Occupational Therapy Schools in Colorado

Occupational therapy schools in Colorado offer entry-level program in occupational therapy. These occupational therapy schools provide a Master degree in Occupational Therapy (MOT) and an associate degree for Occupational therapy assistant (OTA).

The Colorado State University (CSU) is providing occupational therapy program in Colorado. Currently, the CSU is the only ACOTE’s accredited entry-level Occupational therapy school in Colorado. One more OT school has been applied for the Accreditation but it is under process, and currently unable to take admission.

Occupational therapy in Colorado-

Colorado is a big state with many famous hospitals and universities. The occupational therapy profession is flourishing in the state. The demand and requirement of occupational therapy professionals are growing.

The Occupational therapist, occupational therapy assistant, and students (OT or OTA) have their own OT association in Colorado.

The Occupational Therapy Association of Colorado-

It is the professional organization of occupational therapy professionals. The association is recognized and affiliated with the American occupational therapy association (AOTA). The association looks after the employment for the OT, social responsibility of the OT profession, and creating awareness of OT in the state. The OT association helps to connect the students of OT with the practitioner Occupational Therapist.

Occupational Therapy License in Colorado-

The Occupational Therapists in Colorado have been licensed since June 2014. Occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant, both required getting a license to practice as an OT professional. The Department of Regulatory Agencies(DORA) is the licensing authority in the state of Colorado. According to DORA, all occupational therapy services provided to the public in Colorado must be provided and/or supervised by Occupational Therapists who are licensed by the State of Colorado. A list of all licensed Occupational Therapists will be maintained by the state department (DORA).

Instructions to obtain licensure as an Occupational Therapy professional in Colorado are found on the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).

Website: http://www.dora.state.co.us/registrations/index.htm

Occupational therapy schools in Colorado-

There is only one accredited OT school running in Colorado. The Colorado state university provides an entry-level course to the students. Along with this, the Colorado State University also provide Post-professional degree in occupational therapy. The Occupational therapy school offers a Master of science in occupational therapy degree and Ph.D. degree in occupational and rehabilitation science.

Let’s have a complete OT school overview-

Occupational therapy Department- Colorado State University
Courses Offered –	Master degree (entry level) Master of Science in OT (post-professional) Ph.D. in Occupational &Rehab Science (Post-Professional)
University Campus	Fort Collins, CO
Public or Private-	Public Institute.
Program Head-	Linda McDowell MOT and MS Program Coordinator
Course Duration- MOT (Entry Level)	Full-time regular course. Duration-  24 months, including fieldwork experiences.
Seat capacity	Total 50 seats
OT Admission	Once a year (Fall)
Application Procedure	Applying to the MOT program is a three-step process: Apply through OTCAS. CSU Graduate School application. GRE and TOEFL
Minimum requirement	Bachelor’s or master’s degree Essay writing GPA of 3.0 or better. Report from the GRE. TOEFL(for international candidate) min. score 94.
Pre-requisite course work	Brain and Behavior Anatomy and Physiology Lifespan development Statistics Abnormal Psychology Introduction to occupational therapy Medical Terminology Human disease and conditions Biomechanics of human occupation
Address	Occupational Therapy Department 219 Occupational Therapy Building Fort Collins, CO 80523-1573 (970) 491-6253 Email- otinfo@cahs.colostate.edu
Website	OT.chhs.colostate.edu

The Post-Professional MS degree program-

It is designed for the OT with a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy and wishes to pursue a master degree in occupational therapy.

The school admits students to the Post-Professional MS degree program on a limited basis. The students interested in the Post-Professional MS must first express their interest to a faculty member. There are no specific seats reserved for post-professional MS degree.

The admission depends upon the readiness of the faculty member as a research mentor for the specific student, then the student can proceed to apply for the program. The program of study will involve a minimum of 30 credits which will be customized to the needs of the student in the program of research into which they have been accepted.

Post professional Doctoral degree program-

The OT school also offers the interdisciplinary Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Occupation and Rehabilitation Science (ORS). The Ph.D. course in occupational therapy is a good opportunity for the research-oriented occupational therapist.

Upon completion, therapists typically pursue academic careers in research and higher education, although additional career opportunities exist in industry and government.

One more OT school in Colorado has been initiated it’s processing to get accredited by the ACOTE’s. The Colorado Mesa University will start entry level doctoral (OTD) program soon. Currently, the status of the OTD program is having an “applicant” status, means they cannot start the OT admission in the OT school.

#2 Colorado Mesa University
(Entry-level doctoral OTD)
Occupational Therapy Program
www.coloradomesa.edu
Status: Applicant

Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program in Colorado-

The competition for the admission in the OT is more because of single Occupational therapy entry-level master degree program in Colorado. The admission is on a competitive basis, so every student won’t get the admission in the OT school.

But the Colorado state has 3 OTA school, so the candidate can opt for these options as well if they are interested in the occupational therapy profession.

Here, is the list of Occupational therapy assistant schools (accredited) in Colorado.

#1 National American University – Centennial Campus
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
8242 S. University Boulevard, Suite 100
Centennial, CO 80122-3178

#2 Pima Medical Institute-Denver
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
7475 Dakin Street, Suite 100
Denver, CO 80221

#3 Pueblo Community College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
900 West Orman Avenue
Pueblo, CO 81004-1499

Occupational Therapy jobs in Colorado-

Colorado is a big state, but the number of occupational therapy schools is very less. So, the demand for OT professionals are more and competition is less. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2670 employed occupational therapists are practicing in Colorado.

Occupational Therapist Salary in Colorado-

According to indeed.com, the average Occupational Therapist salary in Colorado is $80,168 per year. While, According to BLS (May 2016), $41.55 is the median annual salary and $86,420 is the average annual salary for the occupational therapist in Colorado.