General Program Description

Arapahoe Community College’s PTA program is 5 semesters in length with a summer semester between the first and second year. Our integrated 2 year curriculum includes 12-15 credit hours of PTA courses each semester along with 3-4 credit hours of general education courses. General education courses may be completed prior to beginning the PTA program courses. Transfer credit is accepted. ACC utilizes a variety of delivery formats including traditional classroom delivery, hybrid courses combining online and classroom instruction, and online courses. Academic faculty consists of 2 full-time contractual faculty member and 3-4 part-time adjunct faculty members. Students begin classes each August and graduate in early May.

Clinical Experiences
The PTA program has 4 weeks of full-time clinical affiliation between the first and second years. There is a 6-week clinical during both the fall and spring semesters of the second year. Students have substantial input into the selection of clinical assignments as long as their experiences are varied. At least one general acute care experience is required. Facilities for clinical experiences are located throughout the Denver metro area, Colorado, and the western United States.

Faculty
There are two full-time and three-four part-time faculty members. The faculty-to-student ratio is 1:12.

Enrollment
The total enrollment at Arapahoe Community College is 7,500 students of diverse gender, culture, and age. The PTA program accepts up to 20 students each year in its program.

Admission
ACC’s PTA program utilizes a selective admissions process. We begin accepting applications on February 1 each year and our application deadline is May 15th.To be eligible for admission to the PTA program, applicants must have completed Anatomy and Physiology I with a “C” or higher, demonstrate an overall GPA of at least a 2.5, and have achieved no less than an 80 on the reading comprehension portion, a 95 on the sentence skills, and a 61 on the algebra portion of ACC’s placement test. Program information and applications may be accessed on the Arapahoe Community College website.

Outcomes
75% of admitted students graduate from the program (3-year average); 100% of the graduates passed the licensure exam (3 year average); 100% of those program graduates responding to surveys are employed (3 year average).

Tuition, fees and financial aid
AT current tuition and fee rates for the 2014 – 2015 academic year, the cost of tuition, fees, and books for all 75 credit hours of the AAS degree is approximately $12,000. This includes the cost of liability insurance and required Health and Safety requirements, which are the student’s responsibility. Arapahoe Community College offers a full spectrum of financial assistance, employment, and scholarships to assist with the cost of education. Information is available through the Financial Aid Department.

Student life
There is an abundance of off-campus rentals available at a wide range of prices. Intercollegiate athletics include football, baseball and soccer with a variety of club sports available. The campus is located in Littleton, 5 miles from Denver. The airport is 40 miles away, and the campus is serviced by bus transportation and light rail. There is a variety of recreational, social, cultural, and ethnic activities available on the campus and the community level.