OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT
PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA’s) work alongside Occupational Therapists to help people who have difficulty performing daily living activities due to illness, injuries, and disabilities. As a Brookline student in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, you’ll benefit from an accelerated program with a blended curriculum where information is presented both online and in-person with hands-on exercises and lab work.

In our OTA classes, information is presented through online learning with required readings, videos, discussion posts, and assignments. Fieldwork is integrated throughout our program which allows students to acquire real-world experience with actual clients. Our students have direct interaction with clinicians who practice in pediatric, rehabilitation, psychosocial, and geriatric settings. This dynamic approach will allow you to graduate with the necessary knowledge and skills to launch a successful career as an OTA.

Get started today!

FLEXIBLE LEARNING

During the first year of the program, the majority of the coursework is completed entirely online and students are only required to be on campus five times each semester during that time. Due to the academic rigor of semester five, students will be required to be on campus every other week to prepare for full time fieldwork in semester six.

EXAM PREPARATION

Graduates of our OTA program are prepared to take the national certification exam provided by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

THE BROOKLINE ADVANTAGE

At Brookline College, our mission is to provide you with more than a diploma. Our goal is to prepare you for a rewarding career. We strive to foster an enriching learning environment to help you graduate while making life-long friendships along the way.

EXPERIENCED FACULTY

FINANCIAL GUIDANCE FOR 
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS

DIVERSE CLINICAL LEARNING

JOB PLACEMENT SUPPORT

PROGRAMMATIC ACCREDITATION 
ACCREDITATION COUNCIL FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EDUCATION (ACOTE)**

INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION
ACCREDITING BUREAU OF HEALTH EDUCATION SCHOOLS (ABHES).***

*Please note that wage data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) or other third-party sources may not be an accurate reflection of all areas of the country, may not account for the employees’ years of experience, and may not reflect the wages or outlook of entry-level employees, such as graduates of our program (accessed on 5/20/2025).

**Albuquerque Campus: The 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, Ste. 510E, Bethesda, M.D. 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number, C/O AOTA, is 301-652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org

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 graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Phoenix Campus: The 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, Ste. 510E, Bethesda, M.D. 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number, C/O AOTA, is 301-652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org

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 graduate will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Tucson Campus: The associate-degree-level Occupational Therapy Assistant program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status 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 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). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

***Brookline College’s Tucson and Tempe campuses are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). 6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 730 - North Bethesda, MD 20852 - Telephone: 301-291-7550 - Website: www.abhes.org

The OTA program is offered at our Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Tucson campuses, where you’ll receive training and instruction to prepare for an entry-level position as an Occupational Therapist Assistant in as little as 96 weeks.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTING AT BROOKLINE COLLEGE

The U.S. Bureaur of Labor Statistics* reports that the mean annual salary earned by OTAs is about $68,540. 

POSITIVE SALARY OUTLOOK

I've always enjoyed learning, so I knew I wanted to further my education. It's important to me to have the flexibility to work at my own pace while working full time. With Brookline College I can focus fully on my classes when it is convenient for me, as the course work deadlines are realistic and the learning platform is very user friendly.

Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA’s) work alongside Occupational Therapists to help people who have difficulty performing daily living activities due to illness, injuries, and disabilities. As a Brookline student in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, you’ll benefit from an accelerated program with a blended curriculum where information is presented both online and in-person with hands-on exercises and lab work.

In our OTA classes, information is presented through online learning with required readings, videos, discussion posts, and assignments. Fieldwork is integrated throughout our program which allows students to acquire real-world experience with actual clients. Our students have direct interaction with clinicians who practice in pediatric, rehabilitation, psychosocial, and geriatric settings. This dynamic approach will allow you to graduate with the necessary knowledge and skills to launch a successful career as an OTA.

Get started today!

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT
PROGRAM OVERVIEW

ALBUQUERQUE | PHOENIX | TUCSON

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT PROGRAM

EARN YOUR 
ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE 
IN AS LITTLE AS 2 YEARS

Briana G. 
Brookline College Graduate