Pre-Physical Therapist Assistant
Certificate of Achievement Kinesiology · College of the Desert · 2026-2027 Catalog
Completion of this certificate demonstrates students have completed the required coursework to apply to a Physical Therapist Assistant program. It demonstrates the interest and intent to pursue a career in the physical therapy setting. Students can get a job as a Physical Therapy Aide while progressing to either a PTA or PT program.
Completion of this certificate does not guarantee a student will be an eligible applicant for the PTA program, please refer to the PTA program website for GPA requirements.
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Upon satisfactory completion of this program students will be able to:
- Demonstrate the required skills and background knowledge to be successful in a Physical Therapist Assistant program.
Program Requirements
Program Requirements
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BI 013 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BI 014 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 5 |
| PSYC C1000 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| orPSY 003 | Developmental Psychology | |
| ENGL C1000 | Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
| KINE 008 | Introduction to Kinesiology | 3 |
| Select one course from the following: | 3-5 | |
| MATH 016 | Finite Mathematics | |
| STAT C1000 | Introduction to Statistics | |
| SOC 003 | Fundamentals of Statistics | |
| Or Any College Level Math Class | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-5 | |
| PHIL 006 | Introduction to Philosophy | |
| PHIL 013 | Perspectives on Death & Dying | |
| PHIL 014 | Introduction to Ethics | |
| or Any class from Area C3, Arts, Humanities & Culture | ||
| One course from C6 Ethnic Studies (3 units) | ||
| One course from C1(b) Oral Communication and Critical Thinking (3 units) | ||
| Certificate Total: | 31-35 | |