General Program Description
The program consists of a 2-year, 5 semester (one summer session), currently 69 credit integrated curriculum format and 71 credit for cohort entering fall 2015. The students take professional courses along with general education requirements. Currently there are 4 full-time faculty members, and 1 full-time lab assistant responsible for teaching all PTA courses and student advising. Students begin their courses in the fall and continue for four 16-week semesters with the Fall semester of sophomore year being compressed to allow for the first 3-week clinical experience. The average credit load per semester is 15 credits. There are two terminal clinical experiences take place during the last summer session before graduation. Students will officially graduate in August but are allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies. Students will receive their diploma in August after successfully completing the last two clinical experiences. Upon successful completion of the PTA program students have the option to continue their education at College Misericordia if they have completed necessary prerequisites.
Clinical Experiences
Students will complete three clinical experiences during the course of this program. The first experience occurs in the last 3 weeks of the fall (semester two). The two terminal experiences occur in the summer semester (semester five) of the program and each experience is 6 weeks in length. They are offered in both inpatient and outpatient facilities throughout Pennsylvania and nearby states. Distant clinical sites will be considered based on individual circumstances. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation and living arrangements during the clinical affiliations.
Faculty
There are 4 full-time faculty and one full-time lab assistant. All faculty members are engaged in clinical practice and three have completed their DPT. One of the faculty member serves as the ACCE, is a PTA, and received their advanced proficency for PTA in musculoskeletal physical therapy.
Enrollment
The physical therapist assistant program at Hazleton is capable of accommodating 55 students every fall. The total enrollment at the Hazleton Campus as of Fall 2014 includes 893 students: 88% are full-time student and 7% are part-time 55% male, 45% female 529 are white and 364 all minorities 89% traditional and 11% adult
Admission
Applicants must have a high school diploma from an accredited school, satisfactory SAT scores (mean score of 1000, mean grade point average of 2.0 for admission into the University, a minimum of 2.5 GPA for the PTA Program), 4 units in English, 2 units in academic math, 1 unit in biology, and 1 unit in science. Applicants may submit transcripts of college courses for evaluation. Letters documenting a minimum of 10 hours of observation in a PT environment are considered, but not required. Applications are received between August 1 and November 30. Penn State allows for consideration of late applications and transfers.
Outcomes
77% of admitted students graduate from the program (3-year average); 89.80% of the graduates passed the licensure exam (3-year average); and 100% of those program graduates responding to surveys are employed (3-year average).
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition fees and charges for the 2014-2015 academic year total approximately $6,506 per semester for state residents. Nonresident student fees and charges are approximately $9,924 per semester. Additional costs can include books, housing, and other fees are approximately an additional $6812 per semester. For additional information, please contact the Penn State Hazleton Admissions Office at (570)450-3142. Approximately 80% of the full-time students receive some form of financial aid. For further details, please contact the Financial Aid Office at (570)450-3074.
Student life
Residence-hall facilities at the Hazleton Campus can accommodate 485 students in double/triple occupancy rooms. The PTA students have the option to participate in Special Interest Housing specifically for students in the PTA major. This gives students the opportunity to live with other PTA students to facilitate a positive learning environment and opportunity to interact with faculty members. Students interested in participating in the Special Interest Housing option should have their application in by the November 30th deadline and accept their offer for admission at the latest mid-February to have the best chance to secure the special interest housing. The Office of Student Programs and Services distributes a list of off-campus housing along with a map of the Hazleton area and a list of students who are looking for roommates. Intercollegiate and intramural athletic programs include basketball, soccer, swimming, cross-country, cycling, racquetball, volleyball, weight-lifting club, baseball, softball, tennis, and others. Conveniently located near the intersection of Interstates 80 and 81, the Hazleton Campus is easily accessible from all directions with New York and Philadelphia only 2 hours away. The Hazleton Campus has the benefits of the scenery and serenity of rural setting along with the facilities and cultural offerings of nearby cities. The campus serves students in Luzerne, Schuylkill, Monroe, Carbon, Susquehanna, Columbia, Montrose, Union, and Northumberland counties as well as other parts of Pennsylvania and other states.