All students are admitted to the pre-clinical phase and must file for PTA candidacy in order to progress to the clinical phase. Candidates must first complete or be in the process of completing the four key courses with a minimum GPA of 2.50 in the semester they are applying for candidacy. They are then ranked by the Registrar’s Office on a scoring system based on grades in these key courses and other required courses. Since the number of students permitted to progress each semester is limited, this minimum GPA does not guarantee that a student will be selected for progression into the clinical phase of the program. Students are limited to a maximum of two attempts at candidacy.
Students who do progress to the clinical phase are subject to special grading policies and progression standards. The minimum passing grade for all PTA courses is “C” which is 70 % and students must have an average of at least 70 % in both the lecture and laboratory portions of each course. Students who earn less than a C are only permitted to repeat one Physical Therapy course in the entire clinical portion of the program. Students who fail/withdraw from more than one Physical Therapy course will be dismissed from the program.
Due to the candidacy process, the minimum time required to complete this program is two years and three months. This is based on full-time year-round attendance during the day. Students who must take developmental courses, attend part-time, or are not selected for progression on their first attempt at candidacy will require a longer time for completion. Physical Therapy courses are held during the day. The clinical affiliations are completed during the day and are accompanied by one evening seminar.
Students are required to complete a Physical Therapy Level I affiliation of 100 hours after completion of the first five clinical PTA courses. In addition, following completion of all classroom courses, students must complete two seven-eight week full-time affiliations at different clinical facilities. There are no waivers or exemptions from this requirement. It is usually not feasible for students to continue working while they are on their clinical affiliations, so it is advisable that they begin financial planning for this period as soon as they are selected for the clinical phase of the program.
Individuals who are interested in entering the program should obtain an application from LaGuardia’s Admissions Office or online. The telephone number for LaGuardia’s Admissions Office is (718) 482-7206. Those who previously attended college must have a GPA of at least 2.50 and may receive up to a maximum of 30 transfer credits for courses in the pre-clinical phase of the program. Effective in Fall 2008, students who transfer science credit for sequential courses must transfer both parts to receive the science credit. This applies to the following science courses:
- SCB201/SCB202 – FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOLOGY I & II
- SCB203/SCB204 – HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY I & II
- SCC201/SCC202 – FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY I & II
- SCC251/SCC252 – ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I & II
- SCP201/SCP202 – FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS I & II
- SCP231/SCP232 – GENERAL PHYSICS I & II
No transfer credits will be granted for courses in the clinical phase of the program. All applications are processed by CUNY’s central admissions processing center and the only requirement is a high school or GED diploma and completion of admission testing requirements. Please do not contact the PTA program itself concerning the status of your application, as we do not participate in the admissions process.
Students applying for Physical Therapist Assistant candidacy should review the attached documentation on Essential Functions, for successful completion of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program.