FAIRMONT — Officials at Pierpont Community and Technical College continue to explore new pathways of advancement for their graduates.
The college recently signed an articulation agreement with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to create a pathway between Pierpont’s two-year associate of applied science in physical therapist assistant program and the university’s four-year bachelor of science in exercise science program.
The articulation agreement is effective immediately and is a step toward addressing the shortage of qualified health care providers in the tri-state area and beyond, according to a press release. The partnership provides an opportunity for distance learners to take classes online with limited on-campus requirements.
“Harrisburg University is pleased to welcome the Pierpont community into our growing network of partner institutions,” HU Provost and Chief Academic Officer Cameron J. McCoy said. “Together, we are positioning real impact toward addressing regional talent shortages and ‘health care deserts.’ Our Exercise Science and Physical Therapy programs empower learners with technologically advanced course designs, immersive research experiences, and fruitful relationships with community healthcare leaders. Thanks to this collaborative agreement, even more learners can study with us through an increasingly flexible higher education pathway.”
“Collaborations such as this one with Harrisburg University create the potential for students to advance their academic degrees and build upon their clinical training in the pursuit of patient care,” Pierpont Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Michael Waide said. “We are excited about this partnership with HU to meet the growing need for healthcare professionals in our region and beyond.”
The articulation agreement guarantees admission to the Harrisburg University bachelor of science in exercise science program for Pierpont PTA students. Pierpont students will be required to complete the electronic “Dual Admissions Intent” form with Harrisburg University prior to completing no more than 45 credits at Pierpont. Pierpont students will also be required to complete the Harrisburg admissions application and meet all other admissions requirements, including submitting official transcripts and a video essay.
Students must be Pierpont graduates who obtained the associate of applied science in physical therapist assistant and plan to acquire, or have acquired, a physical therapist assistant license. Students cannot attend any other higher education institutions after Pierpont and before enrolling at Harrisburg. Students must enroll at Harrisburg within a year of graduating from Pierpont.
Students from Pierpont’s PTA program will be awarded a block of 53 transfer credits to HU upon completion of their degree and after providing evidence of licensure. No diagnostic testing is needed.
“The PTA pathways program offered through Harrisburg University will be a game changer for many of our PTA students,” Assistant Professor and PTA Program Coordinator Andrea Wamsley-Barr said. “This partnership will allow select students from our program to have an achievable pathway of obtaining a bachelor’s degree in exercise science while still living and working in their home communities.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the health care field has struggled to keep pace with demand and departures. An estimated 15,000 physical therapists left their positions between 2021 and 2022, totaling nearly 11 percent of the workforce. That is a higher attrition rate than that of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers and physicians. The shortage of qualified professionals in health care has been felt in the nation’s rural regions due to the concentration of practitioners in metropolitan areas.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates “much faster than average” growth in the physical therapist job market through 2032, estimating an additional 37,200 job openings.
Harrisburg University’s EXSC program received formal accreditation in May 2023 and was named an Exercise is Medicine bronze-level campus by the American College of Sports Medicine in 2024. ACSM has recognized only 145 campuses worldwide through its Exercise is Medicine On Campus program.
Upon competition of the EXSC program, students will have the prerequisites required for admission into Harrisburg’s doctor of physical therapy program.
For additional information about Pierpont’s PTA program, call 304-333-3684 or email admissions@pierpont.edu. For more information at Harrisburg University, call 717-901-5146 or email connect@harrisburgu.edu.