Physical Therapist Assistant - BS
The physical therapist assistant degree completion major is designed for associate degree PTA graduates who want to advance their clinical skills, expand their health care, wellness and fitness knowledge, and better position themselves for formal leadership opportunities. Delivered in an online format (with optional face-to-face classroom opportunities), the program allows the associate degree graduate to apply their previous PTA credits to the bachelor’s degree requirements, enabling them to obtain a bachelor's degree with specific coursework in physical therapy-related content in as little as two years.
With additional courses that address advanced PT intervention delivery, evidence-based practice, and health care leadership/administration, graduates of the program will be better prepared to work at the top of their license to meet the needs of patients, employers, and the community. Backed by St. Kate’s reputation in the profession with more than 50 years of experience in PTA education, graduates will have greater potential for career advancement within and outside of the profession.
Course content that challenges students to expand their physical therapy knowledge, along with their skills in critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and self-assessment, ensures that graduates are even more prepared to work in teams, to improve organizational effectiveness in their current or future workplaces, and for roles in leadership and management.
The major course requirements will also apply toward eligibility to sit for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist examination through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, toward certification as a Health Coach through the American Council on Exercise, and fulfill components of the APTA’s Advanced Proficiency Pathways for Physical Therapist Assistants.
Admission requirements
Students must be graduates of an associate degree physical therapist assistant program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Physical Therapy Education offered at a regionally accredited institution. Students are not required to be licensed as a PTA at the time of admission but are expected to have obtained licensure by the time of graduation.
Students can begin the major coursework in any semester. Students are expected to take PTA 3000 as soon as possible in their program of study and prior to other PTA-specific courses.
This major is offered in the College for Adults only
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite Course (minimum grade of C required): | ||
| BIOL 2400 | General Anatomy and Physiology with Lab | 4 |
| Total Credits | 4 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Courses (minimum grade of C required): | ||
| BIOL 2410 | Advanced Anatomy and Physiology with Lab | 4 |
| or FSNU 2300 | Nutrition Foundations | |
| ECON 1080 | Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences | 4 |
| EXSS 3200 | Health Behavior Psychology | 4 |
| EXSS 3500 | Methods of Strength Training and Conditioning | 4 |
| HLTH 3150 | Epidemiology | 4 |
| or HLTH 3250 | Global Health | |
| IPE 4200W | Healthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice | 4 |
| Select two from: | 8 | |
| Leadership, Effective Teams, and Change Management | ||
| Managing Within a Diverse Workforce | ||
| Healthcare Policy | ||
| PTA 3000 | Physical Therapy Leadership | 1 |
| PTA 3150 | Pharmacology for the Physical Therapist Assistant | 1 |
| PTA 3800 | Movement System Analysis and Intervention | 3 |
| PTA 4000W | Rehab Administration Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Term | ||
| ECON 1080 | Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences | 4 |
| PTA 3000 | Physical Therapy Leadership | 1 |
| Spring Term | ||
| BIOL 2410 | Advanced Anatomy and Physiology with Lab 1 | 0,4 |
| or FSNU 2300 | Nutrition Foundations | |
| EXSS 3200 | Health Behavior Psychology | 4 |
| PTA 3150 | Pharmacology for the Physical Therapist Assistant | 1 |
| Summer Term | ||
| IPE 4200W | Healthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice | 4 |
| MGMT 3460 | Managing Within a Diverse Workforce | 4 |
| or MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | |
| Fall Term | ||
| EXSS 3500 | Methods of Strength Training and Conditioning | 4 |
| LEAD 3400 | Leadership, Effective Teams, and Change Management | 4 |
| or MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | |
| PTA 3800 | Movement System Analysis and Intervention | 3 |
| Spring Term | ||
| FSNU 2300 | Nutrition Foundations 1 | 0,4 |
| or BIOL 2410 | Advanced Anatomy and Physiology with Lab | |
| HLTH 3150 | Epidemiology | 4 |
| or HLTH 3250 | Global Health | |
| PTA 4000W | Rehab Administration Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 40 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Term | ||
| ECON 1080 | Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences | 4 |
| Spring Term | ||
| BIOL 2410 | Advanced Anatomy and Physiology with Lab 1 | 0,4 |
| or FSNU 2300 | Nutrition Foundations | |
| EXSS 3200 | Health Behavior Psychology | 4 |
| PTA 3150 | Pharmacology for the Physical Therapist Assistant | 1 |
| PTA 3000 | Physical Therapy Leadership | 1 |
| Summer Term | ||
| IPE 4200W | Healthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice | 4 |
| MGMT 3460 | Managing Within a Diverse Workforce | 4 |
| or MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | |
| Fall Term | ||
| EXSS 3500 | Methods of Strength Training and Conditioning | 4 |
| LEAD 3400 | Leadership, Effective Teams, and Change Management | 4 |
| or MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | |
| PTA 3800 | Movement System Analysis and Intervention | 3 |
| Spring Term | ||
| FSNU 2300 | Nutrition Foundations 1 | 0,4 |
| or BIOL 2410 | Advanced Anatomy and Physiology with Lab | |
| HLTH 3150 | Epidemiology | 4 |
| or HLTH 3250 | Global Health | |
| PTA 4000W | Rehab Administration Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 40 | |