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Program Overview
Occupational therapy assistants (OTA) work with individuals across the lifespan, whose ability to participate in everyday activities is complicated by developmental disability, physical and/or emotional illness, injury or aging.
The Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Madison College will train you to work with occupational therapists in helping individuals improve functionality, quality of life and independence.
Please note that after acceptance to the Occupational Therapy Assistant program, you will be required to complete a background check and provide documentation of current required immunizations and current Healthcare Provider CPR certification. Further information about these requirements will be shared at program orientation.
Program Details
Wisconsin law requires background checks for persons who provide care for others or have access to people who receive care. This law applies to students in many School of Health Sciences programs. Please review the Caregiver Background Check information on the School of Health Sciences Forms and Policies. A felony conviction may impact a graduate's eligibility for certification and credentialing.
- Students in the Occupational Therapy Assistant program can attend full or part time.
- Courses are scheduled on weekdays.
- Hybrid courses include weekly in-person instruction and asynchronous online work.
- In-Person Occupational Therapy Assistant instruction is offered at the Madison College Truax campus.
- Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Handbook.
Your Advantages at Madison College
- Study in our state-of-the-art Health Education Center, including a simulated patient home where students practice teaching everyday skills.
- Learn with top faculty for personalized attention and real-world learning.
- Benefit from a series of on-site clinical practicums at local health facilities.
- Spend less than $13,000 for total tuition and program costs for your Madison College degree.
Accreditation
The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.652.6611
www.acoteonline.orgOTA Careers
Occupational therapy assistants are employed in community settings providing mental health, residential care and home health, and work-related services as well as in nursing homes, hospitals, and schools.
Earning your associate degree in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Madison Area Technical College prepares you for a range of professional positions in the field of occupational therapy, including:
- Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)
- Adult day care coordinator
- Activities coordinator
- Community support worker
- Life skills trainer
- Durable medical equipment coordinator
- Job coach
- Family support worker
- Supported employment specialist
With additional education and/or work experience, Occupational Therapy Assistant Program graduates may find employment as:
- Assisted living program coordinator/ manager
- Case manager
- Community-based residential facility manager
- Assistive technology provider
Graduation Rates
This table outlines the number of students who started the program and how many of them ultimately graduated.
Graduation Year # of Students Started vs Graduated Graduation Rate 2023 20/16 80% 2024 17/16 94% 2025 22/22 100% Total 59/54 91.5% The total number of graduates from Madison College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program during the 3-year period 2023-2025 was 54 with an overall graduation rate of 91.5%.
The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) provides program data results.
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Curriculum and Experience
Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the 2026-2027 academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.
Current and newly admitted program students, go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:
- Progress toward your specific requirements
- Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements
If you have questions after reviewing your degree progress report (advisement report), please see Advising Services.
Pre-Occupational Therapy Assistant CoursesThe following course must be completed prior to acceptance into Occupational Therapy courses:First SemesterSecond SemesterSummer SemesterThird SemesterFourth Semester -
Admission
Apply Now – Secure Your Spot on the Waiting List!
This program operates on a waiting list. To be eligible to enroll in program classes, students must first complete academic preparedness requirements and go through the declaration process.
Before submitting an application, be sure to:
- Review the Waiting List section.
- Review the admission requirements for deadlines, materials, and requirements.
- Estimated Wait Time: Up to 0-1 year wait time between when students are core ready and when they become eligible to enroll in program classes. This timeline may vary depending on how many students complete the declaration process each semester.
- Program Capacity: 25 spots each Fall semester
- Make sure you can meet the program’s essential functions safely, reliably and efficiently within the scope of practice. If you need accommodations, contact our Disability Resource Services office.
Need help? Learn more about the Madison College experience and get support with your application.
Start your application today and take the next step toward your career goals!
Additional Notes
Students are required to meet the current admission requirements, academic preparedness requirements, and complete the declaration process. Requirements are subject to change based on updates to accreditation requirements or Madison College program assessment data.
Questions?
Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.
Get Started!
Apply to Madison College and take the first step towards your Occupational Therapy Assistant career.
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Waiting List
This program uses a waiting list to manage program admission due to capacity limitations and program demand. This means there are typically more applicants than there are open seats in the program. A waiting list helps us manage applications in a way that is fair and transparent.
This program has academic preparedness requirements that must be completed before beginning core classes. When you’ve completed all academic preparedness requirements, you will complete the declaration process.
Pre-core students can run their Degree Progress Report to confirm which academic preparedness requirements are satisfied/not satisfied and view specific ways to satisfy requirements.
Mandatory workshop in Brightspace
Prerequisites:
- Algebra (testing, college coursework or bachelor’s degree in a related biological science)
- Chemistry (high school or college coursework)
- Biology (high school or college coursework)
- English and Reading (testing, college coursework or bachelor's degree)
Course Requirements:
- General Anatomy and Physiology
- Written Communication or English 1
- Introduction to Psychology
Questions?
Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.
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Transfer Opportunities
UW System Schools
This program-to-program articulation agreement between UW-W and WTCS assures the acceptance of an applied associate degree in an allied health clinical and diagnostic field (see APPENDIX A, 60 to 71 credits) from any WTCS institution, into the UW-W Bachelor of Science-Health and Leadership Studies (HeALS) program (minimum 120 credits). Students transferring under the guidelines of this articulation agreement must: have earned an applied associate degree in an allied health program through WTCS with a grade point average of 2.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) including coursework from other institutions (if appropriate), and according to UW-W repeat policy.Have applied to and are successfully admitted into UW-W (all UW-W application deadlines apply) beginning fall 2025 and any subsequent terms.Wisconsin Private Schools
Completion of an A.A.S. Degree at Madison College after 2018, and meeting admission requirements for the Rader School of Business (RSOB) at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) can earn a B.B.A degree in Technical Sales at MSOE.Out-of-State Schools
Franklin University will guarantee acceptance of Madison College graduates with an AA, AS, or AAS. Madison College graduates will have junior standing at Franklin University and may transfer up to 94 additional credits toward their baccalaureate degree. -
Career Outcomes
After completing the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Madison Area Technical College, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate professional behaviors, ethical standards, values and attitudes of the occupational therapy profession.
