Physical Therapist Assistant

The PTA program follows Keiser University's one-class-at-a-time model, with each course delivered in a focused four-week term and new classes beginning every month. Students complete 74 credit hours across 19 courses, with a typical time to completion of about 20 months of full-time attendance.

Because the profession is hands-on, the curriculum is on-campus only at select Florida campuses; laboratory sessions and clinical rotations cannot be completed online. Extensive laboratory practice is paired with supervised Clinical Experience I and II rotations (12 credit hours combined) at reputable health care facilities such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, and skilled nursing facilities. Up to 12 transfer credits may be accepted toward the degree.

The curriculum combines general education with a technical core in physical therapy science and practice, culminating in supervised clinical rotations. A full course-by-course list is shown below.

Required Courses

Keiser University charges tuition per 16-week semester based on scheduled credit hours; a full-time load (12–17.99 credits) is approximately $12,408 per semester (per Keiser's Undergraduate Tuition & Fee Disclosure, subject to annual review). Completing the 74-credit PTA degree at a full-time pace over roughly 20 months spans about five semesters, for an estimated tuition of approximately $62,000. As a hands-on health program, the PTA degree also carries additional program-related costs for textbooks, laboratory and clinical materials, and examination fees; students should request a current, personalized cost estimate from an admissions counselor and use Keiser's Net Price Calculator (https://www.keiseruniversity.edu/NPC-index.html) for an individualized figure. Enrollment also includes a one-time $55 application fee and a one-time $145 registration fee.

Students who qualify may fund their education through a range of aid options, including the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, and Federal Work-Study, as well as Florida's FSAG and EASE programs, institutional scholarships, and veterans and military education benefits. Keiser's FAFSA School Code is 015159, and the FAFSA should be completed annually.

Estimated total program tuition of about $62,040 (full-time semesters at ~$12,408/semester); actual cost varies with pace and transfer credit.

Graduates are prepared to work as physical therapist assistants across a variety of rehabilitation settings, including outpatient rehabilitation clinics, acute care hospitals, skilled nursing and long-term care facilities, inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, pediatric therapy centers, sports medicine and orthopedic clinics, home health agencies, school-based programs, and industrial rehabilitation settings.

Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Passing the NPTE, along with meeting state-specific requirements, qualifies graduates for licensure as a Physical Therapist Assistant. Keiser University has determined that the program meets the educational requirements for PTA licensure in Florida and the substantial majority of U.S. states; because requirements vary and can change, prospective students should confirm the rules of the state where they intend to practice.

Expect an intensive, hands-on program that moves one course at a time through four-week terms. Early coursework builds a science foundation in anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology, then progresses into functional modalities, therapeutic exercise, patient care procedures, tests and measurements, pathophysiology, and rehabilitation. You will spend significant time in the laboratory practicing clinical skills before applying them with real patients.

Before starting, you will complete a background check and drug screening, document at least 10 hours of physical therapy observation (inpatient and outpatient), and meet with the PTA Program Director. In the later phases of the program, supervised Clinical Experience rotations place you in hospitals, outpatient clinics, and skilled nursing facilities, where you must meet the program's clinical performance and professional-conduct standards. Because labs and clinicals are in person, plan for on-campus attendance and a schedule that supports full-time study.