Specialization in Physical Therapist Assistant prepares students to work in a variety of healthcare settings that provide physical therapy services. Students who satisfactorily complete this program will receive an Associate of Applied Science degree. The A.A.S. in PTA is a terminal degree and does not directly transfer to university-level DPT programs, but does offer the option of applying to PTA BS programs and PTA Bridge to DPT programs. Students will be prepared to take the NPTE-PTA licensing exam upon completion of AAS PTA degree plan. To qualify for the Associate of Applied Science degree, the student must successfully complete each course found in the AAS PTA degree plan. South Plains College Physical Therapist Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone; (703) 706-3245; email:  accreditation@apta.org; website; http://www.capteonline.org.   Director of Physical Therapist Assistant Program is Jackie Underwood: (806) 716-2470, junderwood@southplainscollege.edu. Program Admission Requirements: The number of students admitted to the PTA program is limited; therefore, all students interested in admission to the program should contact the PTA Program Director or a program advisor.  Program applicants must complete the following requirements: -Applicants must be TSI compliant at the time a program application is submitted. -Complete admission requirements for South Plains College. Admission to the South Plains College does not guarantee admission to the SPC Physical Therapist Assistant program. Admission requirements can be found at http://www.southplainscollege.edu/exploreprograms/healthoccupations/alliedhealth/spcpta.php

Students must have completed or will complete all Prerequisites prior to Program admission to be eligible to apply to the PTA Program. Prerequisites for the SPC PTA Program are: English 1301, Math Core, Humanities Core, and SCIT 1420 Applied Human Anatomy and Physiology I, PHYS 1410 Elementary Physics, and PSYC 2314 Lifespan Growth and Development.  All prerequisite courses must be completed with a “C” or higher. Applications can be submitted from September 1st to October 31st . Admission determinations for the spring semester are made in November. Admission will be determined by overall points earned from GPA, TEAS, a variety of observation experiences, and interview scores.  Program advisor is Jackie Underwood, Director of Physical Therapist Assistant Program. To be eligible for licensure as a PTA in the state of Texas a student must graduate from an Accredited PTA Program receiving an Associate of Applied Science Degree-PTA, successfully pass the NPTAE, and apply for licensure through the state of Texas or the state you plan to practice.