PT Graduate Admissions

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Saint Francis University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314, (703) 706-3245, website: www.apta.org/capte. Saint Francis University physical therapy graduates are eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Licensure Examination. Licensure is required to practice.

Degrees

• 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.

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.

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.

Admission personnel, financial aid officers, and faculty members are available for interviews, registration, and advising throughout the admissions process. Candidates are required to submit the following to the Department of Physical Therapy Graduate Admissions Committee:

• Formal application and $30 (non-refundable) application fee to the Department of Physical Therapy Graduate Admissions Committee.  Please make all checks payable to Saint Francis University
• Official transcript from each college/university attended indicating a minimum 3.0 overall QPA and an earned bachelor’s degree
• A 3.0 minimum math/science QPA (based on the prerequisite math and science courses)
• The following prerequisite (or equivalent) coursework 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; 9 credits of psychology; 4 credits of exercise physiology; and 3 credits of statistics
• All international students must send official transcripts to an International Agency to have transcripts converted to the United States academic scale.
• Current semester grades upon completion (if presently enrolled)
• College catalog(s) from previously attended institutions(s) - upon acceptance
• 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.).

Send all application materials to:
Saint Francis University
Department of Physical Therapy
Graduate Admission Coordinator
PO Box 600
Loretto, PA 15940