Occupational Therapy Assistant Program

The application requirements, course sequence and program length has been modified. This change will apply to the 2024 incoming students. Please note that the courses or credits required to complete the program have not changed. Please see the new curriculum outline here

PLEASE NOTE:

The application periods for the class beginning Fall 2024 are the months of February, May, July and August.

Applications for Fall 2024 entrance through Fall 2025 entrance (OCTA)

Application Timeline	Campus Locations
Fall Enrollment - Apply in February	Newport - Evening/Weekend

Admissions Guidelines

Minimum requirements to apply to the Occupational Therapy program:

1. CCRI application – Complete and submit a CCRI Application for Enrollment. General Studies should be the first choice; OCTA should be the second choice.
2. High school transcript – Send an official copy of the applicant’s high school or GED® transcript, including date of graduation. If the applicant holds a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, the high school transcript may be waived; a college transcript must indicate completion and degree awarded.
3. Complete Foundational Kinesiology* (RHAB 1100) (recommended*) and it may be considered in the performance-based acceptance process.
4. Placement – Complete a standardized test (ACCUPLACER NEXT GENERATION) issued by CCRI’s Department of Advising and Counseling. Competency of 250 or above is required for reading comprehension or completion of Reading and Study Skills Program (ENGL 1002) with a grade of B- or better.
   

   Reading Comprehension Requirement:

   • Score of 75 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension
     orscore of 250 or above in Next Generation Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension
     or ENGL 0890: Critical Reading with a grade of "B-" or better
     orENGL 0950: Integrated Critical Reading and Writing with a grade of "B-" or better
5. Complete the following Application Requirement courses with a grade of B- or better:
   • Human Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2201) (or Human Anatomy (BIOL 1010)*
     • *If a student has at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, a grade of "C" or better will meet the requirement for BIOL 2201 (or BIOL 1010) 
   • Introduction to Occupational Therapy (OCTA 1000)
   • Medical Terminology for Rehabilitative Health (RHAB 1010)
6. Complete the following Application Requirement course with a grade of C or better:
   Composition I (ENGL 1010). Composition I for Speakers of English as a Second
   Language (ESL) (ENGL 1300) will not substitute.
7. GPA – Earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.7 or better for all college courses taken
8. Health Sciences application – Complete and submit the Performance-Based Health (online PBHS application here.) Deadlines are listed on the form. Important: All the above requirements must be completed satisfactorily before submission of the Performance-Based Health Sciences application and do not guarantee acceptance to the program. Acceptance will be conditional upon completing the remaining program prerequisite courses (14 credits) during the Spring application semester (February).
9. Complete the following courses with a grade of C or better, before or during the Spring Semester for the year in which you are applying:
   • Human Anatomy & Physiology II (BIOL 2202) or Human Physiology (BIOL 1020)
   • Introduction to College Mathematics (MATH 1025), Mathematics for Liberal Arts Students (MATH 1139) or
     (MATH 1139C), Statistics for the Health and Social Sciences (MATH 1175) or
     (MATH 1175C), Statistical Analysis I (MATH 1240), Quantitative Business Analysis I (MATH 2077), Quantitative Business Analysis II (MATH 2138), Pre-Calculus Mathematics (MATH 2111), Calculus I (MATH 2141), Calculus II (MATH 2142), Calculus III (MATH 2243). (Highest grade earned in any of these courses will be calculated in the point system.)
   • General Psychology (PSYC 2010)
   • Communication Fundamentals (COMM 1010)
   
   

   Important: All the above requirements must be completed satisfactorily before official acceptance to the program. Submission of the Performance-Based Health Sciences application does not guarantee acceptance to the program. Students declining acceptance into the program for the semester offered must resubmit a performance-based Health Sciences application for the program and meet the current admission requirements
   for the application period in which they reapply. Once accepted into the
   Occupational Therapy program, the student must attend a mandatory
   orientation.

10. Background check – Students are required to submit a background check when directed
    by notification from Enrollment Services. Final acceptance to the program is dependent on
    the results of the background check. A felony conviction will not preclude admission to the
    program. However, it can impact Level I and II fieldwork placement availability, as well as
    graduate eligibility for certification and credentialing. No incident or probation can have
    occurred within the past seven years. Applicants convicted of a felony will need to comply
    with state licensure requirements from the Rhode Island Department of Health. For more
    information, contact the department chairperson.
    

    ---

    All the above requirements must be met satisfactorily BEFORE submission of the Performance-Based Health Science (PBHS) application and does not guarantee acceptance. Students declining acceptance into the program for the semester must resubmit a PBHS application for the program and meet current requirements. Once accepted into the program, the student must attend a mandatory orientation conducted by the Rehabilitative Health Department.

Technical Standards:The physical activity level for the Occupational Therapy Assistant is classified as “medium” by the Departmentof Labor in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Students must have the ability to perform essential physical skills and demonstratethe cognitive and behavioral skills or be able to perform them using compensatory techniques and/or adaptive devices. Theseessential skills can be found on the Essential Skills for OTA website.

Students are required to submit a background check when directed by notification from the Office of Enrollment Services. Final acceptance to the program is dependent on the results of the background check. Anyone convicted of acrime may be unable to attend clinical experiences that are required to complete the program.

Policies following acceptance into the Occupational Therapy Assistant program

• Students must have a physical examination and required immunizations completed prior to starting the program
• Students must have a current CPR card (American Heart Association, Health Care Provider Level) obtained through an AHA-recognized community training center.
  This course is available at CCRI - HEAL 0200.

Please note: Requirements are subject to change.

For more clarifying information regarding any of the above pleasecontact the Office of Enrollment Services at:

• Deb Watson, Newport Campus, [email protected]
• If more specific information is needed, contact Christine Lynch, Interim Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Director, at [email protected]

---

Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Admission Criteria Point System

---

Theperformance‐based acceptance process is based on the performance indicators identified for the program. A point system based on the admissions guidelines has been assigned to the performance criteria.

The criteria for the incoming class will include:

• Program GPA
• Grades in BIOL 2201 (A&P1)or BIOL 1010, ENGL 1010, RHAB 1010 and OCTA 1000
  • The above are pre-requisite courses
• Accuplacer Reading Score

*ACCUPLACER may be taken no more than three times.

In the event of a tie,students who have completed RHAB 1100: Foundational Kinesiology willreceive preference over those who have not and further preference will be given according to the grade achieved using the following point system:

Credits granted through AP, CLEP, challenge exams or assessment of prior learning will be recognized as satisfying course requirements and will be assigned points equivalent to a grade of "B."

Please review the Department of Health websiteto learn about licensing requirements for the health sciences professions.

Please note: A Social Security number is required to begin the licensing process for the health sciences professions.