Occupational Therapy Schools in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has only one ACOTE accredited Occupational Therapy School which provides an entry-level Master’s degree. Plus, the state also has 3 ACOTE accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) School which provides an associate degree. The license is required to practice as an OT in Rhode Island; one can appear for the licensure examination after clearing the OT entry-level degree from accredited OT schools.

The only Occupational therapy school in Rhode Island is-

1. New England Institute of Technology

Occupational therapy in Rhode Island-

The occupational therapist, Occupational therapy assistant, and OT/OTA students have their own association, i.e. Rhode Island Occupational Therapy Association (RIOTA).

The RIOTA is a non-profit volunteer organization which provides a professional community for its members. The RIOTA is a professional organization and public voice for the occupational therapy profession in Rhode Island.

The main role of the association is to promote the occupational therapy profession, create public awareness, provide support to the therapist in continuing education and improve and maintain the quality of occupational therapy profession in Rhode Island. The RIOTA is an affiliated state body of the American Occupational therapy association.

Website – www.riota.org

Occupational therapy License in Rhode Island-

Occupational therapist and Occupational therapy Assistants are required to get a license from the Rhode Island Health Department’s Board of Occupational Therapy Practice.

Satisfactory completion of both the academic program and fieldwork are required to be eligible to take the licensure test offered by the Rhode Island Occupational Therapy Board of Examiners and to take the Certification Examination of the NBCOT. Successful completion of the licensure test allows graduates to practice the profession in Rhode Island.

The minimum requirements for the license are –

• Entry level master degree.
• Official transcript from an accredited Occupational Therapy School.
• NBCOT exam’s passing certificate.
• Application fees of $140.

Temporary OT/OTA License:

A temporary license to practice as an occupational therapist (OT) or as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) may be granted to persons who have completed the educational and experience requirements for licensure and are waiting to take or receive the results of the certification examination.

Occupational therapy Schools in Rhode Island-

#1 New England Institute of Technology

The M.S. in Occupational Therapy is the first and the only entry-level professional program in Occupational Therapy in Rhode Island that prepares occupational therapist at the master level. The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program at New England Tech allows certified occupational therapy assistants (OTA) to expand on their academic and clinical experience to become leaders in their profession. This program is designed to be a bridge for OTA professionals to move to the next level of responsibility as registered occupational therapists (OTR). The program is offered in a weekend format that requires students to be on campus 5 weekends in each ten-week academic quarter and to participate online during alternate weeks.

The OT school also offers Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) associate degree and Post-Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (PP-OTD) degree.

New England Institute of Technology
Course Offered–	Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (entry level)
University Campus	East Greenwich, RI
Public or Private-	Private, non-profit Institute.
Program Director	Carol Doehler, OTD
Course Duration-	10- quarters
Class Size	30-36 students per year
OT Admission	Once a year (October).
Application Procedure	Apply to the program through the online portal of NEIT.
Minimum Requirement (MSOT)	An associate degree in occupational therapy from an ACOTE-accredited educational institution. Current certification as an occupational therapy assistant (COTA) by the NBCOT. A cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (out of 4.0). A personal statement (see your Admissions Officer). Readiness to begin advanced level college work as determined by an assessment of skill levels in writing. TOEFL score of 79(120) for an international student.
Address	Occupational Therapy Program One New England Tech Boulevard East Greenwich, RI 02818-1205 Email- ametzger@neit.edu or mcaruso@neit.edu
Website	www.neit.edu

“Applicant” Occupational Therapy School in Rhode Island-

New Occupational Therapy educational programs seeking accreditation (not yet holding Candidacy Status) from ACOTE. Until Candidacy Status has been granted by ACOTE, below mentioned school cannot admit students into the entry-level Occupational Therapy program.

#1 Johnson & Wales University-Providence
Occupational Therapy Program
8 Abbott Park Place
Providence, RI 90203-3703
Email- gbottomley@jwu.edu
http://www1.jwu.edu
ACOTE’s Status: Applicant OT – entry-level doctoral.

Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Rhode Island

#1 Community College of Rhode Island
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program 
Newport Campus
One John H. Chaffee Boulevard
Newport, RI 02840 
Email- lgatewood@ccri.edu
www.ccri.edu/rehabhealth/octa

#2 New England Institute of Technology
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program 
One New England Tech Boulevard
East Greenwich, RI 02818-1205 
Email- ametzger@neit.edu or mcaruso@neit.edu
www.neit.edu/Programs/Associate-Degree-Programs/Health-Sciences/Occupational-Therapy-Assistant

#3 Huertas College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Health Department 
PO Box 8429
Caguas, PR 00726
Email- mbernard@huertas.edu
http://huertas.edu/hc/associate-degree-in-occupational-therapy-assistant/ 

Occupational Therapy Jobs in Rhode Island-

The outlook for occupational therapy employment is very good in Rhode Island. The United States’ Bureau of Labor Statistics includes occupational therapy as one of its fastest growing occupations, with registered occupational therapists predicted to have a faster than average growth (21- 36%). Many Health Care Recruitment providers have reported a shortage of occupational therapists and OTA in Rhode Island. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 380 employed and licensed occupational therapists in Rhode Island in May 2017. And the requirement of license practitioner is increasing. Huge opportunities are there in Rhode Island for the occupational therapist and occupational therapy Assistant.

Occupational Therapy Salary in Rhode Island-

As per indeed.com, the average salary of an occupational therapist in Rhode Island was $85,000 per annum (in 2017) and According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual and hourly income of occupational therapy professionals were $77,570 and $37.29, respectively in May 2017.