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Heartland Community College

Admission

Heartland Community College's Physical Therapist Assistant program leads to an Associate of Applied Science degree in Physical Therapist Assistant. This degree includes general education courses, PTA technical courses and practical clinical experience.

As a selective admission program, the PTA program enrollment is limited to 16 students per year. Decision for admission is based on achievement of minimum academic criteria and the quality of the applicant's credentials in relation to those of other applicants.

  • Review Accreditation Information

    Please review important accreditation information.

    Meet with an Academic Advisor

    Call or visit an academic advisor for assistance with course selection and the application process.

    Review the Planning Guide

    The application planning guide (PDF) provides an overview of the differences between a physical therapist and physical therapist assistant and offers suggestion for course selection.

    Attend an Information Meeting

    Visit the PTA department page for details about information meetings.

    These meetings provide an overview of the admission process.

    Review Other Program Requirements

    Program requirements are listed in the PTA Program Handbook (PTA).

    • Essential functions.  Applicants accepted to the program must be able to perform the essential functions of the program with or without reasonable accommodation. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact Student Access and Accommodation Services to discuss any concerns associated with the program.
    • Requirements to begin program after Notification of Acceptance
    • Student criminal background check
    • Student drug screen

    Review Licensure Considerations

    Passing the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) is required for licensure. In order to sit for the NPTE, students must graduate from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and meet eligibility criteria designated by each state's licensing authority. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) administers the NPTE.

    Applicants seeking licensure in the state of Illinois will need to answer several licensure questions (PDF) including personal history, child support and/or student loan information questions.

    The program has determined that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in all 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, based on the following: CAPTE accreditation of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program satisfies state educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Thus, students graduating from CAPTE-accredited physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education programs are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, refer to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy website at www.fsbpt.org.

    Review Program Cost

    The HCC PTA PROGRAM - ESTIMATED COST SHEET (PDF) was designed to provide information related to potential expenses incurred by the prospective student in the HCC PTA Program. The totals may vary depending on previous completion of general education courses, costs associated with immunizations and tests, if you have health insurance and if it covers the costs of health related testing and immunizations. The fees associated with a criminal background check and drug screening are estimates and are paid directly to the company performing the checks/screens. The NPTE exam fee and state license fee are for reference only and are not paid to Heartland Community College. If you elect to take the test and become licensed in a different state you would be responsible for determining those fees. Travel fees are related to clinical education and vary dependent on location (generally held to within 90 miles of HCC) and current fuel costs.

    The program accreditation requires the following:  CAPTE - Program Financial Fact Sheet (PDF)  (please note that the HCC PTA PROGRAM - ESTIMATED COST SHEET (PDF) provides a more accurate estimation). 

    Review PTA Curriculum

    • General Education Courses
      These general education courses must be completed prior to admission.
    • PTA Courses
      The PTA courses begin each spring for those applicants accepted into the program and can be completed in three semesters and one summer term. These courses are offered only at the Normal Campus during the day and must be taken in order as outlined in the Curriculum Sequence. Due to the rigor of the program, students are encouraged to keep work hours at a minimum, no more than 10 hours per week for full-time students.
    • Clinical Education Experiences
      Clinical experiences are completed off campus in various practice settings during the summer term and last spring semester. Hours vary and can include day/evening and/ or weekend hours. The majority of clinical sites are located within a 90 mile radius of the college. Students should expect one (1) site located outside the immediate Bloomington – Normal metro during their time in the program. Each student is responsible for the costs incurred during clinical education assignments.
  • PTA Admission Policy

    PTA student admission procedures and practices adhere to applicable law, are nondiscriminatory, assure equal opportunity to all applicants and are consistent with the Heartland Community College Equal Opportunity Statement. The PTA program at Heartland Community College is a selective admission program.

    The Physical Therapist Assistant Program enrollment is limited to 16 students per year. Decision for admission is based on achievement of minimum academic criteria and the quality of the applicant's credentials in relation to those of other applicants.

    Academic Requirements

    • Pre-admission courses specific to the HCC PTA Program must be completed with a "C" or higher or in progress during the fall semester of the application deadline.
      • A GPA of 2.5 is required in Pre-admission courses specific to the HCC PTA Program.
      • If the student has completed Advanced Placement exams it will be scored as follows: 5 = letter grade A; 4 = letter grade B; 3 = letter grade C.  Scores below 3 will not be considered.
      • If a transcript utilized in the application process has a Credit or Pass in lieu of a letter grade for a required program prerequisite course taken during or after January 2020, HCC will verify that the Credit or Pass equated to a letter grade C. If the Credit or Pass does not meet this standard, that course will not be accepted as passed.  This provision shall only be allowed when there is documented evidence that this grading policy related to Credit or Pass is in effect. HCC reserves all rights in determination of utilization of letter grades versus other grading mechanisms. 
      • HLTH 225, BIOL 181 & 182 or equivalent completed within the last five years or obtain a waiver.  This will be counted from the Spring semester of the application cycle (i.e. Apply in Spring 2016 - the five years would be Spring semester of 2011).
      • If a candidate is completing one or more Pre-admission courses specific to the HCC PTA Program during the fall semester of the application cycle, the grade utilized for that course will be the mid-term grade.
      • In the event a candidate elects to re-take a Pre-admission course specific to the HCC PTA Program in an attempt to improve the grade that is on their transcript, the following will be utilized in the selection process:
        • If the candidate completes the re-take prior to August 1 of the application cycle, the highest grade will be utilized.
        • If the candidate is retaking the course during the fall semester of the application cycle, the grade utilized for that course will be the mid-term grade and not any previous grade.
      • All Pre-admission courses specific to the HCC PTA Program must be passed with a minimum grade of 'C' and the candidate must have a minimum GPA of 2.5.  If the candidate was provisionally selected for the program but does not meet these requirements, they will not be allowed to enter into the program.  The candidate would need to submit a new application for the PTA program during a subsequent application cycle.  

