Interested in playing a vital part in helping people overcoming physical limitations and improving their lives? Consider a career as a physical therapist assistant (PTA). You will help patients young and old recover their mobility due to injuries and assist those with other disabling conditions improve their physical well-being.

The St. Kate's physical therapist assistant program was among the first of its kind in the nation and offers its students a careful blend of theory and practice to master physical therapy concepts and techniques.

As part of the educational process, you’ll will benefit from a variety of clinical experiences that may include acute care, skilled nursing facility/rehabilitative, or outpatient settings. The program has an extensive clinical network in the immediate Twin Cities area, Minnesota, and nationally.

The PTA degree program and the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program are housed together, providing you with opportunities for collaborative learning — blended tutorial learning, cadaver lab reviews, joint service learning courses, and joint co-curricular activities. This exposure provides PTA and DPT students with invaluable insight into each others' roles in the clinical setting.

If you are applying to the physical therapist assistant associate degree program, you'll first enroll as a pre-PTA student and take liberal arts and sciences (LAS) courses required for your degree. Enrollment as a "pre-" student does not guarantee progression into PTA courses.

The physical therapist assistant program at St. Kate's is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

Learn more about accreditation and outcomes for this program

2021-22 PTA Student Financial Fact Sheet