You want to attend a credible college that stands out from the rest. At COD, you'll discover:

• Dedicated instructors with years of professional experience.
• Affordable programs to help you achieve success without creating overwhelming debt or draining a savings account.
• Instruction utilizing top-notch facilities and equipment in the Health and Science Center.
• Hands-on physical therapist assistant courses to help you feel prepared when you are ready to enter the workforce. 

Physical Therapist Assistant, A.A.S.

The Physical Therapist Assistant program prepares students to provide skilled direct patient care under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapist. Students will acquire the skills necessary to help alleviate pain, improve strength and mobility, and facilitate patients' attainment of maximum function. Physical therapist assistants are employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, sports medicine clinics and home health care agencies. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) licensureexam. Upon passing the PTA licensure exam, the graduate can practice as a Physical Therapist Assistant. The Physical Therapist Assistant program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). This degree requires a minimum of 67.5 credits in program requirements and general education in the courses listed below.

Mission of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program

The Mission of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at the College of DuPage is to serve our community as an affordable, accessible option for providing an education that offers students a successful career path to becoming a highly skilled PTA through quality learning experiences in a well-equipped lab on a campus with multiple resources available to meet their needs.

The Mission of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program is:

• To provide an evening track opportunity for students to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Physical Therapist Assistant, which will prepare graduates to take the state licensure exam and to meet the needs of the community, as determined by the needs assessment which provided the basis for this program’s establishment. 
• To provide to its students the highest quality learning experiences in the classroom and laboratory, supplemented with practical training at clinical facilities to ensure integration of physical therapy principles into treatment of patients in a variety of clinical settings. 
• To foster its students’ development of appropriate communication techniques, professional behavior, safe, ethical and legal practice, and critical thinking in the implementation of treatment plans. 
• To ensure that the dynamic curriculum is reflecting current physical therapy practice knowledge by team approach of all persons involved. 
• To provide material resources on the College of DuPage campus and within the PTA Program to meet community service and professional development needs. 
• To collaborate with student support services to market the profession of physical therapy, advise potential program applicants, orient PTA Program students to College services and provide special academic assistance where necessary.

Physical Therapist Assistant Goals

Upon completion of the PTA Program, the graduate should be able to: 

• Collect data on patients through interviews, observation, and assessments, 
• Provide a safe and effective treatment session, practicing within the legal and ethical parameters of the physical therapy profession, 
• Adapt treatment modalities and procedures to meet patients’ needs, 
• Recognize when treatment needs to be modified or discontinued, demonstrating critical thinking,
• Demonstrate effective written, oral and nonverbal communication skills, and professional behavior, when interacting with patients, their families, and staff, 
• Assist in the management of physical therapy services,
• Assume responsibility for continued personal and professional growth, and
• Demonstrate the ability to contribute to the profession and community. 

Program Accreditation

The Physical Therapist Assistant program at College of DuPage is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: (703) 706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, call (630) 942-3337 or email dziakj@cod.edu.

View the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) Physical Therapist Assistant Student Financial Fact Sheet.

Program Outcomes

Program Outcomes 2022-2024

Class	Graduation Rate	Employment Rate (within 12 months of licensure)	Exam Pass Rate First Time	Exam Pass Rate Ultimate
2022	92%	100%	82%	100%
2023	94%	100%	93%	100%
2024	100%	100%	79%	89%
2-year average (2022-2023)	93%	100%	88%	100%
2-year average (2023-2024)	97%	100%	85%	94%

 

Students are expected to provide proof of a Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan prior to the start of the program or clinical start. The insurance plan must cover you throughout the length of your clinical experience, which in most cases, consists of the entire length of the program. If you are in need of Health Insurance, please note the following important dates and visit cod.studentbenefitplans.com.

Important Dates

• Open Enrollment: Typically opens November through mid-January
  If you will need health insurance ANYTIME within the next year, you must apply during the current open enrollment period.

If you miss open enrollment, but have a qualifying life event, you can still apply during a Special Enrollment Period.

While we cannot guarantee your official acceptance into the program, you need to be aware that there is short timeframe of when you are able to purchase a Health Insurance plan. The purpose of this step is to make you aware and that the time to research and purchase is NOW. Purchasing health insurance outside of this timeframe will take months and may prohibit your admittance into the Program. NOTE: Obtaining Health Insurance is NOT an application requirement but it is a requirement to be in the program.

Incoming health science students have certain requirements that must be met throughout the program. Refer to the resources below for more information.

