Dear Occupational Therapy Assistant Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Western New Mexico University. We are delighted to be able to offer this quality program to the rural areas of southwestern New Mexico and eastern Arizona.

Students are provisionally admitted to the OTA program in the fall semester each year. Minimum requirements to come in to the program are:

·         A 2.7 grade point average

·         placement into or completion of English 101

·         completion of necessary prerequisites to enter Anatomy & Physiology

Upon completion of the required first semester classes with a grade point average of 2.7, the provisional status changes to official admission.

 

The OTA program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). Upon completion of the program, students are awarded as Associate of Science degree and are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In the past three years, 92% of the WNMU students who took the National Certification examination passed that test the first time.

 

There are several aspects of this program that are different from the traditional college program. There are additional costs involved with the program due to things such as textbook costs, required immunizations, CPR trainings, and criminal background checks. Two level 2 fieldwork experiences are required for completion of the program. These are “intern” positions, which are unpaid and usually require relocation for at least 16 weeks. They must be completed within 18 months following completion of the academic portion of the program.

Students should also be aware that felony charges or convictions may make them ineligible to take the NBCOT examination. If this is a concern, students should contact NBCOT directly for details. Contact information is as follows:

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT)                                   12 Summit Avenue      Suite 100   Gaithersburg MD  20877-4150   www.nbcot.org         301.990.7979 or fax 301.869.8492

 

If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact this office at 575.538.6442. I will be happy to meet with you to discuss any aspect of the application process or the profession; just call for an appointment. Information about the university and all WNMU programs is available at our web page                           www.wnmu.edu.  If you would like to request a University catalog and application, you may contact our Admission Office at 575.538.6106 or toll free outside the Silver City area at 1.800.872.9688.

To apply to the OTA program:

·         make application to WNMU either online or in person

·         complete the OTA application document

·         submit both applications with the necessary documentation     (transcripts from other universities are required)

·         schedule an appointment with the OTA program director

 

It’s that easy!!

Once again, I am delighted in your interest in the program and the exciting profession of Occupational Therapy.

Sincerely,

 

Connie Rooks, MAT, COTA/L
Program Director, Occupational Therapy Assistant       

 

application document

online application