Catalog/Handbook 2021-2022

The Polk State College Catalog/Student Handbook contains detailed information about admission requirements, academic programs and policies, course descriptions, financial aid, special services and programs, extracurricular activities, and related policies and procedures.

If a student has specific questions or needs further information, he or she should contact a student success advisor in Student Services on either the Lakeland or Winter Haven Campus, or at the Airside East, Airside West-Lakeland, or JD Alexander-Lake Wales Center.

Polk State College is part of the Florida College System and awards baccalaureate degrees, associate degrees, advanced technical certificates, credit and vocational certificates, and applied technology diplomas. Polk State College is governed by a District Board of Trustees. The information published in this Catalog reflects the District Board’s rules and administrative regulations in effect at the time of publication in a user-friendly format. The official and binding rules and procedures are published on the College website. Polk State College reserves the right to make changes to regulations, course offerings, curricula, academic policies, and other aspects affecting students.

Information about any changes to rules and regulations is available in the Student Services Offices.

This Catalog is updated throughout the year for omissions and errors only.

Polk State College
999 Avenue H, N.E.
Winter Haven, Florida 33881-4299
863.297.1000

Note: That this Catalog may have updates throughout the months of
July and August due to legislative changes that affect policies.

Accreditation

Polk State College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees and baccalaureate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Polk State College may be addressed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 (telephone: 404.679.4500). The Commission is to be contacted only if there is evidence of an institution’s significant non-compliance with a requirement or standard.

Polk State College programs are also accredited by:

The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) 9355 - 113th Street North, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775; 727.210.2350; www.caahep.org
The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326; 404.975.5000; www.acenursing.org
The Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP) 8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312, Rowlett, TX 75088; 214.703.8445
The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 4720 Montgomery Lane, Ste 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449; 301.652.6611
The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), 20 N. Wacker Dr. Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182; 312.704.5300
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., (CALEA®) Public Safety Training Academy Accreditation, 13575 Heathcote Blvd., Ste. 320, Gainesville, VA 20155; 703.352.4225
The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford, TX 76021-4244; 817.283.2835
The Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT), 1449 Hill Street, Whitinsville, MA 01588; 978.456.5594

Polk State College is pleased to report that on April 27, 2021, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) renewed the College’s Physical Therapist Assistant Program’s accreditation. At the same time, the CAPTE also placed the program on temporary Probationary Accreditation status due to two out of eight Standards/Required Elements being out of compliance.

Probationary accreditation is a temporary status that does not exceed two years but may end sooner. Once placed on probation, should a program fail to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner as specified by the CAPTE, the program may risk having its accreditation withdrawn. Polk State is committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure ongoing accreditation for this program.

The College’s CAPTE accreditation history can be viewed on the commission’s website: www.capteonline.org.

What does this mean for the Polk State Physical Therapist Assistant Program? Polk State’s PTA Program remains accredited, and this temporary status change does not interfere with any currently enrolled or admitted student’s path to graduation, or ability to take the National Physical Therapy Examination® (NPTE®), obtain licensure, and enter practice.

The College takes this situation very seriously and it is confident in meeting all CAPTE accreditation standards. Polk State’s PTA Program was created consistent with those standards when it first received accreditation in 1996. The College has hired a new Program Director who began on June 1, 2021; a new Clinical Coordinator for the fall term. Additionally, the program is providing a supplemental test preparation course, Scorebuilders, to enhance students’ readiness for passing licensure exams. Polk State is committed to demonstrating and maintaining compliance with the standards of the CAPTE and is confident that the corrective measures being implemented will lead to removal of the probationary status. Polk State will continue to provide students with the high-quality education and training required to become licensed, practicing physical therapist assistants.

The Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Polk State College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703.706.3245; email: accrediation@apta.org; website: www.capteonline.org. The program’s current status is Probationary Accreditation, and more information is available at: www.capteonline.org/WhatWeDo/RecentActions/PublicDisclosureNotices. The Polk State PTA Program can be contacted by telephone (863.297.1010 ext. 5751) or email (pta@polk.edu).