General Program Description

The PTA program is a 2-year program that starts with fall and spring semesters, followed by fall, spring, and then clinical experiences in the summer. Students graduate in August following two full-time internships. The program has three faculty members and is housed in a major university that provides an outpatient physical therapy clinic on campus. This enables the student to have early hands-on experience with patients under faculty supervision.

Clinical Experiences
Students perform clinical experiences either on-campus or off-campus during the early part of the program and off-campus during their second year. They complete two full-time internships just prior to graduation.

Faculty
One faculty member is a PTA with a MS in Athletic Training. One faculty member is a PT with a MSPT, a BS in Athletic Training and a Master of Health Administration. The program Director is a PT with a MSPT.

Enrollment
The physical therapist assistant program accepts 30 students annually from a pool of qualified applicants. Transfer students are accepted, and no preference is given to in-state residents. Accepted students enter the program fall semester. The total enrollment of the university is 14,000.

Admission
Beginning freshmen are considered for admission on the basis of a combination of class rank and test scores (ACT or SAT). In addition, students entering the university are required to have completed selected high school courses to qualify for unconditional admission. All students granted admission while in high school are required to graduate from high school. The cumulative grade point average (GPA) for PTA students was 3.3 on a 4.0 scale for the last class upon admission. No prerequisite coursework is required for the PTA program. A minimum of ten volunteer or observation hours with a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant are also required. Applicants should apply to the university for admission the fall semester prior to beginning the program. After admission to the university, a second application for admission into the PTA program must be submitted. A downloadable application is available on the program’s website via Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s homepage. The review of completed program applications will begin February 1st. The program closes when 30 qualified applicants have been accepted.

Outcomes
Recent figures revealed that 63.5% of qualified applicants are admitted into the program and 86% of admitted students graduate. Three year averages for licensure pass rates are published and updated on a continual basis on the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy’s web site; www.fsbpt.org and can be accessed by prospective students. 100% of program graduates looking for positions and responding to surveys are employed as PTAs (three year average).

Tuition, fees and financial aid
The average tuition and fees for the academic year 2014-2015 is $10,409.04. Other expenses such as books, clinical attire, immunizations and drug testing are approximately $1,500.00. For housing information, please contact University Housing, Washington Square, Carbondale, IL 62901-6716. Financial aid is available for qualified students. Contact the Office of Financial Aid, Woody Hall, B Wing, Third Fl, Carbondale, IL 62901-4702.

Student life
Intercollegiate athletic programs are many and varied. The university is located approximately 100 miles southeast of St Louis, 320 miles south of Chicago and surrounded by tthe Shawnee National Forest.