Jul 31, 2025  
2025-2026 Undergrad Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Undergrad Catalog

Physical Therapist Assistant, A.A.S.


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The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at the University of Saint Francis welcomes diverse, lifelong learners in a supportive environment promoting academic excellence and development of compassionate health care providers. A Physical Therapist Assistant is an educated and licensed clinician who provides care under the direction and supervision of a licensed Physical Therapist. Physical Therapist Assistants implement components of patient care, obtain data related to the treatment provided, and collaborate with Physical Therapists to modify care as necessary. The program emphasizes academic knowledge while offering hands-on experiences in a variety of clinical settings.

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program requires 74 credit hours, leading to an Associates of Applied Science degree. The first year is dedicated to General Education and pre-requisite courses. The professional sequence occurs in the 2nd and 3rd years and is where the student will focus on Physical Therapist Assistant didactic coursework and application. A new cohort of students begins their professional sequence each fall semester. Some students may have the opportunity to transfer credits for the pre-requisite portion of the program depending on previous college experience.

Accreditation

Physical Therapist Assistant

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
American Physical Therapy Association
3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22305-3085
703/706-3213 or 800/999-2782, ext 3213

capteonline.org

Articulation Agreements

For those students wishing to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, the University of Saint Francis has established articulation agreements with the professional physical therapy education programs at Midwestern University and at Trine University. The articulation agreements facilitate enrollment of qualified USF graduates in these programs.

Midwestern University Articulation Agreement

Under the provisions of this agreement, selected students who successfully complete the specified coursework and maintain eligibility requirements at the University of Saint Francis, and who complete the application requirements and take part in the interview day at Midwestern University will be granted acceptance to the Midwestern University Physical Therapy Program in Downers Grove, IL.

Trine University Articulation Agreement

The articulation agreement with the Trine University Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program commits two reserved seats in each annual cohort of students entering the DPT program for qualified students of the University of Saint Francis.

Information on both articulation agreements is available from the USF Office of Admissions or from the Program Director of the Department of Physical Therapist Assistant Studies.

Program Goals

The University of Saint Francis Physical Therapist Assistant program is designed to:

  1. Prepare students for entry-level practice as physical therapist assistants who work under the direction and supervision of physical therapists.
  2. Provide the healthcare community with skilled physical therapy practitioners who can apply theoretical knowledge to clinical practice.
  3. Provide a learning environment that recognizes individual differences and promotes caring behaviors.
  4. Promote critical thinking skills to effectively address patient care problems and to adapt to the rapidly changing challenges of healthcare.
  5. Provide students with a strong educational foundation for life-long personal and professional growth.
  6. Program core faculty will demonstrate lifelong learning through continuing education related to the physical therapy profession and areas of teaching responsibility.  

Student Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the Associate of Applied Science in Physical Therapist Assisting, the graduate will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate safe and effective physical therapy patient skills under the direction and supervision of physical therapists.
  2. Integrate related concepts and theories of the physical, social and behavioral sciences and humanities with physical therapy knowledge and practice.
  3. Utilize critical thinking skills in the delivery of physical therapy services.
  4. Uphold the standards of ethical conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant in all areas of practice as identified by the American Physical Therapy Association.
  5. Value caring and respect for the individual needs of each person.
  6. Demonstrate a commitment to professional growth and life-long learning.

Licensure/Certification

Graduates of accredited Physical Therapist Assistant educational programs are eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for Physical Therapist Assistants in order to obtain licensure or certification to practice. All states require licensure or certification of the Physical Therapist Assistant.

Degree Requirements

The program requires 69 credit hours, which includes 45 credit hours of core courses and 24 credit hours of general education courses.

Technical Standards and Clinical Requirements

The University of Saint Francis has identified technical standards critical to the success of students in health sciences programs. These standards are designed not to be exclusionary, but to establish performance expectations that will enable students to provide safe patient practice with or without accommodations. These standards include Observation; Communication; Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities; Motor Skills; Behavioral and Social Attributes; Tests and Evaluations; and Clinical Assessment.

Clinical Requirements include a criminal background check, a driving history, and a drug screen. Evidence of positive drug screens, any DUI, driving violations or penalties, crimes such as battery or assault, theft or embezzlement, and drug or other substance abuse-related crimes may make a student ineligible to participate in clinical experiences and therefore ineligible to be admitted to a health sciences program. Students will be required to complete a technical standards and clinical requirement form before full acceptance to a COHS program is granted. More information will be made available to candidates from the COHS programs.

Program of Studies


Electives


Electives as required and directed.

Admissions Requirements


The University of Saint Francis accepts a limited number of students each year into this academically competitive program. The Physical Therapist Assistant Program has two classifications of students: Pre-PTA and PTA. Applicants are accepted and reviewed throughout the year. The goal is to fill the next cohort group for the following August with the most qualified applicants. Once the class is filled, remaining qualified applicants may be offered positions in the class, or positions on the Wait List. Movement of applicants from the Wait List into an earlier class may occur if positions become available. Please submit completed applications for the PTA Program to the USF Office of Admissions. In addition to meeting the University of Saint Francis admission criteria, candidates will be considered for admission to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program who:

 

1. Submit all previous academic transcripts of attempted coursework and, upon review:

  • Have a minimum admissions GPA of 3.0 in high school or a minimum score of 2500 on the GED examination or a minimum admissions GPA of 2.7 on a minimum of 15 college credits. GPAs presented to the Admissions Committee for each applicant will be a cumulative record of all college-level work.

