Lackawanna College (LC) announces a new partnership with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology that enables LC students enrolled in the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) associate degree program to transfer up to 56 credits into the Harrisburg University Exercise Science bachelor’s degree program (BS) upon graduation. Under the dual admissions transfer agreement, LC students will be guaranteed admission at HU if they meet admission criteria, are a licensed PTA, and graduated from LC within the past year.
Dr. Meegan Murray, the Lead of Lackawanna College’s Health Sciences division and the Program Director for the Physical Therapist Assistant Program, is excited to have this opportunity open to LC students and alumni: “Students can complete their PTA degrees at Lackawanna College, and after licensure, those wishing to further their education in Exercise Science or pursue a physical therapist degree will have a direct path and plan to do so affordably. This program addresses the prohibitive cost of higher education and allows PTAs to pursue advanced degrees while working in the field.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 15 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the national average for other occupations. This need is especially urgent in rural communities, and the hybrid program offered at HU is an opportunity to begin to meet this need in areas of Pennsylvania without sufficient physical therapy practitioners.
As noted by Dr. Lori Portzer, Program Director for Exercise Science at HU, “The PTA Pathway at HU further opens doors through the opportunity to make a seamless transition for licensed PTAs to transition to Exercise Science, with the next step being admission to HU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program.” The DPT program at HU is slated to enroll its first class of graduate students in Fall 2025.
The Harrisburg University PTA Pathway is a majority-online, asynchronous curriculum designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population utilizing a cost-effective approach. Students can pursue the Harrisburg degree remotely as they work in their field as PTAs, following a work-earn-learn model.
ABOUT LACKAWANNA COLLEGE
Lackawanna College’s mission is to provide a quality education to all persons who seek to improve their lives and better the communities in which they live. Our vision is to be the nationally recognized premier open-enrollment college of choice. Lackawanna College, which is accredited by the Commission of Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, has been home to many successful programs, and today offers over 60 degrees and certifications. For more information, please call (877) 346-3552 or email admissions@lackawanna.edu.
ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Harrisburg University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is a private, nonprofit university offering bachelor’s and graduate degree programs in the fields of science, technology, and mathematics. For additional information about the University’s affordable, demand-driven undergraduate and graduate programs, please call 717-901-5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Stay updated by following Harrisburg University on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
