General Program Description
This program consists of a 2 year, 70 credit integrated curriculum. The first year is primarily general education courses, with the exception of Introduction to Physical Therapy course in the first semester and Applied Kinesiology course in the second semester. The second year is primarily physical therapy courses with a 3-week clinical experience in the Fall semester and two 6- week clinical experiences in the final summer semester. Students are required to complete 8 hours of clinical observation by the end of the first semester. In the summer between the first and second year, students must complete 15 hours of community service/observation.
Clinical Experiences
The first clinical experience occurs during the third semester and is 3 full weeks in length. The second and third clinical experiences are 6 weeks each and take place during the fifth semester (summer semester) with graduation in August. Penn State maintains active affiliation with more than 800 facilities locally and nationwide offering a variety of experiences in all fields of physical therapy practice.
Faculty
There are two full-time and one part-time core faculty members. Four part-time faculty members complete the faculty ranks. One faculty member is certified as a clinical specialist and all of the faculty are engaged in clinical practice. The faculty to student ratio is 1:14.
Enrollment
The total campus student enrollment is 1,000. The physical therapy major student enrollment is 32 maximum per year. Transfer and out-of-state students are welcome to apply via the standard admission process to Penn State.
Admission
Applicants should apply by November 30 of the year preceeding entry into the program. Admission is one time per year in the Fall semester. Applications received after November 30 will be considered on a space available basis. Prerequisite course work includes a high school diploma and/or the admission standards of Penn State University. The PTA program requires 5 semesters of course work and begins in the fall semester. Admission applications and information can be obtained by calling 717/749-6130, or be visiting the www.ma.psu.edu/pta website.
Outcomes
Program graduates pass the licensure examination test with a high rate of success (the most recent three year average was 91.5%) – see this web site for the latest three year average https://www.fsbpt.org/ForCandidatesAndLicensees/NPTE/PassRates/StateList/PRDetail/index.asp?ExamLevel=PTA&PublishYear=2010&label=687. Program graduates responding to a survey six months after graduation report a 100% employment rate. The retention rate for students is greater than 65% after the first semester and 95% after the second semester.
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition and college costs, including student activity and computer fees can be found at the following website: http://tuition.psu.edu/CostEstimate.asp. Student activity and computer fees per semester are also found at the same website. When using this calculator it is important to know that the PTA program is in the University College and the number of credits for full-time status is twelve. Approximately 70% of the full-time students at the Mont Alto campus receive some form of financial aid. For further details, please contact the Financial Office at 717/749-6065.
Student life
Mont Alto’s 91-acre campus is nestled near the Michaux State forest, offering students an 80,000-acre wooded classroom/playroom without being isolated. The campus is located between Whitetail and Ski Liberty ski resorts, and there is easy access to winter sports and shopping and entertainment in Waynesboro, Chambersburg, Hagerstown, and Gettysburg. The metropolitan centers of Washington, DC, Harrisburg, and Baltimore are all just a 90-minute drive from the campus. Along with numerous intramural sports, the Mont Alto campus has its own men’s baseball, cross-country, and soccer teams, and men’s and women’s basketball and tennis teams that compete with teams from area colleges and other Penn State campuses. University operated housing is available for 465 students. The Mont Alto campus offers three different housing options for students. A list of off-campus housing is also available through the Office of Student Programs and Services, at 717/749-6130.