Rowan College at Gloucester County
PTA Program Course Descriptions
Technical Course Descriptions
These courses are only open to students who have been accepted into the Physical Therapist Assistant
program. A minimum grade of 76% is required in all PTA designated courses, and in order to progress
through the PTA program, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.30 or higher.
Summer Semester
PTA 101 Introduction to Physical Therapist Assisting: This course provides an introduction to the
physical therapy profession, including a history of the American Physical Therapy Association, the role of
the physical therapist assistant as a member of the health care team, the PT-PTA relationship, PT
practice settings and major practice specialties, regulations and ethics, and an introduction to patient
health care records and documentation. Students are provided with an overview of effective
communication practices.
Contact Hours: Lecture-1, Lab-0, Credits-1
Prerequisite(s): ENG 102 English Composition II
Co-requisite(s): None
PTA 102 Kinesiology and Measurement of the Musculoskeletal System: This course is an in-depth
study of the structure and function of joints in the production of human movement. Students are expected
to perform palpation skills with a focus on identifying bony and soft tissue landmarks. Students are tested
for competency on the clinical skills for patient data collection including goniometry, manual muscle
testing, anthropometric measurements, and postural and gait assessments. Basic therapeutic exercise is
presented in relationship to collected patient data including range of motion, muscle strengthening and
endurance. Documentation of data collection and therapeutic exercise is required.
Contact Hours: Lecture-3, Lab-7, Credits-6
Prerequisite(s): BIO 106 Anatomy & Physiology II, PHY 101 Principles of Physical Science I, MAT 115
College Geometry
Co-requisite(s): None
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HPE 106 Health and Wellness Promotion in Physical Therapy: This course introduces normal human
function and uses the stages of gross and fine motor development to identify methods for physical
therapy professionals to be effective change agents in the promotion of prevention, health, and wellness
initiatives.
Contact Hours: Lecture-1, Lab-0, Credits-1
Prerequisite(s): RDG 099
Co-requisite(s): None
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PTA 105 Pathophysiology for the PTA: The student is introduced to the medical and surgical conditions
most frequently encountered in PT departments, with emphasis on the role of the PTA in the treatment of
each. The basic inflammatory and healing processes and the principles of treatments to promote healing
are covered. Students will become familiarized with the essential nature of diseases, and abnormalities of
structure and function that are characteristic of diseases. Students will receive an introduction to
pharmacology and to the systematic review of professional literature to research PT-related diagnoses.
Contact Hours: Lecture-2, Lab-0, Credits-2
Prerequisite(s): BIO 106 Anatomy & Physiology II
Co-requisite(s): PTA 102 Kinesiology and Measurement of the Musculoskeletal System
Fall Semester
PTA 107 PTA Essential Skills for the PTA I: Patient Care This course will introduce basic patient care
and handling techniques with topics to include: vital signs, body mechanics, positioning and bed mobility,
patient transfer techniques, gait training with assistive devices and wheelchair management using
simulated patient care scenarios. Course instruction will include aseptic techniques and basic wound
care. Student participation includes receiving and administering care. Patient interviewing skills will be
emphasized. Skills are assessed throughout the course through skill-competency testing and written and
practical examinations.
Contact Hours: Lecture-2, Lab-6, Credits-4
Prerequisite(s): PTA 102 Kinesiology and Measurement of the Musculoskeletal System
Co-requisite(s): PTA 207 Essential Skills for the PTA II: Biophysical Agents; PTA 208 Management of
Neurological Disorders across the Lifespan
PTA 207 PTA Essential Skills for the PTA II: Biophysical Agents: This course is designed to introduce
the student to the use of physical agents and therapeutic modalities in physical therapy practice. Lecture
and laboratory activities develop problem solving skills and critical thinking in the use of electrical
stimulation, therapeutic heat & cold application, traction, hydrotherapy and aquatics to accomplish
therapeutic treatment goals. This course will include instruction in therapeutic massage and continued
practice for therapeutic exercises. Skills will be assessed and tested for competence throughout the
semester. Students are expected to both receive and administer each of the therapeutic interventions
discussed.
