About This Program

Join one of the fastest-growing healthcare fields with Kent State's Physical Therapist Assistant Technology A.A.S. program. With a blend of classroom instruction and hands-on experience, you'll learn the skills needed to provide high-quality patient care and support. Read more...

Contact Information

• Ashley Vlasov, PTA, MPH | avlasov@kent.edu | 440-964-4275
• Speak with an Advisor
  • Ashtabula Campus
  • East Liverpool Campus
  • Online (any campus above)
  • Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • Mostly online (Athletic Trainers Transition concentration only)
  • In person
• Location:
  • Ashtabula Campus
  • East Liverpool Campus (Athletic Trainers Transition concentration not offered)

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*

Accreditation 

The Physical Therapist Assistant program at Kent State University at Ashtabula and East Liverpool, and the PTA program for NATA-BOC Certified Athletic Trainer's are 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 Ashley Vlasov 440-964-4275 or email at avlasov@kent.edu.

^{* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.}

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

Kent State campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, and the Twinsburg Academic Center, have open enrollment admission for students who hold a high school diploma, GED or equivalent.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the Coursework tab.

For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

Admission to the Athletic Trainers Transition concentration: Applicants must be board-certified athletic trainers.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
PTST 10000	INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT (min C grade)	1
PTST 10001	PRINCIPLES OF PATIENT CARE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY (min C grade) 1	4
PTST 10011	INTRODUCTION TO THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE	1
PTST 10003	CLINICAL CONDITIONS I (min C grade)	2
PTST 11005	PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE I (min C grade)	2
PTST 11092	CLINICAL EDUCATION I (ELR)	1
PTST 20003	CLINICAL CONDITIONS II (min C grade) 2	2
PTST 20004	PHYSICAL THERAPY PROCEDURES II (min C grade) 2	4
PTST 20006	PHYSICAL REHABILITATION PROCEDURES (min C grade) 1	4
PTST 20008	CLINICAL CONDITIONS III (min C grade)	2
PTST 22005	PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE II (min C grade)	2
PTST 22007	PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE III (min C grade)	2
PTST 22092	CLINICAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM II (ELR)	2
PTST 23092	CLINICAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM III (ELR)	2
PTST 20011	PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT MANAGEMENT OF THE MEDICALLY COMPLEX PATIENT	2
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA; min C grade required in all courses)
AHS 12005	CONCEPTS IN LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT 3	3
AHS 12010	PROFESSIONALISM IN HEALTHCARE	1
AHS 24010	MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY	1-3
or HED 14020	MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY
PSYC 11762	GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS)	3
UC 10001	FLASHES 101	1
Kent Core Composition		3
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning		3
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts		3
Additional Requirements or Concentration
Choose from the following:		14
Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration
Athletic Trainers Transition Concentration
Minimum Total Credit Hours:		65

¹

For PTST 10001 and PTST 20006, students in the Athletic Trainers Transition concentration will be required to complete two three-day laboratory weekends on the Ashtabula Campus

²

Students in the Athletic Training Transition concentration will earn transfer credit (no grade) for PTST 10011 and PTST 20003 and PTST 20004 after completing PTST 10010 with minimum C grade.

³

Students who have successfully completed NURS 20950 may use it in place of AHS 12005.

⁴

UC 10001 is waived for students declared in the Athletic Trainers Transition concentration who hold a bachelor's degree.

Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA; min C grade required in all courses)
PTST 10004	PHYSICAL THERAPY PROCEDURES I	4
Additional Requirements (courses do no count in major GPA; min C grade required in all courses)
AHS 22002	CLINICAL KINESIOLOGY	3
AHS 22003	CLINICAL KINESIOLOGY LABORATORY	1
BSCI 11010	FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB) 1	3
BSCI 11020	FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II (KBS) (KLAB) 1	3
Minimum Total Credit Hours:		14

¹

Students who have successfully completed ATTR 25057 and ATTR 25058 (or EXSC 25057 and EXSC 25058 or BSCI 21010 and BSCI 21020) may use those courses in place of BSCI 11010 and BSCI 11020.

