All faculty in the program are qualified to teach in their respective areas as described by the Higher Learning Commision and/or the American Occupational Therapy Association.Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org, 312-263-0456. Otheraccreditations and associations of Indiana Wesleyan University are available at www.indwes.edu/about/iwu-profile/accreditation.The occupational therapy assistant program has applied for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education(ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTEs telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must be grantedCandidacy Status, have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduateswill be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Boardfor Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified OccupationalTherapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on theresults of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduates ability to sit for the NBCOT certificationexamination or attain state licensure.
IWU's program specifically is characterized by state-of-the-art, hands-on experience with an Anatomage table- a 3D simulation of human anatomical structures. Our OTA students will have 2, 1 day/week clinical experiences in the Greenwood or Indianapolis areas as well as 2, 8 week field work experiences. Relationships built in these settings often become career pathways for students. Finally, our faith-based perspective includes a whole-person approach to occupational therapy, inclusive of service to the local community, and care for individuals' spiritual as well as health needs. Strong general education integration means that students are also well prepared to complete a bachelor's degree or even enroll in IWU's Occupational Therapy Doctoral program.A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of occupational therapists, to direct patient participation in skill-enhancing, learning, and motivational tasks; correct or diminish pathologies; and to provide direct health education and promotion services. Includes instruction in human life span development, occupational therapy principles and practice skills, treatment planning and implementation, record-keeping and documentation, patient education and intervention, activity and program direction, and assistive services management.
Requirements for admission to the program include: Attend an information session, which outlines the education, examination, and licensure process for successful completion of the OTAprogram and career development. Proof of high school graduation or GED certification. Official transcripts of all previous college work. Preference given for students who demonstrate a C or better in high school science courses and/or college-level science courses. Preference given to students with other degrees. Admission/Retention in the OTA Program is conditional, pending successful completion, with a B- or better grade in all courses(exception: BIO111/112, C or better), maintenance of 2.7 GPA or better each semester, and obtainment of an overall GPA of 2.7 or betterto graduate. Interview (arranged by invitation following receipt and review of all other application materials). Day of written essay/writing sample. Upon establishment of the qualified applicant pool; the top 30 candidates will be determined from the established point system forselection into the OTA Program.
Classes start every fall.