General Program Description

The PTA program is a 1+1 model. The program consists of a minimum of 33 credits in general education (gen. ed.) and 39 credits in PTA education (technical phase). Incoming students with less than 24 earned college credits must also take the 1 credit Finlandia Sisu Seminar which applies to the gen. ed. credits. Training/certification in basic first aid and CPR, a physical examination, and record of immunizations must be submitted prior to the start of the year in which the student will be assigned a clinical affiliation. Technical phase courses are directly associated with the practice and procedures of the physical therapy profession. Courses include: Introduction to PT, Functional Anatomy, Functional Activities, Therapeutic Exercise, Clinical Orthopedics, Therapeutic Procedures, Therapeutic Modalities, Pathological Conditions, Tests and Measures, Patient Handling & Therapeutic Massage, Neurological Rehabilitation, Clinical Preparation and Special Topics, Clinical Affiliation, Pediatric PTA and Geriatric PTA. Most courses include a lecture and a laboratory component. Upon completion of the didactic and clinical components of the program, students are eligible to apply for the state licensure exam in most states that require licensing. Students are expected to follow the guidelines established by the state’s Department of Professional Regulation to obtain licensure as a physical therapist assistant.

Clinical Experiences
Three full-time experiences of 4, 5, and 5- weeks’ duration respectively are integrated with the theoretical coursework. Students are required to complete a variety of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular clinical experiences including exposure to inpatient acute care/ sub-acute care within a hospital, or skilled nursing facility; outpatient care in a hospital-based setting, community health setting or private practice setting; and experience in at least one of the following settings: Home Health Care, Long Term Care, Rehabilitation, Private Practice or Pediatric Setting. One or more rural rehabilitation settings is recommended. Students may complete one affiliation in the local area (within one hour of the University).

Faculty
There are three full-time faculty members. Full-time faculty members are engaged in clinical practice. The faculty to student ratio is 1:7 in the technical phase portion of the program.

Enrollment
The University has an approximate enrollment of 650 students. Admittance to the Physical Therapist Assistant Program is limited to 16 to 24 students each fall.

Admission
Admissions and PTA Program information are sent upon request and can also be found on the Finlandia University website, www.finlandia.edu. Applicants are evaluated by the PTA program faculty and are admitted on a competitive basis using established admissions criteria. To enter the PTA Major, the student must file an application for admission to the PTA program after completion of at least 12 semester credits of college coursework including Finlandia courses BIO 171 and ENG 103 or their equivalents. To be considered for admission, the student must have earned a minimum of a 2.7 (B-) in the following courses: BIO 171 and BIO 172 or equivalent and must achieve at least a C (2.0) in any individual course but must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in the required general education core course work.Transfer students who desire to enter directly into the technical phase of the PTA program must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 (in the general education courses), no less than a grade of C in any individual course and have a grade of at least a B- in BIO 171 and BIO 172 or its equivalent to be eligible for admission. In addition to the academic requirements, all applicants are required to participate in a personal/telephone interview with the PTA Program faculty and submit documentation reflecting 12 hours of clinical observation in more than one clinical setting prior to the start of the year in which the student will be assigned a clinical affiliation. Admission to the Pre-PTA Program does not guarantee admission to the PTA Program. Students may enter the Pre-PTA Program at any time; however, the fall semester is the only time students can enter the PTA Program.

Outcomes
98% of students admitted to the technical phase of the program graduated (3-year average 2011-2013); 96.55% of the graduates who wrote the licensure exam passed the licensure exam (3-year average 2011-2013); and 94% of those program graduates responding to surveys are employed as PTAs (3-year average 2011-2013).

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition for the 2014-15 academic year is $20980 for 12-18 credits per the fall and spring semester plus a general fee of $250 per semester. PTA student fees for the 2014-15 academic year are $250 per semester. Financial assistance is available to students who without such aid would be unable to attend college. A comprehensive program of employment, grants, and scholarships are available through federal, state, and institutional funds. This information is available upon request from the Office of Financial Aid.

Student life
The PTA program is housed in 3, 894 square-feet of space on campus including 2648 of lab and classroom space. Finlandia University is over 100 years old and offers a variety of bachelor and associate degree programs. An on-campus fitness center is available. Varsity and intramural and club sports programs are available for men and women. Sports activities include basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball, skiing (downhill and cross-country), golf, swimming, aerobics, tennis, and hockey. An active student government and various club programs exist on campus. Many cultural and social opportunities are offered and encouraged on campus through Campus Enrichment. Finlandia University is located in the north woods of Michigan’s rugged Upper Peninsula in the town of Hancock. Located less than 10 miles from Lake Superior and several national and state parks, all four seasons provide unlimited outdoor recreation. Hancock is a small rural community with a city population of approximately 4,900. This area of the Keweenaw, also called the Copper Country, was once the single greatest supplier of copper in the world; it is rich in history and culture. Finlandia University is easily accessible by car, and is a 4-hour drive from Green Bay, Wisconsin; two hours from Marquette, Michigan; 6 hours from Minneapolis, Minnesota; and 8 hours from Chicago, Illinois.