Degrees type: Associate

Main Campus

The field of Physical Therapy is continually evolving and the demand for these professionals is expanding nationally. Students majoring in the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program at Mount Aloysius College benefit from the close support of outstanding faculty who are committed to your success. Class sizes are kept small, offering students a warm, close-knit learning environment. The program takes (5) semesters to complete with graduation in late August after completion of full-time clinical placements in the summer of the second year.

Aimed at helping patients maximize physical function; this career path offers years of fulfilling engagement as a respected paraprofessional. Graduates of the Mount Aloysius Physical Therapist Assistant program need academic focus and the ability to put the well-being of their patients first.

Students pursuing this profession at Mount Aloysius enjoy the support of an experienced and caring faculty and quality clinical partners. Their commitment is focused on helping you gain the knowledge and experience needed to excel; successfully navigating the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination, and entering this exciting profession with competency and compassion.

Mount Aloysius College offers students enrolled in the PTA program the opportunity to continue on to complete a Bachelor’s degree enabling them to be eligible to apply to a Physical Therapy program. They can work as a PTA once they have passed the National Exam and work as a PTA while pursuing a higher degree.

Program Highlights

  • Variety of clinical experiences offered in healthcare settings.

  • One of the fastest-growing fields in the United States

  • Mount Aloysius boasts one of the best programs in Pennsylvania.

  • Multiple options to complete both the PTA degree and a bachelor’s degree within four years

Mountie Spotlight

Mount Aloysius Student Receives National Veteran Leadership Award

John, '20, was awarded the 2020 Student Veteran Leadership Award from G.I. Jobs Magazine.

Mountie Spotlight

Helping Others Succeed

Van, ’18, loves that his job as a physical therapist assistant allows him to help people meet their goals.

Mountie Spotlight

A Rehabilitation Journey

Kelsey knew that she wanted to be a PTA after seeing how therapy helped her father.

Mountie Spotlight

Go with the Flow

Cameron’s PTA career unexpectedly led to entrepreneurship.

Watch a video with Dr. Emily Houseknecht, a professor in the physical therapy department, talking about the physical therapist assistant program.

Watch a video about what to expect when visiting Mount Aloysius.

Watch this video featuring aerials views of Mount Aloysius College.

The PTA program at Mount Aloysius gave me all the necessary tools I needed and more, the program helps you grow as a person and the professors are more than accommodating. This program prepares you for any PT discipline possible. Being a student athlete and living far from home, Mount Aloysius and the PTA program gave me a second family.

Karly
Class of 2016

More Information

American Physical Therapy Association – www.apta.org
Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Association – www.ppta.org
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education – http://www.capteonline.org/Programs/

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Mount Aloysius College 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: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call Dr. Emily Houseknecht at 814-886-6533 or email ehouseknecht@mtaloy.edu.

Graduation rates:

  • 68.6% graduation rate (2021-2022)

Pass rates on the National Physical Therapist Assistant Exam (NPTAE):

  • 77.5% pass rate on the NPTAE for graduates (2-year average 2020-2021; 72.7% first-time pass rate 2021)
  • 95% pass rate on the NPTAE for graduates (2-year average 2021-2022; 100% first-time pass rate 2022)

Employment rate:

  • 100% employment rate (2-year average 2020-2021)

Click here to view the Mount Aloysius College Physical Therapist Assistant Policy & Procedure Manual

Minimum Requirements for Eligibility for Admissions

  1. College Application.
  2. Completed work equal to standard high school course with a minimum of 16 units, including four units of English, three units of a social studies, two units of mathematics and two units of science with a related laboratory.
  3. One course in chemistry or physics, one course in algebra and one course in biology at either high school or college level with a minimum grade of “C.” Note: Higher grades in the sciences are indicative of success in the program and will be taken into consideration for admission purposes.
  4. Students transferring into the program from another major within the College, transferring from Pre-Physical Therapy Assistant (PTAP), or transferring in from another College must have a minimum of a 2.75 overall GPA, have completed BIOL 201 (Anatomy and Physiology I) with a “C” or better and completed at least 6 credits successfully per semester enrolled.
  5. Students transferring into the program from a Physical Therapist Assistant or Doctor of Physical Therapy program at a different institution will be required to complete the physical therapist assistant specific course work at Mount Aloysius College, including clinical rotations, regardless of courses completed at another college. Students may transfer in general education and medical terminology credits.

Note: Meeting minimum program requirements does not approve program entry.

PTA Program Acceptance and Matriculation Rates

Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021
Acceptance Rate* 59.3% 62.7% 66.0% 76.0%
Matriculation Rate** 80.0% 66.7% 73.0% 55.3%

* Acceptance Rate refers to the percentage of applicants who met the admission criteria for entrance into the PTA program at Mount Aloysius College.

**Matriculation Rate refers to the percentage of accepted applicants who actually attended the PTA program at Mount Aloysius College.

Upcoming Admissions Events

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Admissions Office

Main Administration Building
7373 Admiral Peary Highway
Cresson, PA 16630