- Completion time is dependent on the number of courses completed each term.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment Statistics, [salary data accessed May 30, 2018] https://www.bls.gov/oes/. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, [career information accessed May 30, 2018] www.bls.gov/ooh/. BLS salary data represents national, averaged earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience. This data does not represent starting salaries. Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Physical Therapist Assistant
Associate's Degree
Eager to play a hands-on role in helping people of all ages regain their strength and mobility? Our Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program can get you there faster—in as few as 18 months.1 You’ll benefit from blended, immersive curriculum and clinical practice at healthcare facilities to ensure hands-on, real-world training and career readiness. Physical therapists will depend on you as a PTA to help improve the lives of your patients, and will rely on you to function as part of a cohesive healthcare team.
Regional and Programmatic Accreditation
Rasmussen College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Learn more about programmatic accreditation and the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
Blend of On-Campus & Online Courses
Enroll in our PTA program and reap the benefits of a unique blend of on-campus and online courses. Convenient online courses combined with immersive residential labs, full-time clinical experience and a Capstone course will help you gain a solid understanding of the physical therapy industry and apply your skills firsthand in an accelerated amount of time.
Education That Opens Doors
A PTA is qualified to work in a variety of clinical settings—skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, home health and all types of physical therapy offices. Graduating from a Physical Therapist Assistant program also allows you to work with a variety of patients, from elderly and children to athletes. See the Physical Therapist Assistant Handbook for important programmatic information.
Flex Choice® = Self-Directed Assessments
This Associate's degree is available with Flex Choice self-directed assessment offerings, which allows you to blend traditional online courses with self-directed assessments that provide optional coaching assistance. Assessments provide more flexibility, and—at $99 per attempt—this is a more affordable way to receive credit for what you already know. For additional information, visit our Flex Choice page.
Credentials Offered
Physical Therapist Assistant
Associate's Degree
Finish in as few as
18 months1
Learning options
- On Campus
- Online
- Field Experience
- Flex Choice®
Intended for
Students looking to work directly with a diverse range of people and pursue a successful, fulfilling career helping others as a physical therapy assistant with well-rounded knowledge about the field.
Prepares you for
Physical therapist assistant
Not Sure This Degree Is Right for You?
Take the Next Step—Talk to Us!
7 Signs You Should Consider Becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant
Is becoming a physical therapist assistant right for you? See if you have what it takes to pursue a Physical Therapy Assistant program and if you recognize yourself in this list of characteristics.
Read moreTurn Your Education into a Career
We’ve made starting your physical therapist assistant career even easier by offering a blend of online and on-campus courses to help you gain in-demand skills that employers seek. Our rigorous on-campus program features small classes sizes and no prior coursework entrance requirements. You’ll begin taking core program classes your very first quarter in a highly engaging setting. During the online PTA program, you’ll be immersed in a blend of skills-based online and on-campus courses built on industry best practices and guided by experienced instructors. Our approach includes a unique blend of immersive skills-based curriculum, online courses, lab models, Capstone course and first-hand experience in a real clinical environment.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), earning a degree, regardless of the field of study, can improve income potential.2 Here is an example of where a PTA degree can take you.
Accreditation Information
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
Commission on Accreditation on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
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.
Accredited Program:
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Rasmussen College – Brooklyn Park/Maple Grove is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 763-496-6022 or email Matthew.Vraa@rasmussen.edu.
Candidate for Accreditation:
Effective November 28, 2017, Rasmussen College – Land O’ Lakes/East Pasco has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org). If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 813-435-3645 or email Tania.Tablinsky@rasmussen.edu. Candidate for Accreditation is a pre-accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program is progressing toward accreditation and may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Candidate for Accreditation is not an accreditation status nor does it assure eventual accreditation.
Seeking Accreditation:
Rasmussen College - Ocala is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist assistant education program from CAPTE. The program is planning to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the preaccreditation stage, on December 1, 2019. 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.
Accreditation Contingency Plan
Rasmussen College has a contingency plan in place should the PTA program not receive Accreditation from CAPTE. Students who are enrolled in the PTA program will be notified if an adverse decision on accreditation is received by CAPTE, and at that point no new students will be enrolled into the program until accreditation can be achieved.
Students enrolled in the PTA program at the time of an adverse decision on accreditation by CAPTE will be offered the option of completing their current coursework. Students will have the option of remaining in the PTA program until a final decision regarding the PTA program accreditation status is received from CAPTE. Students not opting to stay in the program will receive assistance to identify an accredited PTA program for consideration of transfer.
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
1111 North Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
accreditation@apta.org
703-706-3245