Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)
2017-2018
Type: Career, Degree (AS)
Special Admissions
Division: Health And Human Services
The Physical Therapist Assistant program has been designed for students seeking entry-level positions as Physical Therapist Assistants. The comprehensive curriculum has been designed to develop competency in the entry level skills necessary for the Physical Therapist Assistant practicing in the field. Theoretical and practical experience in classroom and laboratory are supplemented by three clinical rotations over two full-time or three part-time years of study.
The program prepares graduates to work under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist in a variety of health care settings, including rehabilitation facilities, schools, long term care, home health care, pediatrics, acute care hospitals, orthopedics, and sports medicine clinics. Students in the program are encouraged to apply for student membership to the American Physical Therapy Association during their first year in the program. Graduates of the program receive an Associate's degree in science and are eligible to take the national licensing exam administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. In order to practice in the state of Massachusetts physical therapist assistants must be licensed.
Although the program is non-transferable as a whole, on an individual basis graduates of the program considering a further degree have been able to obtain transfer credits for some courses to schools offering a baccalaureate degree in exercise physiology or related health program. Acceptance of transfer credits depends on the receiving institution. Students should consult directly with the institution of their choice.
Students interested in participating in an academic program that involves working with children, the disabled, or the elderly, or which includes a clinical affiliation, internship, or field placement with a private or public healthcare provider, may be required to undergo criminal background checks, including a national as well as local check (i.e. Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and Sex Offender Record Information (SORI)). Depending on the contents of these criminal background check(s), a student's participation in an academic program that involves working with children, the disabled, or the elderly or which includes a clinical affiliation, internship or field placement with a private or public healthcare provider may not be allowed, and therefore may impact a student's ability to complete program requirements. Furthermore, please note that eligibility to participate in the program and/or clinical affiliation, internship or field placement as a result of screening requirements, such as criminal background checks, is not a guarantee of eligibility to sit for professional credentialing examination(s) or employment upon graduation.
First Year
Fall
| BIO211 | Anatomy and Physiology 1 | 4 |
| CMP101 | Composition 1 | 3 |
| PTA101 | Introduction to Physical Therapy | 4 |
| PTA103 | Therapeutic Massage | 1 |
| PTA104 | PTA Procedures Lab | 1 |
| PTA105 | Physical Therapist Assistant Procedures | 2 |
| PTA108 | Kinesiology Lab | 1 |
| PTA109 | Kinesiology | 1 |
| PTA113 | Pathophysiological Conditions 1 | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 19 |
Spring
| BIO212 | Anatomy and Physiology 2 | 4 |
| PTA114 | Pathophysiological Conditions 2 | 2 |
| PTA117 | Therapeutic Exercise 1 Lab | 1 |
| PTA118 | Therapeutic Exercise 1 | 2 |
| PTA201 | PTA Modalities Lab | 1 |
| PTA202 | Modalities of Physical Therapy | 2 |
| PTA203 | Neurology for Physical Therapist Assistant | 2 |
| PTA204 | Clinical Anatomy 1 Lab | 1 |
| PTA205 | Clinical Anatomy 1 | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Summer
| PTA112 | Clinical Experience 1 | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 2 |
Second Year
Fall
CMP102-150
| Composition 2 Elective | 3 |
HUM-ELECTIVE
| Humanities Elective | 3 |
| PSY102 | Introductory Psychology | 3 |
| PTA212 | Therapeutic Exercise 2 Lab | 1 |
| PTA213 | Therapeutic Exercise 2 | 2 |
| PTA214 | Clinical Anatomy 2 Lab | 1 |
| PTA215 | Clinical Anatomy 2 | 1 |
| PTA217 | Pediatric Physical Therapy for the PTA | 1 |
| PTA220 | Current Topics in Physical Therapy | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Spring
| PTA206 | Physical Therapist Assistant Seminar | 1 |
| PTA208 | Clinical Experience 2 | 8 |
| PTA210 | Case Studies in Physical Therapy | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 11 |
Requirement Notes
BIO211: The pre-requisite for Anatomy and Physiology 1 can be met through ONE of the following with no time limit for when it was completed: BIO101 or BIO105 with "C" or higher; or TEAS version V only Science section score of 50% or higher; or LPN Certificate; or a Bachelor of Science in biological science or chemistry. It can also be met with ONE of the following completed within the past 5 calendar years: high school biology with a "C" or higher, biology CLEP test with a score of 50 or higher, or AP biology test with a score of 3 or higher.
Program Note
Communications and Mathematics proficiencies required to graduate.
See guided pathway sheets for advising information specific to your area of focus.
Total Credit Hours: 66