Graduate Admissions -- Doctor of Physical Therapy
Eligible students holding an earned baccalaureate degree with the necessary prerequisite coursework may be admitted to the first year of the professional curriculum based on space availability. The professional program begins in June. Prospective graduate students must make application to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program by January 15 for the following summer. Students who are accepted into the program begin their study in the summer following their acceptance.
Program Description
Curriculum
Program Admission Requirements
Making Application
Application Deadline
Program Cost
Graduate Housing Options
Essential Functions
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Program Description: (view curriculum)
A Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree will be awarded upon successful completion of the three-year professional curriculum. Students are prepared for physical therapy as generalists. The physical therapy program covers nine semesters (including summer terms
) for a total of 115 credits. It includes such courses as gross anatomy, movement science, cardiopulmonary, health care systems, neuroscience, modalities, pharmacology, administration, research, a series of patient client management courses and five clinical education experiences.
Students begin the program in June. Full-time study is required. While the entire curriculum is taught on campus, selected educational experiences may occasionally require short-distance travel to local health care facilities. All clinical education coursework requires travel to clinical sites for practical experience under the supervision of a physical therapist.
All physical therapy students enrolled in the three-year professional curriculum must meet the Department of Physical Therapy Progression Standards as follows:
Achieve a minimum 3.0 QPA each semester of the professional curriculum.
Achieve a minimum grade of "C" in all major courses with no more than one "C" grade per semester and no more than three "C" grades in the entire professional curriculum.
Pass all competency exams.
Pass all clinical education courses.
Perform essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodations, while practicing safely, ethically, and in a legal manner.
Meet generic ability standards.
Saint Francis University physical therapy graduates are eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Licensure Examination. Licensure is required to practice. We are pleased to report that the 2006 first-time pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Examination for Saint Francis University is 100%. We have a three-year average first-time pass rate of 96.08%. This quality indicator places our program in the top tier of all accredited programs in the country! By comparison the three-year average first-time pass rate is 82.98% for all Pennsylvania schools of physical therapy and 81.29% for candidates from all U.S. institutions taking the exam for the first time.
Program Admissions Requirements:
Applicants are required to submit the following to the Department of Physical Therapy Graduate Admissions Committee in order to be considered for admission:
A completed application with the $30 (non-refundable) application fee to the Department of Physical Therapy Graduate Admissions Committee at the address below. Make check payable to Saint Francis University.
Evidence of a completed baccalaureate degree from a fully-accredited institution.
Official transcripts from each college/university attended indicating a minimum 3.0 QPA overall and a minimum 3.0 QPA in the prerequisite math and science courses listed below click here to use the SFU Math/Science QPA Calculator. Transcripts must be submitted from the college/university to the Graduate Admissions Committee in sealed envelopes, or they will not be considered official.
International Students: International students must send their transcripts to an international agency where the transcripts will be converted to the American academic scale. We recommend World Education Services, 1-800-937-3897. In addition to meeting the requirements for admission, international students must submit satisfactory scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (T.O.E.F.L.), administered by the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey. Applicants whose native language is English are exempt from this requirement. International students should apply for admission and the required testing well in advance in order to ensure evaluation of their credentials in a time frame which is equitable to themselves and the Graduate Admissions Committee.
A completed Prerequisite Check-off form. The following prerequisite (or equivalent) coursework must be completed before the start of the program:
4 credits of general biology with lab
8 credits of Anatomy & Physiology with lab
8 credits of chemistry with labs
8 credits of physics with labs
9 credits of psychology
4 credits of exercise physiology with lab
3 credits of statistics
All prerequisites taken to date must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) to be considered for the DPT Program. No grade below “C” will be accepted.
Descriptions for the prerequisite coursework for graduate admission to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program are provided in the application packet. Applicants who believe they have taken an equivalent of the course(s) must provide the appropriate course descriptions and/or syllabi with their application so that the Graduate Admissions Committee can make a determination of equivalency.
Documented evidence of 80 hours (minimum) of volunteer or paid experience in physical therapy. A copy of the Documentation Form for Physical Therapy Clinical Volunteer/Paid Employment Experience is provided in the application packet. These hours must be in two different physical therapy settings (i.e., outpatient, inpatient, rehabilitation center, nursing home, etc.) with a minimum of ten (10) hours in each.
Completed Current Course Enrollment form if currently enrolled at another college/university. Upon completion of coursework, an official transcript must be sent to the Graduate Admissions Committee before January 15.
Three professional recommendations (two from physical therapists and one other) using the Professional Recommendation Forms provided in the application packet. These recommendations must be submitted to the Admissions Committee directly from the references in sealed envelopes.
Submit a brief typed essay (300 words or less): “Describe your personal characteristics that you believe will lead to your success in the physical therapy profession.”
GRE scores are not required for our program.
Making Application:
Candidates must apply for admission by January 15 for the following summer. The printable application (PDF) requires the latest version of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print the application.
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After printing or receiving the graduate application, please complete it and send all components to the coordinator of graduate admissions at the address below. If you experience difficulty in printing the application, you may request an information/application packet by clicking below.
Application Deadline:
Prospective graduate students should make application to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program by January 15 for the following summer. Applicants may expect a response from the Graduate Admissions Committee within one month of the deadline. Students who are accepted into the program begin their study in the summer following their acceptance.
Program Cost:
The cost for the program for the 2007-2008 academic year includes tuition at $701 per credit, a $422 PT fee billed each fall and spring semester, a $83 PT lab fee per each lab course, and an estimated cost for textbooks of $2500-$2900 for the entire three-year program.
Students in the second and third professional years may apply for several Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) positions available in the program. Typically, in return for 10 hours of weekly service, each GTA will receive tuition remission for 4.5 credits per semester.
Graduate students are eligible to receive Federal Stafford loans for each semester in which they are enrolled for five or more credits. The maximum Stafford loan per semester is $9,250 of which $4,250 may be subsidized. In addition to Stafford loans, graduate students may apply for private education loans. A separate application is required and may be submitted online, by telephone or by paper to the Financial Aid Office. Questions on the financial aid procedure and tuition payment options should be directed to the Financial Aid Office by calling (814) 472-3010.
Graduate Housing Options:
Incoming graduate students are not currently eligible for campus housing. Many of our students lease apartments in Loretto. Some are within walking distance to campus. Other rental options are available in a number of towns within easy driving distance of Loretto.
Click for further information on graduate housing.
Essential Functions of the Student Physical Therapist:
Essential functions are the activities that a student physical therapist must be able to perform in partial fulfillment of the requirements for successful completion of the professional curriculum. Every student must be able to perform these essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodations, while practicing safely, ethically, and in a legal manner. Further information.
Further Information:
Requests for further information on the Doctor of Physical Therapy program or any questions on the graduate application process should be directed to:
Lisa A. Buck
Coordinator of Graduate Admissions
Saint Francis University
Department of Physical Therapy
P.O. Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940-0600
U.S.A.
Phone: 814-472-2764
Fax: 814-472-3140
or
Request Information