General Program Description
The PTA program is composed of 28 credit hours of general education and 47 credit hours of core PTA courses. Students begin during the fall semester of each academic year. The program is 22 months in length. Two full-time and eight adjunct faculty members instruct in the program. In addition, many local clinicians agree to teach in their respective area of expertise. Students graduate after their last clinical rotation in May.
Clinical Experiences
Students participate in three separate full-time clinical experiences in a variety of settings including acute care, outpatient, orthopedic, geriatric, pediatric, sports medicine, and sub-acute facilities. The first clinical rotation is 12 hours of orientation at their summer clinical facility and occurs the last two weeks of the first spring semester. The second clinical experience is 6 weeks and the third and fourth clinical rotations run 6 weeks and 7 weeks respectively. The total clinical experience is 710 hours. Clinical sites are predominantly in the Midwest; however, approximately 10% are located in other states throughout the country.
Faculty
There are two full-time and eight adjunct faculty members/lab assistants. Four of the faculty members are Physical Therapists and four of the faculty members are Physical Therapist Assistants. The faculty to student ratio is 1:18 for didactic courses and 1:12 for lab sessions.
Enrollment
The total enrollment at the college is approximately 1000 students with approximately 800 on campus. The physical therapist assistant program accepts between 18-24 students annually. Enrollment is based on area job markets.
Admission
Individuals applying to the PTA program are evaluated on the following criteria: Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, High school record, ACT composite of 20 or above or SAT of 950 critical reading and mathematics scores (if within 2 years of high school graduation), College Record, Math and Science courses (Minimum 2 years high school math and science required) **Students who meet the requirements are then granted a campus interview. Applicants are accepted on a rolling admission until the class is filled. Prospective students are notified of acceptance within 2-4 weeks following the completion and review of the application. 90% of qualified applicants are admitted to the program (3-year average).
Outcomes
81% of matriculating students graduate from the program (4-year average); 94% of the graduates taking licensure exam passed (3-year average); and 97% of those program graduates responding to surveys are employed in the PTA field (3-year average).
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Estimated tuition for the 2014-2015 academic year is $528 per credit hour. Students pay a total of $105 in one time fees (background check, drug test, ID card), a $25 student activity fee per semester and a $50 student health fee per semester. There are no lab fees for the program. An average book cost for the program is $1000. Students residing on-campus pay an average of $7,000 per year (12 months) for a double apartment. Approximately 85% of the students at Methodist College receive financial assistance consisting of scholarships, grants, loans, and part-time employment through federal work-study. College merit-based scholarships are also awarded based solely on academic achievement.
Student life
Nebraska Methodist College has a vast amount of services available to students. The learning commons was completed in 2011 consisting of an updated library, study rooms, coffee bar, and writing center to name a few. The student developmental services department is available for tutoring, test taking tips, time management, test anxiety, counseling, leadership development, and student health. They also provide involvement opportunities in student organizations and community service The writing center is available to assist with student papers, resumes, interview tips, etc. Students have opportunities to enjoy many cultural, and social events on the college campus as well as these and athletic events within the Omaha community.