Rehabilitation Sciences Distance Education Program for Certified/Licensed PT Assistants

For those students who already have an associate’s degree as a PT Assistant and are certified/licensed to practice, we will waive some of the required coursework in the Rehabilitation Sciences (RHS) program.  Please note that RHS bachelor’s degree does not make a graduate eligible for additional certifications or licenses.

Experiential Credit for PTAs

For students with a PTA Certification/license, they will receive experiential credit for the courses listed below.  Note: the students will have to complete an experiential credit application through the Registrar’s Office to receive these credits.

2 - RHS 1550 - Introduction to Rehabilitation Sciences
1 - RHS 2890 - Introduction to Cooperative Work Experience
3 - RHS 2300 - Emergency Response
3 - RHS 2175 - Introduction to Sports Medicine
6 - RHS 4890 - Cooperative Work Experience

15 credits including 6 UD credits

Other Waived Courses for PTAs

PTA Certification/license = waived requirement for the courses listed below:

8 - HTHS 1110 and 1111 (A&P I and II) - may be waived by PD if not articulated after consulting with the student and reviewing transcripts
2 - HTHS 1101 - Medical Terminology - may be waived by PD if not articulated after consulting with the student and reviewing transcripts

General Education Coursework

Students may also receive credit for some of their general education courses such as English and math, depending on what courses they completed within their associate’s degree program (or from other transferred college coursework).  General education courses will be reviewed and approved by the WSU Admissions/Transfer Office.

Most students will likely need to take the courses listed below, but this will vary based on what they have completed so far within their associate’s degree program or at other institutions:

HIST 1700 - American History
LIBS 1704 - Information Navigator
Math QL - Math
HU/CA - 6 credits of Humanities and Creative Arts courses

Elective Credits

Students will also receive elective credits for PTA classes toward meeting the 120 credit hour requirement.

Course Requirements for the Rehabilitation Sciences Major

The courses below will be required, even if similar courses were completed within the PTA program.  These will be taken online at WSU, but some could be completed face-to-face for students who live in the Ogden, Utah area.

3 - RHS 3300 - Evaluation and Care of Musculoskeletal Injuries: Lower Extremities
3 - RHS 3301- Evaluation and Care of Musculoskeletal Injuries: Upper Extremities
3 - RHS 4150 - Therapeutic Modalities (must have an affiliation agreement in place for this course)
3 - RHS 4250 - Therapeutic Rehabilitation
3 - RHS 4650 - Management for Rehabilitation Sciences majors
3 - RHS 3080 (EBP), 3200 (Sport Psychology), and/or 4999 (Special Topics)

18 Credits, all upper-division

Other Required Courses

Other courses outside of the department that are also required for the RHS major are listed below. Students will take these online at WSU or at another local university:

  1. Chemistry - Chem 1010 (3); CHEM 1110 (5); CHEM 1200 (3); or CHEM 1210 (5)
  2. Physics - PHYS 1010 (3); or PHYS 2010 (5)
  3. Biology - ZOOL 1010 (3); ZOOL 1020 (3); ZOOL 1110 (4); or MICR 2054 (4)
  4. PSY 1010 (3) - Introduction to Psychology
  5. NUTR 1020 (3) - Human Nutrition
  6. ESS 3450 (3) - Structural Kinesiology

Upper-Division Requirements for Bachelor's Degree Completion

Students may need additional courses and/or upper-division credits. 40 upper-division credits (3000- and 4000-level courses) are required to graduate. Suggestions are listed below. Note that not all of these courses are offered online at WSU.

3 - RHS 4800 - Directed Readings
3 - PUBH 3150 - Introduction to Public Health
3 - PSY 3010 - Abnormal Psychology
3 - PSY 3600/3605 - Statistics (with lab)
3 - ESS 3510 - Ex Phys (would need to take at somewhere other than WSU)
3 - ZOOL 3200 - Cell Biology
3 - ZOOL 3300 - Genetics

Other prerequisites required of the graduate program(s) students plan to apply to following completion of the bachelor’s degree.

Academic Advising

General Education coursework:
Susan Smith - SSmith@weber.edu or 801-626-7218

Rehabilitation Sciences major:
Dr. Hannah Stedge - Rehabilitation Sciences Program Director
HannahStedge@weber.edu or 801-626-6734

Ready to apply to the program?

  1. Apply first for admission to Weber State University as an online nonresident student.
  2. Then, apply for admission to the Rehabilitation Sciences (RHS) program after being admitted to WSU.