Career

Become an occupational therapy practitioner

Your journey into the fulfilling world of occupational therapy starts here.

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become an ot/ota

About the profession

Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability.

Learn more about the profession

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become an ot/ota

Obtain the education

The first step in your journey requires a degree from an ACOTE®-accredited occupational therapy (OT) program or occupational therapy assistant (OTA) program.

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become an ot/ota

Pass the exam

In order to practice in the United States, you must pass the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) examination. State licensing requirements vary, so make sure to consult your state’s occupational therapy regulatory agency.

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become an ot/ota

Get licensed

Occupational therapy is regulated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. The major purpose of regulation is to protect consumers in a state or jurisdiction from unqualified or unscrupulous practitioners.

BECOME AN OT/OTA

Frequently asked questions

Programs and degrees

Both degree levels are currently routes of entry to the profession, prepare graduates to be entry-level practitioners, and are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®). The doctoral degree offers additional coursework that provides in-depth knowledge of clinical practice skills, research skills, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, and theory development. Both degree levels require Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences. In addition, doctoral students must also complete a 14 week doctoral capstone and culminating project.
All entry-level educational programs prepare you to be a generalist. Specializing in one area of practice would be something you would pursue after you graduate and successfully pass the national certification examination. Many practitioners do select a specialty area of practice. Others change their area of practice throughout their careers. Occupational therapy provides a great deal of career flexibility. Recent graduates and new practitioners interested in advancing their practice and specializing in the field of occupational therapy may want to consider completing a Fellowship Program.
A combined bachelor's/master's program is an accredited program that accepts students without a bachelor's degree; awards a baccalaureate degree; then, upon completion of the master's-level academic coursework and fieldwork, awards an entry-level master's degree in occupational therapy. Successful completion of the master's degree portion of the program would be required for eligibility to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®). These types of programs will generally accept transfer students.
Both degree levels are currently routes of entry to the profession, prepare graduates to be entry-level occupational therapy assistant practitioners, and are accredited by ACOTE. The baccalaureate degree supports the students' ability to synthesize in-depth knowledge in a practice area through additional coursework and the development and completion of a baccalaureate project in one or more of the following areas: clinical practice skills, administration, leadership, advocacy, and education.
It is suggested that you contact local facilities that employ occupational therapists and/or occupational therapy assistants (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, or school systems). You can find these programs by doing an internet search for "occupational therapy" or "rehabilitation" in the local area or by contacting your state occupational therapy association. These requests are made quite frequently and you will find most facilities accommodating. Be prepared to discuss your reason for the request and your availability. You are advised to call facilities rather than email them.
There are many factors that will impact your decision, including the mission and size of the college or university, faculty qualifications, geographic location, cost, degree awarded, length of the program, and program outcomes. The list of accredited programs will include links to the program's web page and telephone numbers for each program. You may wish to contact the program in which you are interested to inquire about the success of program graduates on the national certification examination, job placement rates, employer satisfaction with program graduates, and graduate satisfaction with the program. National certification exam results of OT and OTA programs are available on the NBCOT® School Performance website.

Career planning

An occupational therapy assistant is a graduate of an accredited occupational therapy assistant educational program and is eligible to sit for the national certification examination. Most states regulate occupational therapy assistants. Occupational therapy aides provide supportive services to the occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant. Occupational therapy aides usually receive their training on the job and are not eligible for certification or licensure. Occupational therapy aide programs are not accredited by AOTA's Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) and certification of aides is not required. You may want to contact your state regulatory board to determine what services and regulations apply to occupational therapy aides in your state.

Accreditation

If a program is not in compliance with one or more ACOTE Accreditation Standards, ACOTE may change a program’s status to Probationary Accreditation for any of the following reasons:
- The areas of noncompliance are so serious that the capability of the program to provide acceptable educational experiences for the students is threatened.
- The program has failed to document significant progress toward compliance with one or more cited areas of noncompliance.
- The program is in jeopardy of having its accreditation status withdrawn due to the mandated time limit for carrying areas of noncompliance.
Click on “Disclosure Statement” under the program listing to obtain more information about the reasons that the program was placed on Probationary Accreditation status. Programs on Probationary Accreditation status must submit a report to ACOTE documenting plans to return the program to full compliance with the Standards within the U.S. Department of Education-mandated time period for correction.

Probationary Accreditation is an accreditation category. During a period of Probationary Accreditation, programs are recognized and listed as being accredited and its graduates are still eligible to sit for the national certification exam.
This term refers to new programs that are not yet accredited but have completed the first step in the 3-step initial accreditation process. New programs seeking initial accreditation must submit a Candidacy Application to ACOTE. The application is reviewed and ACOTE must take action to either grant or deny Candidacy Status (step 1). Not all programs are successful in obtaining Candidacy Status, and that status must be attained before students can be admitted into the program. Although the "Candidacy Status" designation does not guarantee that the program will be accredited, it indicates that the resource allocation and plan for development of the proposed program appear to demonstrate the ability to meet ACOTE Standards. After a program is granted Candidacy Status, the program will submit a Report of Self-Study for review by ACOTE (step 2) and will have an on-site evaluation (step 3).
This term refers to new programs that are not yet accredited but have completed the first and second steps in the 3-step initial accreditation process. Although the "Preaccreditation Status" designation does not guarantee that the program will be accredited, it indicates that on the basis of the paper review of the submitted materials, the program would appear to meet ACOTE Standards if fully implemented in accordance with the plans of the sponsoring institution. An on-site evaluation (step 3) will be conducted before the first class completes the academic curriculum. If the program can successfully demonstrate substantial compliance with the Standards, it will be granted accreditation. If not, accreditation will be withheld.
There is definitely a degree of risk involved in entering a program that is not yet accredited. When a program fails to obtain accreditation before the first class of student graduates, the program is no longer viable and closes. In order to be eligible to sit for the NBCOT certification examination, one must graduate from an ACOTE-accredited program. This is why it is essential for new programs to obtain accreditation before the first class of students graduates.
As previously stated, there is definitely a degree of risk involved in entering a program that is not yet accredited because students must graduate from an ACOTE-accredited program to be eligible to sit for the NBCOT® certification examination. However, all new programs must follow a 3-step initial accreditation process which allows ACOTE to monitor progress toward compliance with the ACOTE accreditation Standards. Students considering enrolling in a new program are encouraged to contact the program to obtain information on the progress made toward compliance with the Standards.

What is the difference between an entry-level master's and an entry-level doctoral degree?

What is the difference between an MOT, MA, or MS degree that is awarded at the completion of my master's degree program?

What should I major in at the undergraduate level if I apply to an entry-level master's or an entry-level doctoral program?

I want to specialize in a certain area of practice (e.g., environmental modifications, pediatrics, etc.). How do I find a program with this specialty?

What is fieldwork education?

What is a combined entry-level bachelor's/master's degree program?

What is the difference between an entry-level program and a post-professional program?

What is the difference between an Occupational Therapy Assistant Associates Degree (OTA-A) and Occupational Therapy Assistant Baccalaureate Degree (OTA-B)?

Are there any entry-level occupational therapy or occupational therapy assistant educational programs offered online?

Some programs require that I have observation or volunteer experience. Who do I contact to set this up?

How do I know which program is the best or has a higher ranking?

How do I decide which school to attend?