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PT Graduate Admissions

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. 

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  • Contact Information

     Lisa Buck
    Physical Therapy Graduate Admission Coordinator
    p. 814.472.2764
    lbuck@francis.edu

    Meet Our Faculty

    Saint Francis University physical therapy graduates are eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Licensure Examination. Licensure is required to practice.

    • Doctor of Physical Therapy

      • Students are prepared through a professional curriculum 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.
      • Download Plan of Study

        Visit the academic catalog and scroll to the School of Health Sciences to view degree.

    • Application Details

      Graduate Application Materials

      Individuals holding an earned baccalaureate degree with the necessary prerequisite coursework are eligible for admission to the first year of the three-year professional curriculum based on space availability.  Application deadline is January 15.

      The Doctor of Physical Therapy program participates  in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service.   To learn more about the PTCAS application process, visit www.ptcas.org.  

      Admission personnel, financial aid officers, and faculty members are available for advising throughout the admissions process. 

      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) using the standard forms available through the Graduate Admissions Coordinator.
      • 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:

       

      Table caption
      PrerequisiteCreditsDescription
      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. 
      Academic Requirements

      Failure to meet the progression standards will result in dismissal from the major.

      • Essential Functions of the Student Physical Therapist - Activities that a student physical therapist must be able to perform in partial fulfillment of the requirements for successful completion of the professional curriculum.
      • Progression Standards - All physical therapy majors in the three-year pre-professional curriculum must meet the following academic requirements in order to have a guaranteed seat in the professional curriculum.
      Articulation Agreements

      Articulation Agreements

      We have an articulation agreement with the following schools.  If you are enrolled in one of these schools please contact them for details.

      James Madison University
      Dr. Louise Gilchrla
      Harrisonburg, Virginia

      Our Lady of Holy Cross College
      Leslie Johnson
      New Orleans, Louisiana

      Saint Bonaventure University
      Dr. Joseph Zimmer
      Saint Bonaventure, New York

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