See list of Department Chairs on the Personnel page.
Career Opportunities
The OTA Program prepares you for a career in helping others improve their quality of life. You will use rehabilitative activities and exercises to help clients of all ages overcome physical, emotional, mental and/or social challenges and maximize one’s independence in their activities of daily living. You can work in hospitals, schools, mental health centers, skilled nursing facilities and in the community. PCC graduates hold positions throughout Colorado and in many different states. The US Department of Labor projects that this will be one of the fastest-growing careers in the foreseeable future.
Program Description
This program teaches you to work under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist to assess clients of all ages, design individual rehabilitative programs, create goals and help clients meet their goals while monitoring their progress.
The program consists of 18 months of academic preparation and 16 weeks of fieldwork prior to graduation. When you graduate from the program, you are eligible to take the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). In addition, Colorado requires licensure through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).
Program Requirements
Entrance Requirements:
The OTA program has a selective admissions policy due to a limited number of fieldwork sites. You must submit a completed application packet, available through the Health and Public Safety office or on the Pueblo Community College’s OTA website (available Nov. 1-March 1). You must have completed all basic skills requirements to perform at a college level in Reading, Math and English. You must also have a cumulative 2.5 GPA in college courses or on high school transcripts if no college courses have been taken. In addition, you must have vision, hearing, tactile sensation, gross and fine motor strength and coordination, memory, critical thinking and interpersonal skills adequate to allow effective communication, ensure safety of self and others, document accurately, and provide effective assessment and treatment in order to meet facility standards.
The OTA Program is primarily an in-person program and requires one to bring their own computer device to campus for instructional purposes. Please refer to this link for further information: https://www.pueblocc.edu/IT
Note: You must undergo a background check and drug screen before we can officially admit you into the program. A felony, loss of license, administrative disciplinary proceeding for negligence, malpractice, recklessness or willful or intentional misconduct may prohibit entrance into the program and/or eligibility to sit for the NBCOT certification exam. Contact NBCOT at 301.990.7979 or www.nbcot.org for an Early Determination Review.