• Clinical Requirements Packet - Learn more about health requirements you may need to complete prior to registration or after program admission.
• Social Security Number (SSN) Requirements - While the College may not require an SSN for admission to all healthcare programs, students should be aware that the absence of an SSN may limit or prevent their ability to participate in certain clinical experiences, obtain required licensure or certification or secure employment upon graduation. Many healthcare employers, clinical education sites, licensing agencies and credentialing organizations require a valid SSN for employment, criminal background checks, payroll processing and/or professional licensure or certification. Students are strongly encouraged to verify SSN requirements with the applicable licensing board, certifying agency and prospective employers before enrolling in a healthcare program.
• Policy for Professional Conduct - Learn what will be expected of you in the classroom, lab, simulation and clinical sites.
• Violation of Professional Conduct Policy Form - Used to document violations of the Professional Conduct Policy.

Physical Therapist Assistant Program graduates will:

• Demonstrate accurate data collection on patients through interviews, observation, and assessments.
• Provide a safe and effective treatment session, practicing within the legal and ethical parameters of the physical therapy profession.
• Describe appropriate safety procedures in the clinical setting following the facilities policies and procedures
• Demonstrate procedures to maintain a safe and efficient physical environment
• Determine adjustments to the intervention within the plan of care established by the physical therapist in response to patient clinical indications
• Identify when intervention should be modified or discontinued, demonstrating critical thinking
• Demonstrate effective written, oral and nonverbal communication skills, and professional behavior, when interacting with patients, their families, and staff.
• Demonstrate assistance in patient care management of physical therapy services.
• Subscribe to activities supporting continued personal and professional growth.

College of DuPage partners with several four-year institutions to help students seamlessly complete a bachelor’s degree to become a physical therapist assistant. Students can connect with Transfer Services for personalized guidance on transfer opportunities.

For more information about Transfer Pathways, visit the College of DuPage Catalog. The pathway outlines a typical two-year course plan for completing an AA or AS degree before transferring to a four-year program. Course requirements vary by institution, so consult your faculty or academic advisor for specific guidance.

Articulation Agreements

College of DuPage maintains transfer agreements with many colleges and universities to ensure a smooth transition toward a bachelor’s degree. These agreements often include a defined course sequence. Students should regularly meet with a faculty member or Advising Services to stay on track.

• BA in Healthcare Management
• Northern Illinois University, AAS Physical Therapist Assistant to BS in Health Sciences

Transfer Guides

Beyond articulation agreements and guaranteed admission programs, College of DuPage courses transfer to many other institutions. Transfer Guides help students select COD courses that meet prerequisites for specific majors and include details such as contact information, major requirements, general education requirements, and transfer policies.

Once a student has been accepted into the program, the student will be in the program for five consecutive semesters which includes unpaid clinical internships.

Each student within a cohort takes exactly the same courses in the same order. A student must pass each PTA course to continue in the PTA program.

The deadline for submitting a complete application is found in the Application Packet. 

The PTA program's classes begin the fall semester of the same year as the application.

Strong academic and interpersonal skills are necessary to be successful in this program. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are necessary to facilitate communication in the health care environment.

Each program with out-of-district clinical sites may admit a maximum of 20 percent of out-of-district applicants to the program, based on merit. The 20 percent maximum policy only applies to out-of-district applicants who do not have access to a particular program in the community college district in which they reside. Students coming from districts with a particular program within their district would only be considered if there were open seats after all qualified candidates from in-district and out-of-district without programs were accepted.

If there are insufficient numbers of qualified in-district applicants, the maximum percentage of out-of-district students accepted can be exceeded until the program achieves full enrollment, with the approval of the Dean of Nursing & Health Sciences.

Priority for Admission

• a. In-District applicants
• b. Out-of-District who are part of the CAREER Consortium Agreement (meaning your residing community college does not offer the particular program in which you are applying)
• c. Out-of-District applicants working full-time in-district (proof of in-district employment will be required each semester)
• d. Out-of-District applicants (who are not part of the CAREER Consortium Agreement) including those students with a joint or charge back agreement and International students

Please review the PTA Application Packet for more information.

The exact number of candidates who have fully completed applications and have met the minimum acceptance criteria has varied from year to year. In the last five years, the number of applicants have ranged from 40 to 50. Twenty students are accepted into the PTA program each fall semester.

Read and follow the application packet carefully.

Completion of all general education classes is highly recommended.

The advisors are very knowledgeable. Once you have applied to COD, make an appointment with a Health Care Program Advisor by calling (630) 942-2259.