 

2. Meet one of the following criteria for admission:

  • SAT re-centered composite score of 1080 or higher post May 2016.
    • SAT composite score of 1000 prior to May 2016.
  • ACT re-centered composite score of 19 or higher post May 2016.
    • ACT composite score of 21 or higher prior to May 2016.
  • TEAS Composite Score of 60% or higher.
  • Attain a GPA of 2.7 or higher while taking a minimum of 15 credit hours at USF.

 

3. Complete or transfer the equivalent of 15 credit hours of the following pre-requisite courses with a grade of C or higher in Anatomy and Physiology, conditional completion before entering the Professional Sequence of The Program.

  • Anatomy and Physiology I with lab or Human Anatomy and Physiology I with lab
  • Anatomy and Physiology II with lab or Human Anatomy and Physiology II with lab
  • Math: College Algebra
  • Physical Survey with lab
  • General Psychology
  • Cultural Diversity
  • English: Rhetoric and Composition
  • Psychology: Human Growth and Development

 

4. Perform a minimum of 8 hours of observation in a physical therapy setting submitted with documentation

 

A rubric is used by the PTA Program Admissions Committee for reviewing and scoring each application. A minimum of 8 points is necessary to move from the Pre-PTA to the PTA classification. The determination of acceptance to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program will be made after an individual review of each candidate’s file.

 

0-3 Points are awarded in the following categories:

  • High School Weighted GPA or GED: 0,1,2
  • Aptitude Test Scores: 0,1,2
  • College GPA for 15 credit hours or more: 0, 1, 2, 3
  • Program Required Course Completion Grade of “B”  or higher: 0, 1, 2
  • Observation Hours in a Physical Therapy Setting with Documentation: 0, 1, 2

 

Additional options for 1 point each (maximum of 2 points)

  •  Military service
  • Consistently elevated grades in all years of math and science: All grades “B” or above
  • 2 letters of recommendation submitted with application: One from a PT or PTA and from a teacher/professor or healthcare professional
  • Observation hours of 24 or higher with documentation
  • An active healthcare license or certification. Examples: CNA, MA, EMT, ATC, or other
  • Prior college degree has been awarded
  • Completion of 2 in-person written essay prompts proctored by PTA faculty and other faculty. Student will schedule a meeting.

 

* The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) may be substituted for the SAT or ACT scores. Applicants who take the TEAS will be responsible for any additional costs associated with this test. Information on taking the TEAS test will be provided to the candidate upon request. The TEAS test may only be retaken twice by the candidate to achieve a higher score that is counted toward the admission rubric.

 

A candidate’s position in the class will only be guaranteed if the candidate’s records for subsequent coursework continue to be at a level that supports the application score required for admission.

Criminal History

An applicant for certification or licensure as a physical therapist assistant should be aware that a criminal history may adversely affect the decision rendered by a regulatory body related to granting certification or licensure. These decisions are rendered on a case-by-case basis.

Progression Requirements


In order to advance in the Physical Therapist Assistant Program, the student must:

  1. Complete all prerequisites and enroll in all co-requisites;
  2. Achieve a 78% or above Physical Therapist Assistant and College of Health Sciences courses. For PTA Program courses with a laboratory component, a grade of 78% or above means that the student has received a 78% or above for both the lecture and laboratory components.
  3. Achieve a score of 80% or more and successfully perform all critical elements identified on a practical examination score sheet when taking or retaking a practical exam.
  4. Achieve a “P” (pass) for each Clinical Education course.
  5. Maintain a “C” (2.0) or above in all courses taken at University of Saint Francis;
  6. Maintain certification in Healthcare Provider Level Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (formerly called Level C);
  7. Exhibit personal and professional behaviors that demonstrate honesty, dependability, responsibility and positive interpersonal skills*; and
  8. Demonstrate consistently safe clinical skills and actions. An unsafe clinical skill or action is a single occurrence or pattern of behavior in the classroom lab or clinic involving unacceptable risk or actual harm to the patient, to the student or others.*

* A student who exhibits impaired judgment or is suspected of substance abuse in the classroom, lab or clinic will be removed from the setting promptly, will meet jointly with his or her advisor and the Program Director. The situation will be handled by the PTA Program based on the behaviors which resulted in action on the part of university or clinical faculty/staff. Please refer to the USF Student Handbook section on Standard of Conduct for more information.

Failure to meet these requirements will result in dismissal from the PTA Program following review by the PTA Faculty.

Minimum Competency:

In order to demonstrate Minimum Competency for progression in The Program on all written exams, quizzes, papers, and projects, etc., a grade of 78% must be earned. If a student receives below a 78%, remediation will be required per the discretion of the instructor until competency is reached but the original grade will be the one used for determining the student’s grade for the course.

To demonstrate Minimum Competency on all practical examinations, a grade of 80% must be earned. If a student receives below an 80% or does not successfully complete all Critical Elements of Safety, the student will be required to retake the practical exam. The student will have only 1 additional attempt to achieve successful completion of the practical exam. The original grade will be the one used for determining the grade for the course.

Graduation Requirements


All students must complete required credits indicated in the Physical Therapist Assistant Program’s curriculum plan with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for eligibility to graduate. At least 55 percent of the credits for the Associate of Applied Science degree must be obtained from University of Saint Francis coursework. Competent performance of clinical procedures will be documented from laboratory checkoffs and from clinical education evaluations performed on each student. In addition, university requirements for an Associate of Science degree must be met. Students enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant program are expected to complete graduation requirements in four to six semesters.

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