The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program at Naugatuck Valley Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 111North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. Phone: 703-706-3245; Email: accreditation@apta.org; Website: www.capteonline.org.

The PTA works under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist and is a valued member of the healthcare team. Career opportunities are in hospitals, school systems, private offices, home health agencies, industry, rehabilitation hospitals and nursing homes. This is a two year, full-time curriculum for an Associate in Science degree. More than 90 physical therapy clinics from around the state collaborate with this program to provide clinical education experiences / internships. The course of study begins in January and includes a minimum of 63 credits.

In reading this section candidates must note the special requirements of this program. Additional information may be found on the PTA webpage, www.nv.edu/pta.

Selective Admission Requirements

1. Submit a PTA program application, in addition to the college application for admission, and an official final high school transcript indicating date of graduation, General Education Development (GED) Diploma, or State High School Equivalency Diploma. Submit all application materials, including college transcripts from all previous colleges attended, by the posted deadline for consideration for the upcoming spring semester.
2. Courses which must be completed by the application deadline to meet these requirements are:
   • BIO* H211 - Anatomy and Physiology I
       (minimum grade of C+)
   • ENG* H101 - Composition
       
   • MAT*Elective (Any Quantitative Reasoning course higher than MAT* H136 /MAT* H137  and minimum grade of C+)
   • PSY* H111 - General Psychology I
       
3. All Math elective and BIO* H211  and BIO* H212  courses must be completed within five (5) years prior to entering the PTA Program.
4. Earn a minimum PTA GPA of 2.7 for coursework required for the degree. A minimum of “C+” for Math elective and BIO* H211  and BIO* H212  and minimum grade of “C” is required for all other courses for the degree.
5. Documented volunteer/observational experience totaling a minimum of 10 hours in each of an out-patient and an in-patient physical therapy setting (minimum 20 hours total) completed prior to application deadline.
6. Complete the ATI TEAS with a score equivalent to AITS of 60% or higher. Test scores will be valid for the three (3) years prior to the application deadline. For testing schedules, registration information, and study manual information go to www.atitesting.com. Applicants that have not taken the exam at a CT Community College must arrange to have their scores sent to NVCC.
7. All applicants should attend a PTA Program Information Session. Students are highly recommended to observe a laboratory class. Please refer to the website for additional information.
8. Students must be able to perform common physical therapy functions as defined in the program’s Technical Standards. Please go to www.nv.edu/pta under “Application Requirements” for a copy of this document.
9. In addition to tuition and fees, students in the PTA Program must pay for books, APTA membership, appropriate attire for clinical experiences, licensure review courses, and transportation. Students must complete and verify all required immunizations and provide certification by the American Heart Association or American Red Cross in Basic Life Support (BLS) for the Health Care Provider and First Aid before the start of clinical activities.
10. Clinical Education Experiences: The NVCC PTA Program offers clinical education experiences throughout Connecticut. Students may be required to travel more than 75 minutes to their assigned clinical site. Students are required to provide their own transportation, living expenses (as necessary), health insurance, and any other expenses while on clinical education experiences.
11. Students will be required by the program to undergo a background check with fingerprinting for felony convictions and to undergo a drug/substance screening. Students who do not pass the background check may be excluded from the clinical site and may not be able to meet the competencies required for graduation from the program, may not be eligible to take the licensure exam and/or may not be eligible for PTA licensure. Students who have a positive toxicology screen are not eligible to enroll in the program and will forfeit their admission seat.

Learning is planned as a progression of increasing complexity. The general education courses are supportive of the PTA courses. Therefore, all courses must be taken in sequence and/or no later than scheduled in the PTA curriculum. General education core classes and electives may be taken prior to entering the PTA program or completed earlier. Applicants are encouraged to complete the general education core classes and electives prior to entering the PTA Program. A minimum grade of “C” is required for all degree requirements, a minimum grade “C+” in BIO* H211 , BIO* H212  and mathematics elective (higher than MAT* H136 /MAT* H137 ), and an evaluation of “Pass” indicating satisfactory completion must be attained in clinical internship courses in order to progress. The faculty reserves the right to withdraw a student whose clinical performance is unsatisfactory. Attendance for class, lab, and clinical experiences is required. Sixty-three (63) semester hours are required for graduation from the PTA Program.

General Education Core course listings and definitions appear on General Education Core . Placement testing will determine the sequencing of courses. Additional courses may be required. The suggested sequence for full-time students is shown below. Refer to page General Education Core  for a listing of courses that will satisfy elective requirements.