- Practice within the distinct role and responsibility of the occupational therapy assistant.
- Advocate for the profession, services and consumers.
- Value lifelong learning and the need to keep current with best practices.
- Apply occupational therapy principles and intervention tools to achieve expected outcomes
- Serve a diverse population in a variety of systems that are consistent with entry-level practice.
- Serve individuals across the life span whose ability to participate in everyday occupations is complicated by developmental disability, physical and/or emotional illness, injury or aging. Occupations are the activities of daily life that have value to individuals and help them be contributing members of their communities.
- Use purposeful activities to improve the physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills needed to function.
- Offer alternative approaches and adaptations to compensate when needed.
- Promote the balance of self-care, work and leisure activities that results in the quality of life and level of independence valued by the individual.
- Collaborate with occupational therapists.
- Work in community settings providing mental health, residential care and home health and work-related services as well as in nursing homes, hospitals and schools.
Accreditation/Credentialing
The Madison Area Technical College associate-degree-level occupational therapy assistant program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is 301.652.6611 and its website is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
***Students must complete 16 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 18 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program.
The total number of graduates from the Madison Area Technical College Occupational Therapy Assistant program from 2020-2022 was 57, with an overall graduation rate of 77%.
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Graduate Summary
Graduate Report Summary Overview
2023 2024 2025 Number of Program Graduates 17 16 22 Number of Surveys Sent 17 16 22 Number of Surveys Returned 11 10 13 Percent of Surveys Returned Available for Employment 11 10 13 Percent Available for Employment 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Not in Labor Market Percent Not in Labor Market 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Available for Employment
2023 2024 2025 Graduates Employed 9 9 10 Percent of Graduates Employed 81.8% 90.0% 76.9% Employed in Related Occupation 6 8 8 Percent Employed in Related Occupation 66.7% 88.9% 80.0% Employed in Unrelated Occupation 3 1 2 Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation 33.3% 11.1% 20.0% Employed - No Response 0 0 0 Percent Employed - No Response 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Seeking Employment 2 1 3 Percent Seeking Employment 18.2% 10.0% 23.1% Reaction To Training at Madison College
2023 2024 2025 Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4) 3.3 3.6 3.9 Number of Satisfaction Responses 11 10 13 Very Satisfied (4) 3 6 12 Percent Very Satisfied 27.3% 60.0% 92.3% Satisfied (3) 8 4 1 Percent Satisfied 72.7% 40.0% 7.7% Unsatisfied (2) 0 0 0 Percent Unsatisfied 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Very Unsatisfied (1) Percent Very Unsatisfied 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Primary Reason for Attending Madison College
2023 2024 2025 Number of Primary Reason Responses 11 10 13 Preparation for Getting a Job Percent Preparation for Getting a Job Career Change Percent Career Change Improvement of Existing Skills Percent Improvement of Existing Skills Preparation for Further Education Percent Preparation for Further Education Personal Interest Percent Personal Interest Other Percent Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% When Employment was Obtained
2023 2024 2025 Number of When Employment Obtained Responses 9 9 10 Before Enrollment 2 2 1 Percent Before Enrollment 22.2% 22.2% 10.0% While Attending the College 1 0 0 Percent While Attending the College 11.1% 0.0% 0.0% After Training at the College 6 7 9 Percent After Training at the College 66.7% 77.8% 90.0% Location of Employment (related and unrelated)
2023 2024 2025 Number of Employment Location Responses 9 9 10 In College District 5 6 9 Percent In College District 55.6% 66.7% 90.0% In Wisconsin, Not in District 3 1 0 Percent of In Wisconsin 33.3% 11.1% 0.0% Outside of Wisconsin 1 2 1 Percent Outside Wisconsin 11.1% 22.2% 10.0% Employer Location Unknown 0 0 0 Percent Location Unknown 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Salary Trend 2023 2024 2025 Full Time Employment (Related Job) Full Time Salary Count 3 5 5 Average Monthly Wage $4,587 $4,582 $4,037 Average Hourly Wage $26.67 $26.64 $23.47 Average Work Hours per Week 41.8 37.8 40.0 Part Time Employment (Related Job) Part Time Salary Count 1 2 3 Average Hourly Wage $22.00 $19.75 $30.50 Average Work Hours per Week 22.0 27.3 31.0 -
Graduate Employers
Graduate Employers for academic year: 2025 Employer(s) Job Title City* State** Positions Aegis Therapies Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Middleton CI Pediatric Therapy Centers Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Fitchburg CI Pediatric Therapy Centers Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Middleton Powerback Rehabilitation LLC Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Sauk County Health Care Center Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Reedsburg Skaalen Retirement Services Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Stoughton Sun Prairie Area School District Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Sun Prairie Therapy Smarts Occupational Therapy Assistant Durham NC * - Only cities outside of Madison will display.
** - Only states outside of Wisconsin will display.
*** - If you have a position to post, please contact Career and Employment Services at jobpostings@madisoncollege.edu