Pictured: OTA Program Director, Tamla Heminger and OTA Fieldwork Coordinator, Sharon Pool
UA Cossatot's Occupational Therapy Assistant Program has been awarded a 10-year reaccreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). ACOTE is the accrediting agency for occupational therapy education in the United States. Being accredited by (ACOTE) ensures the quality of UA Cossatot's OTA program and allows OTA students to sit for their required national board exams.
In February of this year, ACOTE completed a 3 day on-site visit on UA Cossatot's Ashdown campus. The council reviewed the report of the on-site evaluation and self-study in April and found the program to be compliant in all educational standards. ACOTE voted to grant a status of accreditation for a period of ten years, which is the highest amount a program can receive. The 10-year award reflects the program’s compliance with all reaccreditation criteria and is a sign that the program has demonstrated exceptional educational quality. UA Cossatot's OTA program will not require a new on-site evaluation until the 2028-2029 academic year.
“We are gratified that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education felt UA Cossatot’s OTA Program meets their highest standard for educational excellence,” said Tamla Heminger, OTR, MEd, UA Cossatot’s OTA Program Director.” Heminger added, “I think this also says something about the high quality of the college in which the program resides. Many individuals work together to ensure the success of our programs and students.”
UA Cossatot's OTA program began in 2012, with the first OTA class graduating in 2013. Students can apply to join the OTA program starting June 15. Applications are collected until the application deadline
(March 1, 2020). The program is an eighteen-month program and includes pre-requisite courses prior to application to the program. Enrollment in the OTA program is limited to fifteen students each year. Applicants are ranked according to their GPA, pre-entrance exam scores, observation reports, and letters of recommendation.
To learn more about UA Cossatot's OTA program, please e-mail the OTA Program Director, Tamla Heminger at theminger@cccua.edu or OTA Program Fieldwork Coordinator, Sharon Pool at spool@cccua.edu.