Occupational Therapy Assistant

The Occupational Therapy Assistant AS is a full-time, on-campus program of 83 credit hours completed in approximately 24 months. Keiser University uses a one-class-at-a-time model delivered in four-week terms, with new classes starting every month. Evening classes may be available at select campuses to accommodate working students, and many general education courses may be taken online, but the professional OTA coursework and laboratory components require in-person attendance.

Clinical education is built into the program: an introductory Fieldwork I experience (2.0 credit hours) and a pre-clinical practicum precede the intensive Level II fieldwork (12.0 credit hours), completed as two full-time rotations under the supervision of licensed occupational therapy practitioners in approved healthcare settings. Level II fieldwork must be completed within 12 months of finishing the academic coursework, and students must maintain the program's progression standards, including satisfactory background check, drug screening, and required grades, to advance.

The curriculum combines general education with a professional OTA core covering the foundations of occupational therapy, human development across the lifespan, kinesiology, and intervention for physical, neurological, pediatric, geriatric, and psychosocial conditions, followed by supervised fieldwork. A representative course sequence is shown below.

Required Courses

Tuition is charged per 16-week semester based on scheduled credit hours. At the full-time rate (12–17.99 credits), tuition is approximately $12,408 per semester (Keiser Undergraduate Tuition & Fee Disclosure; subject to annual review). Enrollment also includes a one-time $55 application fee and a one-time $145 registration fee. As a hands-on health program, the OTA degree may carry additional per-course resource, lab, or clinical fees, and students should budget for books, uniforms/supplies, background check and drug screening, and immunization/health requirements associated with fieldwork; exact amounts are confirmed in the program's official cost disclosure at enrollment.

Financial aid is available to those who qualify and may include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Federal Work-Study, as well as Florida aid programs (FSAG and EASE), institutional scholarships, and veterans and military education benefits. Students should file the FAFSA annually (Keiser University FAFSA School Code 015159). A personalized estimate is available through Keiser's Net Price Calculator at https://www.keiseruniversity.edu/NPC-index.html.

Estimated total program tuition of about $74,448 (full-time semesters at ~$12,408/semester); actual cost varies with pace and transfer credit.

Graduates are prepared for entry-level roles as occupational therapy assistants, working under the supervision of licensed occupational therapists across a range of settings, including:

• Hospitals and acute-care rehabilitation
• Skilled nursing facilities and geriatric/long-term care
• Outpatient rehabilitation and hand-therapy clinics
• Pediatric clinics and school-based therapy for students with special needs
• Mental and behavioral health centers
• Home health agencies and community-based programs for developmental disabilities

Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Passing the exam confers the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) credential, which most states require as the basis for state licensure to practice. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's eligibility for certification or licensure; NBCOT program performance data is available at https://www.nbcot.org.

Expect a focused, immersive experience built around Keiser's one-class-at-a-time schedule, so you concentrate on a single subject each four-week term. Professional OTA courses meet in person and combine lecture with hands-on laboratory practice, where you build clinical skills such as therapeutic activity, task adaptation, transfers, and use of adaptive equipment before applying them with real clients.

The program is demanding: you will need to meet grade, GPA, and progression standards, complete a background check and drug screening, and satisfy health and immunization requirements before fieldwork. The experience culminates in Level II fieldwork, two full-time supervised rotations in real healthcare settings that require reliable transportation and a full-time weekly commitment. Along the way you will work closely with faculty in small classes and with an academic fieldwork coordinator who helps arrange and support your clinical placements.