Physical Therapy Program, Doctor of Physical Therapy (Graduate Admission)

Program Chair: Dr. Ivan Mulligan

The Saint Francis University Physical Therapy Program will prepare students to enter professional practice as competent, ethical, caring doctors of physical therapy.  The graduates will be prepared to practice in a complex healthcare environment, demonstrate critical thinking, embrace lifelong learning, and use an evidence-based approach to support decisions and serve the needs of consumers and society.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Saint Francis University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: www.capteonline.org.

Professional Curriculum Progression Standards

All physical therapy majors in the three-year professional curriculum must meet the following academic requirements. Failure to meet the progression standards will result in dismissal from the major.

• Achieve a minimum QPA of 3.000 each semester of the professional curriculum.
• No more than one grade below “B” per semester.
• No more than three grades below “B” permitted in the professional curriculum.
• A minimum grade of “C” in any major course.
• Achieve competency on all lab exams as per department policy.
• Pass all clinical education courses.
• Perform essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodations, while practicing safely, ethically, and in a legal manner.
• Meet professional behaviors standards.
• Prior to advancing to the next semester the requirements for the Professional Development Portfolio must be satisfactorily completed.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree will be awarded upon successful completion of the three-year professional curriculum. Students are prepared as competent, ethical, caring doctors of physical therapy who practice autonomously, at an entry-level, in a complex healthcare environment, and who demonstrate critical thinking, embrace lifelong learning and use an evidence based approach to patient care.

The physical therapy program provides three years of pre-professional study where students complete the general education studies and collateral requirements, followed by three years of study in the professional curriculum which includes clinical experiences. While the entire six-year curriculum is taught on campus, selected education experiences may occasionally require travel to local health care facilities. All clinical education coursework is full time and requires travel to clinical sites for practical experience under the supervision of a physical therapist. Clinical education sites will be available locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Please consult the departmental handbook for detailed information about internal policies and standards. Professional courses are open to physical therapy majors only.

Graduate Application

Competitive applications must have the following:

• Official transcript from each college/university attended indicating a minimum 3.200 overall QPA and an earned bachelor’s degree
• A 3.200 minimum math/science QPA (based on the prerequisite math and science courses)
• The below list of prerequisite (or equivalent) coursework is required: 12 credits of biology, 8 of which must be anatomy and physiology; 8 credits of chemistry with labs; 8 credits of physics with labs; 4 credits of exercise physiology; 3 credits of statistics and 9 credits of psychology.All international students must send official transcripts to WES and submitted through PTCAS  to have transcripts converted to the United States academic scale.
• Current semester grades upon completion (if presently enrolled)
• Three professional recommendations (two from physical therapists).
• Brief (300 words or less) typed response to “Describe your personal characteristics that you believe will lead you to success in the physical therapy profession.”
• Eighty (80) hours of documented experience between two (2) different physical therapy practice settings (i.e., inpatient, outpatient, rehab, etc.).

The following prerequisite (or equivalent) coursework is required:

Prerequisite	Credits	Description
General Biology (w/lab)	4	One course offered by a Biology Department that includes a laboratory portion.
Anatomy & Physiology  (w/lab)	8	A two-course sequence (with labs) addressing the structure and function of the human mammalian body studied at the cellular,tissue, and organ level of organization.  Invertebrate Anatomy& Physiology is not acceptable.
Exercise Physiology     (w/lab)	4	The study of the normal physiological responses to, and the recovery from acute and chronic exercise stresses in the trained and untrained individual.  A lab component is required.
Chemistry (w/lab)	8	A two-course introductory sequence (with labs) that covers basic concepts, theories and application of chemistry.
Physics (w/lab)	8	A two-course sequence (with labs) that covers fundamentals of physics, classical and modern, including mechanics, heat, light,electricity, magnetism, and modern physics.
Statistics	3	A course which covers the collection, presentation, analysis and interpretation of data.
Introductory Psychology	3	A foundational course which covers the major areas of study within psychology.
Psychology	6	Two courses that examine specific areas of psychological theory and practice.  Such courses include: Sensation and Perception;Learning; Abnormal Psychology; Cognition; Physiological Psychology;and Developmental Psychology.

Graduation Requirements:

A candidate for graduation must satisfy the following requirements:

• Complete all requirements for an approved program of study;
• Complete the minimum number of credits as specified in this publication;
• Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.000 or better
• Submit a completed Application for Degree form at least one semester prior to graduation date; and
• Satisfy financial obligations to the University.