Contact Hours: Lecture-1, Lab-6, Credits-3
Prerequisite(s): PTA 102 Kinesiology and Measurement of the Musculoskeletal System
Co-requisite(s): PTA 107 Essential Skills for the PTA I: Patient Care
PTA 208 Management of Neurological Disorders Across the Lifespan: This course is an introduction
to genetic, hereditary, congenital and acquired disorders, and their impact on human motor development,
and on other systems. Emphasis is on theory and implementation of therapeutic interventions,
rehabilitation techniques utilized in the treatment of neurological disorders, and development of critical
thinking skills. The focus will be on function including assessment instruments used to identify and
document architectural barriers and the level of assistance needed for performance of activities of daily
living.
Contact Hours: Lecture-3, Lab-3, Credits-4 (13 weeks)
Prerequisite(s): PTA 105 Pathophysiology for the PTA
Co-requisite(s): PTA 107 Essential Skills for the PTA I: Patient Care, PTA 207 Essential Skills for the
PTA II: Biophysical Agents
Spring Semester
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PTA 240 Seminar in PTA Professionalism: This course is designed for the further development of
professional behaviors and expectations of an entry-level physical therapist assistant including topics
related to ethics and jurisprudence. Assignments include completing the steps necessary to apply for the
NPTE for PTAs and for state licensure. Students are expected to participate in the development of a
community-based or volunteer project.
Contact Hours: Lecture-1, Lab-0, Credits-1 (3 weeks)
Prerequisite(s): PTA 209 Clinical Experience I
Co-requisite(s): PTA 229 Clinical Experience II, PTA 239 Clinical Experience III
Clinical Education Course Descriptions
These courses are only open to students who have been accepted into the Physical Therapist Assistant
program. Students who have successfully demonstrated competency in the PTA skills as demonstrated
by passage of all practical examinations in preceding courses will qualify for placement into the clinical
environment. Each experience consists of 40 hours per week in the PT facility, and students are
assessed on skills completed under the direction and supervision of a licensed physical therapy clinician.
PTA 209 Clinical Experience I: This is a 2-week clinical affiliation used to introduce the Student Physical
Therapist Assistant (SPTA) to the operational procedures of a clinical setting. Student will be immersed in
patient-client interactions as well as the PT-PTA relationship. Assessment of the student will be based on
the skill level presented with therapeutic measurement techniques, mobility training and patient safety
components of treatment.
Contact Hours: Lecture-0, Lab-0, Clinical-80, Credits-2
Prerequisite(s): PTA 102 Kinesiology and Measurement of the Musculoskeletal System, PTA 107
Essential Skills for the PTA I: Patient Care (Practical #1), PTA 207 Essential Skills for the PTA II:
Biophysical Agents (Practical #1)
Co-requisite(s): None
PTA 229 Clinical Experience II: This is a 6-week full time supervised clinical experience in a physical
therapy setting for application of newly learned skills practiced in PTA 107, PTA 207 and PTA 208. The
expectation is for the student PTA to demonstrate proficiency in all skills previously assessed in the first
clinical experience, as well as to maintain a manageable caseload indicative of an intermediate PTA
student.
Contact Hours: Lecture-0, Lab-0, Clinical-240, Credits-6
Prerequisite(s): PTA 107 Essential Skills for the PTA I: Patient Care, PTA 207 Essential Skills for the
PTA II: Biophysical Agents, PTA 208 Management of Neurological Disorders Across the Lifespan
Co-requisite(s): PTA 240 Seminar in PTA Professionalism
PTA 239 Clinical Experience III: This is a 6-week full time supervised clinical experience. The faculty will
make every effort for each student to receive an assignment in a facility that has the same interests as
the student, or for an experience which will help to address the student’s deficiencies in clinical practice.
At the conclusion of the experience, student should be able to function in the clinic as an entry-level PTA
under the direct supervision of a licensed physical therapist and handle a full caseload with little or no
assistance from the supervising PT.
Contact Hours: Lecture-0, Lab-0, Clinical-240, Credits-6
Prerequisite(s): PTA 229 Clinical Experience II, PTA 208 Management of Neurological Disorders across
the Lifespan
Co-requisite(s): PTA 240 Seminar in PTA Professionalism
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Rowan College at Gloucester County is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist assistant education program from CAPTE. On
December 1, 2015, the program submitted an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation
stage. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of
Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the technical phase of the program; therefore, no students may be
enrolled in technical courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for
Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.
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Program Accreditation Status Statement
Graduation from a physical therapist assistant education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy
Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility
to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.