PT Undergraduate Admissions

Accelerated 3+3 option

• B.S. in Health Science leading to Doctor of Physical Therapy - Accelerated (3+3) - Download Plan of Study | Course Catalog Major Requirements
• B.S. in Exercise Physiology leading to Doctor of Physical Therapy - Accelerated (3+3) - Download Plan of Study | Course Catalog Major Requirements

Traditional 4+3 option

• B.S. in Exercise Physiology with Pre-Allied Health Concentration - Traditional (4+3) - Download Plan of study

Admission Requirements

Accelerated 3+3  leading to Doctor of Physical Therapy

        SAT score of 1210 or higher in critical reading and math or an ACT composite score of 25 or higher.

        GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 with 16 academic units indicated below:
4 units of science including biology and chemistry; physics recommended but not required; 4 units of math, reaching at least the level of pre-calculus; calculus recommended but not required; 4 units of English; 4 units of academic electives.

Traditional 4+3 leading to Doctor of Physical Therapy

         SAT score of 1130 or higher in critical reading and math or an ACT composite score of 24 or higher.

        GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 with 16 academic units indicated below:
4 units of science including biology and chemistry; physics recommended but not required; 4 units of math, reaching at least the level of pre-calculus; calculus recommended but not required; 4 units of English; 4 units of academic electives.

Visit the academic catalog and scroll to the School of Health Sciences to view degree 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.
• Documentation Form for Physical Therapy Clinical Volunteer/Paid Employment Experience - All students are required to complete 80 hours of clinical experience prior to beginning the professional curriculum in partial fulfillment of the progression standards.

• Three choices for undergraduate studies: Exercise Physiology, Health Science, or Health Science with a Concentration in Healthcare Management. 
• Core and adjunct faculty team that features four orthopedic certified specialists (OCS), one sports certified specialist (SCS), one pediatric certified specialist (PCS) and one neurologic certified specialist (NCS) as well as state and national award recipients. Many faculty are also very involved in the American Physical Therapy Association at the state and national level. 
• Culture of collaboration fostered by offering guaranteed seats in the professional curriculum for students who meet progression standards. 
• Human cadaver dissection.
• Study abroad provides a global perspective to the curriculum, and international service learning trips allow students to practice PT skills while serving others.
• Rural setting and caring culture provide an ideal learning environment with extracurricular options for a well-rounded experience.
• DiSepio Institute for Rural Health and Wellness on campus provides facilities for advanced student learning in research, evaluation and treatment techniques, including a wellness lab where students treat actual patients. 
• Special topics provide advanced study in clinical specialty areas such as: acute care, aquatics, hippotherapy, industrial, integrative medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, sports, and women's health. 
• Academic library with a strong commitment to updating electronic resources so you can research from anywhere. 
• Background checks are required during the PT professional phase. Students with certain types of offenses may not be eligible for clinical placements, licensure or employment
• Hands-on Study
• Our class size is small so you have one-on-one time with the faculty. You also have access to hands-on learning in laboratory and research spaces including a human cadaver lab. You will also practice on state-of-the-art equipment including a motion analysis system and an underwater weighing system.

 Academic  Experience

Your first three years of pre-professional study will be spent building a strong academic foundation, followed by three years of full-time professional and clinical clinical work.

Although a large number of physical therapists work in hospitals, now more than 70 percent can be found in private physical therapy offices, rehabilitation centers, community health centers, nursing homes, home health agencies, corporate or industrial health centers, sports facilities, research institutions, schools, pediatric centers, and colleges and universities.

Our PT students go far. Here are a few of the places our graduates have found employment:

• Center for Rehabilitation Services
• Keystone Rehabilitation Systems
• UPMC Medical Center
• Procare Physical Therapy
• Health South Rehabilitation  
• NovaCare Rehabilitation
• Allegheny & Chesapeake Physical Therapy
• CrossRoads Physical Therapy