Two main things to do:

1. Register for an Information Session. Most of your questions will be answered and you can ask any that are not.
2. Read the information in the PTHA 1409 Course Information tab. It is important to prioritize this course when you are planning your prerequisites.

This is how you will apply to the PTA Program. There is an account set up fee of $72. There is no other way to apply to the ACC PTA Program. 

No general education or non-PTA courses can be substituted for PTHA 1409. Please read the information in the PTHA 1409 Course Information tab to learn more.

Only two courses have an expiration date. The Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) requirement must be within 7 years of your application date. If you are using A&P 1 and A&P 2, the time starts from when you took A&P 2. PTHA 1409 Intro to PT must be within 3 years of your application date.

Applicants with completed coursework will have additional bonus points added to their ranking score. The following courses are eligible for bonus points:

PTHA 1409 Introduction to Physical Therapy

90-100 = 1.5 bonus points

85-89 = 1.0 bonus points

80-84 = 0.5 bonus points

73-79 = 0 bonus points

Co-requisite Courses

Students that have completed all co-requisites (SPCH 1318 or 1311, PSYC 2314, and Phil 2306: Ethics) with a grade of C or higher, will have one bonus point added to their ranking score. If a student has any co-requisites that are not completed, they are ineligible for any bonus points for these courses.

This bonus point system is in place for two reasons:

1. Students who enter the program with all co-requisites completed are more likely to be academically successful in the program.
2. Strong academic performance in PTHA 1409 correlates with success in this program.

The minimum GPA requirement for applying is 2.8. However, a higher GPA improves your chances of being accepted into the program. The following table gives the average GPA for admitted cohorts for past years.

The typical number of applicants is approximately 50, of which we accept a maximum of 22. The program does not maintain a waitlist. Students that applied and did not gain admission into the program, and want consideration for admission the following year, must submit a new application. No additional consideration is given to the number of times an applicant has applied to the program.

Students should expect to plan at least 12-18 hours per week to study, in addition to scheduled class time. The majority of students find it necessary to attend open labs and tutoring sessions, which will add to the time commitment per week. 

The general schedule is:

Year 1

• Fall semester: Late morning and afternoon classes
• Spring semester: Morning and afternoon classes

Year 2

• Fall semester: Morning and afternoon classes, and 240 clinical hours
• Spring semester: Morning and afternoon classes, and 480 clinical hours

All attempts are made to keep you in the general area in which you live. However, because of the scarcity of clinical sites, you may need to drive a longer distance to a clinical site. All rotations are located within the ACC service district. Please plan ahead to account for vehicle maintenance and gas prices, as all students will need to arrange their own transportation to the assigned facility.

The most recent statistics can be found on the Physical Therapist Assistant home page.

The Texas Board of PT Examiners is the only entity that can answer this question for you. If you are wondering due to an adverse criminal background, you can request an criminal background evaluation. Follow this link, and click on the “Request a Criminal History Evaluation”.

Please note that the ACC criminal background check required of all Health Sciences students does not substitute for the state’s criminal background check when applying for a physical therapy license.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Physical Therapist Assistants rank 7th among the top 20 fastest growing occupations in the U.S., as of August 2025.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most recent data suggests that the median annual wage is $65,000. Local data collect from graduates suggests annual salaries between $56,000 and $62,000, depending on the practice setting.