Program Entrance Requirements

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program is a limited entry program.  Admission to the University does not guarantee formal admission to the technical phase of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program.  The following steps must be followed for admission to the Pre-Technical phase (Pre-PTA status) of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program:

• Step 1 Admission to California University of Pennsylvania in Pre-PTA
• Step 2 Completed Medical Information Form submitted to the University
• Step 3 Sit for University Placement tests
• Step 4 If necessary, complete all developmental courses with a grade of C or better.
  [Note: a student who needs to complete developmental courses may be delayed in entry into the Pre-Technical Phase of the Program]
• Step 5 Admission granted to the Pre-Technical phase of the Physical Therapist Assistant
• Step 6 Meet with an advisor
• Step 7 Complete Fall semester courses in Pre-Technical phase.

Formal admission into the Technical phase of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program occurs at the completion of the fall semester.  This admission is very competitive, as only 20 students will be admitted into the Technical phase, which will commence with the subsequent spring term.  Students may meet all of the admissions criteria and not be formally admitted into the Technical phase due to program size limitations.  A maximum of 20 students will be selected based upon the Physical Therapist Assistant Program score-sheet, which assigns a score to each student based upon the following criteria:

• 2.75 is the minimum admitting quality point average [QPA] for the Pre-technical phase courses.
• Final grade in PTA 100, Introduction to Physical Therapist Assistant (2.00 minimum).
• Final grade in PTA 101 Basic Physical Therapy Procedures(2.00 minimum)
• Final grade in HSC 110, Human Anatomy and Physiology I (3.00 minimum).
• Personal interview with two to three members of the PTA Advisory Committee.

Additionally, once a student is formally admitted into the Technical Phase of the Program the student must provide evidence of all of the following:

• Verification of current CPR certification.
• Verification of Act 33 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse History) and Act 34 (Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record) clearances.
• Evidence of physical and emotional health as indicated by submission of a University Medical Information Form completed by a licensed physician including current immunization records for DTP, MMR I, MMR II, tetanus; and a 2-step tuberculin skin test (PPD by mantoux method).
• Hepatitis B vaccine series (3 doses) is strongly recommended to meet the possible clinical internship site requirements.

Students that meet the minimum requirements but are not ranked in the top 20 will be placed on a waiting list.  Students will be informed of their admissions status within 30 days of the completion of the fall semester courses in the Pre-Technical phase; however, partially due to the grade requirement (PTA 100, PTA 101, HSC 110) a student may not know their status until final grades are submitted by faculty.

All students that are formally admitted to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program must provide evidence of student membership in the American Physical Therapy Association and professional liability insurance prior to receiving a clinical assignment. (Second five weeks ­ Summer Semester).

Program Information Made Available upon Request

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program will provide information about employment rates, licensure examination pass rates, and graduates rates at the request of the public, students, or prospective students.  The person desiring the information is to contact the PTA Program Secretary (724-938-4562) or the Program Director dusi@calu.edu (724-938-4356) for such information.

Special Notice for Transfer Students:

California University students may apply for entrance to the Pre-PTA program in the Department of Health Science simply by completing the standard California University change of major form and indicating Physical Therapist Assistant as their intended major.  These internal transfer students must have an overall quality point average of 2.75 at California University to meet College of Education and Human Services guidelines and they must have completed all developmental courses.

Students from other colleges and universities must meet university admissions requirements and then select Physical Therapist Assistant as their major in order to be admitted to the Pre-Technical phase of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program.  External transfer students may transfer a maximum of 15 credits toward the A.A.S. degree.

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program has been awarded accreditation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) located at 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1488.