Athletic Trainers Transition Concentration Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Concentration Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA; min C grade required in all courses)
PTST 10010	TRANSITIONS IN PHYSICAL THERAPY (min C grade) 1,2	8
Additional Requirements (course do not count in the major GPA)
Kent Core Basic Sciences		3
General Elective (possible transfer coursework)		3
Minimum Total Credit Hours:		14

¹

For PTST 10010, students will be required to complete two three-day laboratory weekends on the Ashtabula Campus.

²

Students in the Athletic Training Transition concentration will earn transfer credit (no grade) for PTST 10011 and PTST 20003 and PTST 20004 after completing PTST 10010 with minimum C grade.

Progression Requirements

To be able to register for physical therapist assistant technology (PTST) courses, students must be accepted to technical study. Acceptance to technical study is a selective process. Criteria for acceptance are the following:

• Completion of observation hours in a physical therapy clinic
• Minimum 2.700 overall GPA from the most recent academic experience of 12 credit hours or more
• Completion or placement out of all Kent State University prescribed developmental education coursework (ENG 01001 and READ 00006)
• Submission of application to technical study, separate from the university application
• Program Applicant Assessments as noted in the program application information packet for each cohort

Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements Summary

Minimum Major GPA	Minimum Overall GPA
2.000	2.000

• Minimum C (or S) grade may be required in some courses.
• Three practicum courses require students to complete a minimum of 640 off-campus clinical education hours under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist or physical therapist assistant. Under certain circumstances, students in practicum courses are required to attend clinicals on days outside of the academic calendar. These circumstances may occur on scheduled or unscheduled campus closures or on days when classes are cancelled. Examples include: certain holidays, spring recess, snow days and/or prior to the start of semesters. Students are notified in advance of the clinical education schedule.
• Contracted clinical education sites normally require students to demonstrate both medical and background clearances, as well as the ability to perform the core tasks and essential job functions of a physical therapist assistant. Students who are unable to perform the core tasks and essential job functions, or who cannot demonstrate medical and background clearance may not be able to complete the requirements for the degree program.

Roadmaps

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid

	Semester Prerequisite		Credits
	BSCI 11010	FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I (KBS) (KLAB)	3
	PSYC 11762	GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS)	3
	UC 10001	FLASHES 101	1
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	10
	Semester One
	AHS 12010	PROFESSIONALISM IN HEALTHCARE	1
	AHS 24010 or HED 14020	MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY or MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY	1
	BSCI 11020	FOUNDATIONAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II (KBS) (KLAB)	3
	PTST 10000	INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT	1
!	PTST 10001	PRINCIPLES OF PATIENT CARE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY	4
!	PTST 10003	CLINICAL CONDITIONS I	2
	PTST 10011	INTRODUCTION TO THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE	1
		Credit Hours	13
	Semester Two
	AHS 12005	CONCEPTS IN LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT	3
!	AHS 22002	CLINICAL KINESIOLOGY	3
!	AHS 22003	CLINICAL KINESIOLOGY LABORATORY	1
!	PTST 10004	PHYSICAL THERAPY PROCEDURES I	4
!	PTST 11005	PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE I	2
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	16
	First Summer Term
	PTST 11092	CLINICAL EDUCATION I (ELR) (East Liverpool campus only)	0-1
		Credit Hours	0
	Semester Three
!	PTST 11092	CLINICAL EDUCATION I (ELR) (Ashtabula Campus only)	0-1
!	PTST 20003	CLINICAL CONDITIONS II	2
!	PTST 20004	PHYSICAL THERAPY PROCEDURES II	4
!	PTST 22005	PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE II	2
!	PTST 22092	CLINICAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM II (ELR) (East Liverpool Campus only)	0-2
	Kent Core Requirement		3
		Credit Hours	14
	Semester Four
!	PTST 20006	PHYSICAL REHABILITATION PROCEDURES	4
!	PTST 22007	PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE III	2
!	PTST 20008	CLINICAL CONDITIONS III	2
!	PTST 20011	PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT MANAGEMENT OF THE MEDICALLY COMPLEX PATIENT	2
!	PTST 23092	CLINICAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM III (ELR)	2
		Credit Hours	12
	Second Summer Term
	PTST 22092	CLINICAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM II (ELR) (Ashtabulua Campus only)	0-2
		Credit Hours	0
	Third Summer Term
	PTST 22092	CLINICAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM II (ELR)	0-2
		Credit Hours	0
		Minimum Total Credit Hours:	65

