Occupational Studies
B.S. Degree Occupational Studies · Santa Ana College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Program Code: SAC.OS.BS
Program Control Number: 34014
The baccalaureate degree in Occupational Studies will create a more highly skilled occupational therapy assistant (OTA) who is better able to understand and utilize research-based evidence for best practice and take on a leadership role. As an additional benefit, it will prepare an OTA for entry into an Occupational Therapy (OT) Master’s degree program. The upper division course work will provide more in-depth training in specific areas of OT practice, including neurologic rehabilitation, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, pediatrics, geriatrics, and key practice areas identified by the American Occupational Therapy Association. These courses, together with a capstone project, will also provide increased opportunities for critical analysis, research methods, and clinical reasoning. To complete the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Studies, students must complete: (1) complete all upper division major course requirements with a grade of “C” or better or Pass ("P"); (2) complete the Cal-GETC lower division general education pattern; the CSU-GE Breadth pattern or IGETC pattern may be used in some cases, please see a counselor for details; OR complete the Santa Ana College Associate Degree General Education (GE) Requirements (Plan 1) with coursework completed from Plan 1 to total a minimum of 27 semester units (note that Plan 1 consists of a minimum of 24 units so additional Plan 1 coursework may be needed to reach 27 units).
Prerequisite:
Associate Degree from an ACOTE accredited OTA program and OTA Certification/License or OTA NBCOT exam eligibility
Learning Outcome(s):
- Students will demonstrate advanced mastery of occupational therapy assistant (OTA) clinical skills, including clinical reasoning, that follow the guidelines established in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process.
- Students will relate theory and research to clinical practice areas.
- Students will provide OTA services that meet the community needs of diverse populations demonstrating sensitivity and empathy.
- Students will participate in advocacy for clients in clinical and community settings.
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required lower division courses specific to the Occupational Studies BS Degree | 14 | |
| Statistics | 4-4.5 | |
| PSYC 210 | Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences | 4 |
| orSTAT C1000H | Introduction to Statistics - Honors | 4 |
| orSTAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | 4 |
| orSTAT C1000E | Introduction to Statistics | 4.5 |
| PHYS 109 | Survey of General Physics | 4 |
| SOC 100 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| SOC 100H | Honors Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| PHIL 108 | Ethics | 3 |
| Required upper division major courses specific to the Occupational Studies BS Degree | 30 | |
| OS 301 | Therapeutic Approaches to the Older Adult | 3 |
| OS 304 | Movement Theory & Analysis | 3 |
| OS 305 | Advanced Pediatric Practice for the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) | 3 |
| OS 310 | Community-Based Occupational Therapy Practice | 3 |
| OS 312 | Advanced Practice Areas in Occupational Therapy (OT) | 3 |
| OS 325 | Applying Research to Occupational Therapy Intervention | 3 |
| OS 402 | Neurological Principles in Human Performance | 4 |
| OS 403 | Leadership for the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) | 2 |
| OS 410 | Healthcare Systems | 3 |
| OS 412 | Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| Required upper division general education courses specific to the Occupational Studies BS Degree | 10 | |
| MATH 319 | Quantitative Research Methods for Healthcare Professionals | 4 |
| CMST 307 | Health Communication | 3 |
| SOC 401 | The Sociology of Health, Illness, and Healing | 3 |
| Total | 54 | |