General Program Description

College of DuPage (COD) physical therapist assistant (PTA) core courses are offered in the evening, spread sequentially over five (5) consecutive semesters. Each course is offered only once a year. The PTA program consists of 27-29 semester hours of general education courses and 42.5 semester hours of physical therapist assistant core courses. In these lecture and laboratory core courses, students learn theory, assessment, and treatment procedures involved in the physical therapy profession. Courses pertaining to patient care skills, kinesiology, pathophysiology, therapeutic exercise and modalities, clinical orthopedics, neurology and professional issues are included. Clinical experiences during the first summer and second year of the program are scheduled primarily during the day. (Therefore, students wishing to work while attending school are able to work during the first academic year of the program). It is highly recommended that students complete as many general education requirements as possible prior to applying for the PTA Program; general education requirements must be completed by the end of summer semester of the first academic year of the program. Program graduates are eligible to take the state licensure exam in the state in which they plan to be employed. Students are expected to follow the guidelines established by the state’s Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to obtain licensure.

Clinical Experiences
Four clinical experiences, the last of which is full-time, are integrated within the curriculum. Students are responsible for transportation to and from the clinical sites that are located throughout the greater Chicago metropolitan area.

Faculty
There are two full-time and six (4) adjunct faculty members. The faculty to student ratio is 1:8.

Enrollment
The college has a total enrollment of over 29,000 students. The physical therapist assistant program admits 24 students each August.

Admission
An admission packet is available at the PTA program web site: http://www.cod.edu/programs/physical_therapist/index.aspx Applicants are evaluated by a selection committee and are admitted on a competitive basis. Minimum requirements for consideration include: A minimum overall GPA on college coursework of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; completion of the Reading and Writing Placement Tests; clinical supervisor’s documentation of the applicant’s observation or volunteer or work experience in at least one out-patient and at least one in-patient physical therapy clinical setting of the applicant’s choice and four (4) recommendation forms completed as instructed in the admission packet. The application deadline is June 1 of the year the student seeks admission. Preference is given to COD In-District 502 applicants who fulfill all admission requirements. 52% of qualified applicants with complete application packets are admitted to the program (2-year average).

Outcomes
• Graduation Rate (20113-2014): 95.8% of admitted students graduated from the PTA Program. • Ultimate Licensure Examination Pass Rate (2012-2013): 95.5% of COD PTA Program graduates. • Employment Rate (2013): 100% employed full or part-time • Starting Salary (Class of 2013 Graduate PTAs): $52,000 – $56,160

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition for the 2015-16 academic year is $140 per semester hour of credit for residents of District 502, $327 per semester hour for Illinois residents outside District 502, and $397 per semester hour of credit for students whose legal residence is outside Illinois. A fee for professional liability insurance is charged to the PTA student at the beginning of the first clinical practicum; this is currently $77. Lab fees are $25 per semester hour for the clinical practicum courses, and range from $15 to $75 for the other PTA program core courses with a laboratory component. Tuition and fees are subject to change. Loans, grants, on-campus employment, and local scholarships are financial aid options available to help students meet their educational expenses. For information, contact the Student Financial Assistance office at 630/942-2251 or http://www.cod.edu/tuition/financial_aid/index.aspx

Student life
Founded in 1967, College of DuPage is the nation’s largest comprehensive, single-campus community college. The campus is located 35 miles west of downtown Chicago in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, a suburb with beautiful parks and a dynamic business community. The campus includes state-of-the-art facilities serving students, including a Student Resource Center that houses the library, bookstore, academic computing center and, community center; Arts Center that houses an 800-seat concert hall; Physical Education and Community Recreation Center that houses an indoor track, racquetball course, a natatorium, an aerobic fitness lab and strength complex; and a 129,000 square-foot main arena which can house either four basketball courts or four volleyball courts. In addition to the cultural and recreational opportunities available in the greater Chicago area, many such opportunities are offered on campus through the Student Activities Office. Opportunities are also available for students in the performing arts (choral music, band, orchestra and theater) and intercollegiate athletics (men’s football, baseball, basketball, golf, cross country, soccer, track & field, tennis and cheer team; and women’s basketball, cross country, tennis, soccer, softball, track & field and cheer team).