Athletic Trainers Transition Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid

	Semester Prerequisite		Credits
	UC 10001	FLASHES 101	1
	Kent Core Requirements (possible transfer coursework)		12
	General Electives (possible transfer coursework)		3
		Credit Hours	16
	Semester One
	PSYC 11762	GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY (DIVD) (KSS)	3
	PTST 10000	INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT	1
!	PTST 10010	TRANSITIONS IN PHYSICAL THERAPY	8
	Transfer credit (no grade) for PTST 20003, PTST 20004 and PTST 10011 after completing PTST 10010 (min C grade)		7
		Credit Hours	19
	Semester Two
	AHS 12005	CONCEPTS IN LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT	3
	AHS 12010	PROFESSIONALISM IN HEALTHCARE	1
	AHS 24010 or HED 14020	MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY or MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY	1
!	PTST 10001	PRINCIPLES OF PATIENT CARE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY	4
!	PTST 10003	CLINICAL CONDITIONS I	2
!	PTST 11005	PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE I	2
		Credit Hours	13
	Semester Three
!	PTST 11092	CLINICAL EDUCATION I (ELR)	1
!	PTST 20006	PHYSICAL REHABILITATION PROCEDURES	4
!	PTST 20008	CLINICAL CONDITIONS III	2
!	PTST 22005	PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE II	2
		Credit Hours	9
	Semester Four
!	PTST 22007	PHYSICAL THERAPY PRACTICE III	2
!	PTST 22092	CLINICAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM II (ELR)	2
!	PTST 23092	CLINICAL EDUCATION PRACTICUM III (ELR)	2
	PTST 20011	PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT MANAGEMENT OF THE MEDICALLY COMPLEX PATIENT	2
		Credit Hours	8
		Minimum Total Credit Hours:	65

University Requirements

All students in an applied or technical associate degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements, please see Program Requirements for details.

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Flashes 101 (UC 10001)		1
Course is not required for students with 30+ transfer credits (excluding College Credit Plus) or age 21+ at time of admission.
Kent Core (see table below)		15
Total Credit Hour Requirement		60
Some associate degrees require students to complete more than 60 credit hours.

Kent Core Requirements

Bachelor's Requirements

Requirement	Credits/Courses
Kent Core Composition (KCMP)	3
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning (KMCR)	3
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (KHUM/KFA)	3
Kent Core Social Sciences (KSS)	3
Kent Core Basic Sciences (KBS/KLAB)	3
Total Credit Hours:	15

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Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Provide appropriate and effective physical therapy interventions within the plan of care established by a physical therapist.
2. Effectively communicate with others, teaching or instructing when appropriate.
3. Produce legal and ethical documentation to meet professional expectations and the needs of third party payers.
4. Ethically manage fiscal and human resources to provide high-quality, efficient and cost-effective physical therapy services.
5. Consistently demonstrate the core values of the physical therapist assistant; accountability, altruism, collaboration, compassion and caring, duty, excellence, inclusion, integrity, and social responsibility.

Full Description

The Associate of Applied Science degree in Physical Therapist Assistant Technology provides students with the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary to become licensed or certified as a physical therapist assistant, working under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist. Licensure or certification in most states requires graduation from an accredited program, background clearances and passing the National Physical Therapy Examination.

The integrated curriculum includes lecture, laboratory, seminar and practicum courses. Major course content is cumulative and taught in four sequential semesters in a two year cycle. The technical study curriculum requires student to be on campus or in the clinic three to five days per week each term.

The Physical Therapist Assistant Technology major includes the following optional concentration:

• The Athletic Trainers Transition concentration is for board-certified athletic trainers and may be completed, at minimum, in 15 months. The concentration adds the skills and knowledge of a physical therapist assistant to the certified athletic trainers knowledge and skill competency. The concentration is offered primarily online, but requires six three-day in person on the Ashtabula Campus to conduct laboratory assignments. In addition, students must complete a minimum 640 hours of clinical education, which, typically, can be arranged anywhere in the country.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.