Physical Therapist Assistant

What is the Physical Therapist Assistant Program Like?

Being a Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) is more than just helping a patient regain strength. It’s about helping them regain confidence and independence. In this hands-on field, you’ll problem-solve how to help each patient succeed and celebrate progress alongside them throughout recovery.

You’ll be trained in modern, evidence-based methodologies, including how to critically analyze patient impairments, while developing the practical skills needed to support recovery and mobility. If you’re looking for a career where you can make a real, tangible difference in a dynamic healthcare environment, WSCO’s Physical Therapist Assistant program is the place to start.

Is the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program Completely Online?

Much of the coursework consists of in-person classes and hands-on training with medical institution partners, which is required to meet course competencies. Some in-person classes may be substituted with an online option, pending approval and discussion with your advisor.

How Does the Professional Practice Experience Work?

Students who live within 20 counties of WSCO or within 50 miles of Marietta will be placed at a local clinical site. Students outside this region will work with the Professional Practice Coordinator three semesters in advance to secure a local placement and establish a site agreement.

What Degree Will I Earn from the PTA Program?

Graduates earn an Associate Degree of Applied Science in Physical Therapy and are eligible to take the FSBPT Certification Exam.

Graduates are prepared for roles in:

Hospitals
Rehabilitation centers
Outpatient and sports clinics
Home health companies
Nursing homes
School systems

What You’ll Learn in the PTA Program

How to communicate effectively with patients to identify impairments
Skills to foster positive and supportive patient relationships
A comprehensive understanding of working within a healthcare team
Professional conduct and communication in clinical settings

26%

Growth Rate

$16,463

Estimated Program Tuition Cost

$64,280

Local Average Annual Salary

Effective April 29, 2025, Washington State College of Ohio has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085, phone: 703-706-3245; email:
accreditation@apta.org.
If you need to contact the program or institution directly, please call 740-885-5700 or email
kvandergrift@wscc.edu.

Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with CAPTE that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not guarantee that the program will be granted full accreditation.

Candidacy is considered an accredited status. As such, credits and degrees earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered by CAPTE to be from an accredited program. Students in the charter (first) cohort are therefore expected to be eligible to sit for the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period.

Licensure eligibility is ultimately determined by each individual state licensing agency, not CAPTE. Information regarding licensure requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) at
www.fsbpt.org
or to the appropriate state licensing board. A list of state boards and contact information is available on the FSBPT website.

The program will begin accepting applications, complete the selection process, and notify students of acceptance into the technical phase of the program. The technical phase will begin in the fall semester (August 18, 2025) and conclude in the summer semester of the following year (July 24, 2026).

During this time, the program will continue working toward achievement of initial accreditation. CAPTE’s decision regarding accreditation is expected in November or December of 2026, which will occur after program completion and graduation.

Because Candidacy status is considered an accredited status, students completing the program as part of the charter cohort will be eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination for Physical Therapist Assistants and apply for state licensure. The first examination dates scheduled after graduation are October 6 and 7, 2026.

Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Program Complaints

Clinical instructors, employers, employees of affiliating clinical facilities, patients, students, and members of the public are encouraged to discuss any issues regarding the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program with the Program Director or the Director of Clinical Education.

Program Director: Dr. Kimberly Vandergrift
Email: kvandergrift@wscc.edu
Phone: 740-885-5700

Director of Clinical Education: Dr. Kelsey Mullen
Email: kmullen@wscc.edu
Phone: 740-885-5629

If an individual has done so and/or is not comfortable doing so, an electronic form is available on the WSCO homepage at https://www.wsco.edu/, near the bottom under Contact Info (Submit Complaint). Washington State College of Ohio forbids retaliation against anyone for reporting a complaint.

If you need to file a complaint with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), email accreditation@apta.org or call 1-800-999-APTA.

Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Program Acceptance / Matriculation Rates

Year	# of Applicants	# of Eligible Applicants	# of Students Offered a Seat	# of Students That Started
2025	19	8 (42%)	8 (100%)	7 (87.5%)
2026	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

Program Outcomes

Year	Graduation Rate	NPTE Pass Rate (First Time)	NPTE Pass Rate (Ultimate)	NPTE Pass Rate (2-Year Average)	National Average (First Time & Ultimate)	Employment Rate
2026	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

First cohort starts August 18, 2025. First cohort finishes July 24, 2026.

Updated July 9, 2025; January 21, 2026

Definitions

Graduation Rate: The percentage of students who are matriculated in the first course in the professional program after the drop/add period and who completed the program. Benchmark: 60% averaged over 2 years. CAPTE Standard 1C1.

NPTE Pass Rate (First Time): The percentage of students in a graduating class that took the NPTE and passed on the first attempt. CAPTE Standard 1C2.

NPTE Pass Rate (Ultimate): The percentage of students in a graduating class that took the NPTE and passed, regardless of the number of attempts. Benchmark: 85% averaged over 2 years. CAPTE Standard 1C2. FSBPT.

NPTE Pass Rate (2-Year Average): The weighted average based on ultimate pass rates and number of graduates across two graduation years. CAPTE Standard 1C2. FSBPT.

NPTE National Average: National averages for first-time candidates and ultimately passing graduates for U.S. accredited PTA programs. FSBPT.

Employment Rate: The percentage of graduates who sought employment and were employed full-time or part-time as a physical therapist assistant within one year following graduation. Benchmark: 90% averaged over 2 years. CAPTE Standard 1C3.

CAPTE: Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Standards and Required Elements for Physical Therapist Assistant Education Programs, 2024.

FSBPT: Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.

Gain Real-World Experience through Our Established Program Partnerships

WVU Medicine
Memorial Health System
First Settlement Physical Therapy
Mountain River Physical Therapy
InMotion Physical Therapy
And many more

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