Physical Therapist Assistant AAS

Upon successful completion of the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program, graduates must pass the National Physical Therapy Licensing Examination (NPTE). A scale score of 600 or higher is required to pass.

Our graduates have consistently demonstrated strong outcomes on the NPTE. As shown below, the ultimate licensure exam pass rate for PTA graduates over the past two years has been 91 percent.

Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program Outcomes for 2024 and 2025

PTA Student Financial Fact Sheet

A complaint from an individual who has no standing within Anoka-Ramsey Community College, such as a prospective student, employer of a graduate from the PTA program, a clinical education site and/or its patients, a volunteer for the ARCC physical therapy clinic, or the general public should be submitted to the PTA program director via email at: lisa.lentner@anokaramsey.edu. The program director will review the complaint and determine if other parties, such as college administration, need to be involved. The program director will respond to the complaint within 14 days of receiving the initial email.

Successful completion of the Physical Therapy Assistant program at the Anoka-Ramsey Community College will meet the requirements for certification by the The Minnesota State Board of Physical Therapy. Certification by the Minnesota State Board of Physical Therapy is required by Minnesota as well as by some states to acquire a state license to practice the profession of Physical Therapy Assistant or for employment as a certified/licensed Physical Therapy Assistant. Anoka-Ramsey Community College highly recommends that you contact the appropriate state licensing board in the state or locality in which you wish to practice or be employed.

MN State Board Licensing Contacts

Effective July 1, 2020 the U.S. Department of Education is implementing a new regulation, Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v), which requires all colleges with nursing or allied health programs that end in certification or licensing to provide the following:

1. A list of all states/jurisdictions where the institution’s curriculum meets state educational requirements for professional licensure or certification;
2. A list of all states/jurisdictions where the institution’s curriculum does not meet state educational requirements for professional licensure or certification; and
3. A list of all states/jurisdictions where the institution has not made a determination on whether the curriculum meets educational requirements.

This program has determined that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands secondary to its accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

Accreditation and Licensure Eligibility
Accreditation of a Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant program by CAPTE satisfies the state educational requirements for licensure in all U.S. states and territories listed above. As a result, students who graduate from a CAPTE‑accredited Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant program are eligible to:

• Take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE)
• Apply for professional licensure in all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Additional Licensure Information
This information only relates to initial licensure by exam requirements for the state listed. Students should contact the Board of Physical Therapy in the state they would like to be licensed for specifics.

For more information about state qualifications and licensure requirements, visit the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) website at: fsbpt.org

Settings include hospitals, nursing homes, out-patient clinics, home care, sub-acute, neurological rehab, school systems, pediatrics, burn therapy, aquatic therapy, and industrial rehab.

PTs perform all the evaluations and prescribe what physical therapy treatments are appropriate for the patient. PTAs carry out the treatment plan prescribed by the PT under the supervision of a PT. A PTA often has more patient contact and less paperwork than the PT. Please note that none of the Physical Therapist schools in Minnesota accept PTA classes to take the place of PT classes. However, a PTA degree can be advantageous when applying to a PT school. General education courses in the PTA program may be transferrable.

Occupational therapy focuses more on activities of daily living (dressing, grooming, bathing) and treatment of the upper extremities. Physical therapy focuses on the whole body; improving independence with functional mobility, ambulation training, using modalities and massage to treat pain and development of individualized exercise programs.

Anoka-Ramsey can receive anywhere from 40-90 applications annually. Up to 32 students can be accepted each year.

PTA classes must be taken in a specific sequence and follow a cohort model. All classes are in person on the Coon Rapids Campus with the exception of BIOL 1102 Medical Terminology. This is the only core course that is offered online. Courses are  Monday through Friday typically running anywhere from 8 am to 4 pm. There are two eight-week clinicals that are full-time (40 hours/week). It is not recommended that students work more than 20 hours a week while in the program.

There are two clinical experiences included in the two-year PTA program. The goal of the clinical internships is to expose you to a variety of clinical settings. You will be placed both in an out-patient setting, which could be a hospital-based clinic or private practice, and an in-patient setting, which could be a long-term care setting with a focus on geriatrics or an acute hospital setting. There are also opportunities to work in specialty settings such as sports medicine, pediatrics and multi-discipline clinics.