This entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), prepares students to practice as physical therapy professionals who provide safe and effective delivery of health care services.  The professional coursework in physical therapy enables students to develop advanced problem-solving skills in examination, evaluation, program planning, treatment, and management of those in need of physical therapy services. Graduates possess a broad knowledge in the science and practice of physical therapy, as well as a clinically based understanding of administration, research and evidence-based practice. The program integrates the humanics philosophy with regard to including the intellectual, physical, and spiritual aspects of treating the whole person within a social, political, and economic environment.

The professional coursework includes courses in anatomy, clinical sciences, organization and delivery of health care, research methodology, and statistics as well as full-time clinical experiences in approved clinical education facilities. The program is subject to modification to ensure a comprehensive, integrated sequence of experiences leading to a physical therapy education of the highest possible quality. Graduates receive a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and are eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy exam and apply for state licensure.

Admission to the Program

Admission to the physical therapy program as a graduate student is on a space available basis. The program is designed to admit students as undergraduates; therefore, space in the graduate program is contingent on attrition of the undergraduates already enrolled in the Health Science Pre-Physical Therapy major.  There is no guarantee of the number of graduate acceptances per year.

Candidates applying for graduate admission must have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Prerequisite courses should be completed by the end of the spring semester preceding the applicant’s intended date of entry. A transcript documenting completion of courses is required prior to matriculation in the summer. Submission of Graduate Record Examination scores taken within five years of the date of the application is required. The following prerequisite courses are required for all applicants:

Eight credits with laboratory:

Biology I and II
Chemistry I and II
Physics I and II
Anatomy and Physiology I and II

Three credits each:

Exercise Physiology (with lab)
Advanced Math (calculus preferred)
Kinesiology (optional)
Psychology or Social Sciences (6 - 9 credits) 
Statistics

Additional information:

Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in both the science and the general education prerequisite courses and also a 3.0 overall cumulative average. There is a five-year limit on basic science, mathematics, and computer science prerequisites. An extension of this limit requires that the applicant provide current and related experience within the specific area.

Transcripts, references, a resume, completed prerequisite and experience worksheets, and a completed graduate application are all part of the graduate physical therapy application. All applicants must document a minimum of ten hours of volunteer, observational, or paid experience in physical therapy at a health care setting. Three letters of reference are required with one of these letters being from a physical therapist. A resume is also a required component of the application. Documentation of a plan for completion of any outstanding prerequisites must be submitted with the application.  Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling admission schedule beginning December 1 and continue until the class is filled. Review of the application begins once the Office of Graduate Admissions has received all official transcripts reflecting college-level work. Transcripts for fall semester courses that are in progress at the time of application are due by January 15.

Contact information:

Julia Chevan, PT, PhD, MPH, OCS
Telephone: (413) 748- 3590
E-Mail: Julia_Chevan@spfldcol.edu