Physical Therapy

Admission Requirements

In order to be considered for admission to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, the following admission requirements must be met:

• Successfully earn a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to the first day of scheduled classes in the DPT program
• Earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a calculated GPA of 3.0 in all prerequisite courses
• Successful completion of all pre-requisite courses with ‘C’ or better, inclusive of*:
  • General Biology and lab (8 credit hours)
  • Upper level Biology or Chemistry (2000 level or above) (3 credit hours)
  • General Chemistry and lab (8 credit hours)
  • Human Anatomy (3 credit hours)
  • Human Physiology (3 credit hours)
    - Or 6 hours of combined Human Anatomy and Physiology
  • General Physics and lab (8 credit hours)
  • Math [Algebra or higher] (6 credit hours)
  • Statistics (3 credit hours)
  • General Psychology (3 credit hours)
  • Upper Level Psychology [preferably Child/Developmental Psychology and/or Abnormal Psychology] (3 credit hours)
  • General English Composition/Writing (6 credit hours)
  • Upper Level English Composition/Writing [2000 level or above] (3 credit hours)
  • Medical Terminology (1 credit hour)
• Graduate Record Exam (>/= 290) combined quantitative and verbal portions and earn a minimum of 3.0 on the analytical writing portion. The GRE must have been taken within the last 5 years.
• 60 clock hours of observation/practical experience with a licensed physical therapist.
• At least 2 letters of recommendation from licensed physical therapists under which you completed observation hours AND who submitted hours to PTCAS
• A personal statement that summarizes why the applicant desires to be a physical therapist, what they personally can contribute to the profession, and why they are a fit for the University

*New requirement for 2022-2023 application cycle*

All applicants are required to complete Altus Suite as part of their application for the 2022/2023 admissions cycle. To complete Altus Suite visit TakeAltus.com to create an account and complete the following assessments:

• Casper: 60-90 minute online, open-response situational judgment test (SJT)

* All coursework will be reviewed in regards to course acceptability as meeting prerequisite requirements. If you have questions regarding acceptability of coursework, please email us at dpt@franu.edu.

Early Decision

The early decision deadline for the present application cycle is now open. Those wishing to be considered for early decision for the application cycle will need to have their application verified through PTCAS prior to November 1.

Early Decision Process

In order to be considered in the Early Decision process with FranU DPT, applicants must indicate via prompt questions on PTCAS of plan to apply Early Decision. Applicants must complete the PTCAS online application and submit the following supporting documents at www.ptcas.org:

• Transcripts from all colleges and universities listed on your application
• Pre-requisite information: applicants must have no more than 9 outstanding hours of pre-requisite courses, and must maintain minimum required GPA and a “C” or better in outstanding pre-requisite courses
• GRE scores (Program code 4462)
• At least 2 letters of recommendation from licensed physical therapists under which you completed observation hours AND who submitted hours to PTCAS.
• Documentation of at least 60 hours of physical therapy observation
• Personal statement

Early Decision Deadline

PTCAS will allow application submission starting July 1. The Early Decision deadline for FranU DPT is November 1. PTCAS application must be completed and all transcripts received by PTCAS by this date. Application fees and/or transcripts arriving after November 1 will be considered in our regular application cycle.

Early Decision Interviews

Interviews for the Early Decision process are tentatively scheduled for early to mid-December.

Admissions Status

Early Decision letters will be delivered no later than January 15^th. If offered early admission, applicants are not bound to the university; however, a non-refundable enrollment deposit will be required to accept and hold the position in the cohort. If applicants are denied early admission, the application will be automatically returned to regular applicant status for continued consideration in the regular application cycle.

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is to educate and form entry level Doctor of Physical Therapy practitioners in a faith-based academic community. Students are educated to become highly-skilled, ethical servant leaders who are valued contributors to the health professions and to the community.

Program Goals

As a premier health professional education program, the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University will meet the following program goals:

• The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program will achieve a two-year average graduation rate of greater than 85%.
• The Program graduates will have a two-year average ultimate licensure exam pass rate of greater than 90%.
• The Program graduates will sustain a first-time licensure exam pass rate of greater than the national average.
• The Program graduates will have a two-year average employment rate of greater than 95% among graduates who are actively seeking employment in the field of physical therapy within one year of graduation.
• As a community-engaged campus, 85% of the program faculty and students will be engaged in service to the community and profession at the institutional, local, state and/or national levels on an annual basis.

Program Level Student Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Upon completion of the DPT program graduates will be able to:

• Practice in a manner that meets legal standards and demonstrates ethical action and decision-making.
• Utilize best evidence in making sound clinical judgments, as well as create scholarly material through scientific inquiry.
• Apply entry-level knowledge and skills in the examination and evaluation of patients and clients to formulate accurate physical therapy diagnoses.
• Create effective, evidence-based intervention plans that optimize an individual’s physical and emotional well-being and participation in society.
• Administer effective physical therapy services through communication, interdisciplinary collaboration, servant-leadership and sound business acumen as autonomous, reflective practitioners in an ever-changing healthcare environment.

Core Faculty

DPT faculty members are highly-skilled professionals with diverse backgrounds and a comprehensive blend of clinical practice, content expertise, and educational experience.

• Learn more about DPT Faculty

Tuition

Tuition for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

*Tuition costs do not include textbooks or any additional costs associated with this program.

Accreditation

Regional Accreditation

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Questions about accreditation of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

CAPTE Accreditation

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call (225) 214-6965 or email dpt@franu.edu.

Note: Prospective students should visit the State Authorization page to verify that Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is authorized to offer online courses and programs in your respective state. Prior to enrollment, students are also encouraged to visit their state educational agency or licensing board to ascertain whether or not they can utilize their degree program for additional compensation, initial licensing or renewal, as well as any other benefits.

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