    Residency

    • Applicants with temporary visas will not be considered until all qualified and eligible in-district and out-of-district applicants have been offered admission.
    • Learn more about residency and District #540 boundaries.
  • Step 1. Apply to Heartland Community College  (Current HCC students to not need to apply.)

    Step 2. Apply to the PTA Program. Application only available April 1-September 1**

    • Application Dates
      • Application open: April 1
      • Application due: September 1
      • Documentation due: September 1
    • Submit the following required documentation:
      • PTA Application   PLEASE NOTE: Firefox is the suggested browser for completing the application document.
      • Official copies of transcripts from colleges where general education courses were completed (if not previously submitted).  There is no need to submit a transcript from Heartland Community College.
      • Midterm grades if enrolled in general education courses in the fall semester of application deadline (due October 29).

    **Applications may be reopened at a later date if seats remain available.

    Transfer Students

    Students with credits from another physical therapist assistant program may apply. PTA credits will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. All other credits are subject to Heartland Community College's transfer policy. Transfers will be admitted as space permits, after regular admission and re-entry students. The following materials must be submitted:

    • Letter requesting transfer into the HCC PTA program
    • Heartland Community College application for admission
    • Official copies of all college and PTA school transcripts
    • Syllabus and detailed content outline of each PTA course completed with a 'C' or better

    Re-entry Students

    Please see HCC PTA Program Handbook (PDF) for readmission and re-entry criteria.

  • All qualified applicants will be ranked, and the top 16 will be offered a seat.

    In the event that a seat opens after the original top 16 have been offered, those applicants that were determined to be qualified but did not make the original top 16 list will be ranked and the remaining seats will be filled.  This process will continue until all seats are filled, until all qualified candidates have been exhausted, or until the program's mandatory orientation.

    If a candidate is completing one or more general education courses during the fall semester of the application cycle, the grade utilized for that course will be the mid-term grade.

    In the event a candidate elects to re-take a course in an attempt to improve the grade that is on their transcript, the following will be utilized in the selection process:

    • If the candidate completes the re-take prior to August 1 of the application cycle, the highest grade will be utilized.
    • If the candidate is retaking the course during the fall semester of the application cycle, the grade utilized for that course will be the mid-term grade and not any previous grade.

    Regardless, all general education courses must be passed with a minimum grade of 'C' and the candidate must have a minimum GPA of 2.5.  If the candidate was provisionally selected for the program but does not meet these requirements, they will not be allowed to enter into the program.  The candidate would need to submit a new application for the PTA program during a subsequent application cycle.

    Applicants provisionally selected and who accept a seat but subsequently turn the seat down may elect to submit a new application for the PTA program during a subsequent application cycle.  However, if the applicant accepts and then subsequently turns the seat down in 2 successive admission cycles, the applicant will not be considered for selection during the next immediate application cycle.

    The following outlines the scoring system utilized to rank candidates:

    Ranking Criteria
    Weighting Criteria
    95% Normalized GPA on general education courses [(Pre-admission GPA / 4.0) X 100]
    5% Prior Academic Achievement
    • Master Degree or higher (100), OR
    • Bachelor Degree (75), OR
    • Associate Degree (50), OR
    • College Certificate in CNA, EMT, Massage Therapy (25), OR
    • If none of the above (0)
    [Normalized GPA] X 95% + [Prior Achievement] 5% = SCORE

    In case of a tie, the applicant with the highest GPA in the general education courses will be given priority.

    Please see our admission recommendation (PDF) sheet for additional information.

  • Applicants will be notified of their status regarding admission via their Heartland email by November 15.

    Applicants not accepted during an application cycle will receive an email explaining why their application could not be approved at this time.  These individuals should work with an academic advisor to satisfy basic admission requirements and reapply when admission requirements have been made.

    Applications and waiting lists are not maintained from year to year.

    Applicants that are offered a seat in the program must meet the following requirements prior to official acceptance into the program.

    • Complete currently enrolled pre-admission courses with a 'C' or greater AND a GPA of 2.5 in the pre-admission courses
    • Attend Orientation
    • Submit to a criminal background check and drug testing and disclose any previous criminal convictions (see Program Handbook for additional information)
    • Fulfill all clinical education requirements (see Program Handbook for additional information)
    • Satisfy all financial obligations to the college

Physical Therapist Assistant Department

Visit the PTA Department
Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical Therapist Assistant At Heartland Community College Video