Santa Ana College, located in Orange County, offers an associate's degree in occupational therapy assistant studies. In order to be admitted, students must have completed introductory courses in English, speech communication, psychology and anatomy/physiology with a C or better in each course. Space is limited and students are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis in both fall and spring semesters. Students who begin in the fall take all their lecture classes online and come to campus two evenings a week for labs. Students who begin in the spring come to campus for two full days a week to take both lecture and lab courses. In addition to their occupational therapy classes, all students take general education courses such as math and political science that are required for associate's degrees at Santa Ana. Students complete 32 hours of fieldwork each semester for the first three semesters before spending their last semester in two intensive full-time fieldwork assignments.
Santa Ana College
1530 W. 17th Street
Santa Ana, CA 92706
714-564-6833
sac.edu
The only occupational therapy assistant associate's degree program in the northern half of California is located in the state's capital. In order to be admitted, students must have completed an introductory class in occupational therapy, along with classes in medical terminology, anatomy/physiology,and human development. Once admitted to the program, students should expect to spend two full school years and two summers attending classes full time. Various fieldwork opportunities throughout the program allow students to gain experience dealing with different patient populations ranging from the mentally ill to the physically disabled and children with various conditions. In the last semester, students spend 360 hours in a supervised practicum at a site selected by the program faculty. Beyond occupational therapy classes and labs, students take supporting coursework in fields such as psychology, nutrition, and computer applications.
Sacramento City College
Mohr Hall 18
3835 Freeport Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95822
916-558-2271
scc.losrios.edu
Grossmont College, located in the greater San Diego area, also has an associate's degree program in occupational therapy assisting. Before a student can be accepted to the program, they must complete a course in anatomy/physiology with a C or better and pass a physical exam, drug screen and criminal background check. Once admitted, the program begins in the summer semester and lasts for two years. Classes are held in the evening to allow students to complete fieldwork during the daytime hours. In addition, students may choose to take their general education classes during the day. All general education requirements must be completed before the final semester, in which students complete 20 weeks of full time fieldwork. Due to the demanding nature of this final semester, it is also recommended that students do not work during this time. Once students have completed this last semester, they are able to sit for the national licensing exam. Grossmont students have an excellent history of success on this exam, with 93 percent of graduates between 2007 and 2009 receiving a passing score.
Grossmont College
8800 Grossmont College Dr.
El Cajon, CA 92020
619-644-7000
grossmont.edu