These are required to be completed prior to clinical fieldwork placement.
- Adherence to a background check indicating clearance from any accusations of child or elder abuse
- Signed disclosure allowing adherence to additional criminal history background check, drug testing, and/or fingerprinting by a clinical agency to attend clinical fieldwork sites. Clinical fieldwork sites and agencies reserve the right to exclude a student from a site based on the results.
- Additional proof of vaccinations or immunizations may be required by clinical fieldwork sites or the university.
- Adherence to standardized testing/laboratory practicals used throughout the curriculum as evident in the individualized course syllabi.
- Proof of membership in the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association (NJOTA)
- Degree requirements must be completed within 3 years of the start of the program. This time limit includes leaves of absence. Students who do not complete the program requirements within this time frame may be required to complete additional coursework.
Students who are currently in the OTA program will continue with the original progression of study. The following progression of study will start in Fall of 2025.
Click Here to See the OTA Progression of StudyOccupational Therapy Assistant Applied Associate Degree (66 Credits)
The OTA program follows a cohort model. Due to the sequential nature of the courses, careful planning is necessary to complete the curriculum in a timely manner.
*A grade of “C” or better is required in Science and OTA courses
** BIO 205 Anatomy & Physiology I and BIO 206: Anatomy & Physiology II will only be considered for potential transfer of credit if completed within 7 years of application.
***Enrollment in all OTA courses is restricted to students formally admitted to the OTA program.
| Expected Graduation Year | Cohort Size | Program Graduates | Graduation Rate |
| 2022 | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| 2023 | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| 2025 | 13 | ||
| 2026 | 13 | ||
| Total | 32 | – |
Cost Per Credit: $550
Number of Credits: 66
Total Tuition: $36,300
Application Fee: $30
Enrollment Deposit: $150
Other Fees: $562
Books and Supplies: $948
Total Cost: $37,928
Note: Felician University OTA program fees may be subject to change.
