Physical Therapy

Career Opportunities

As an integral part of the health care team, the physical therapist is concerned with the prevention and treatment of movement dysfunction. Evaluation and development of appropriate therapy programs make up a large part of the therapist's daily schedule of administering direct patient care. In addition, PT professionals are involved in teaching families proper procedures for patient home care, teaching and supervising supportive personnel and consulting with other health care professionals and facilities.

Physical therapists are employed in a variety of settings including: general and specialized hospitals, public school systems, private practices, skilled nursing facilities, retirement centers, community and government health agencies, home health agencies, medical research centers, industrial settings and the armed forces. The education field is also wide open to physical therapists, whether it means teaching classes in a professional program in physical therapy, in a clinical setting or getting involved in sports medicine and athletic training programs.

The Program at St. Scholastica

St. Scholastica now offers an entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program. The entry-level DPT is the professional degree necessary for entry into the profession. Entry-level DPT programs are longer than master's degree programs and have additional coursework and content in pharmacology, diagnostic imaging, medical conditions screening, referral decisions, and longer internships.

The program at St. Scholastica is unique in that it combines the liberal arts with a career-oriented curriculum.

• 4+3 model of education (Bachelor's + 3 years of professional education)
• 33 continuous months, including summers (July start; May graduation)
• 103 credits total
• 36 weeks of internship (total of 4 internships)

Students complete four years of preprofessional and liberal arts courses and three years of professional course work and internships.  Upon successful completion of all professional courses including internships, an entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is granted. All of the professional courses are at the graduate level; therefore, students pay on a per credit basis at the graduate rate for all three years of the program.

The College encourages students in health professions such as physical therapy to acquire a solid background in the humanities and the basic and social sciences. PT majors may choose to complete a minor in another academic discipline of their choice prior to graduation.

Our entry-level, clinical doctor of physical therapy program is designed to stimulate students to become active learners in situations where they determine what information is relevant to a given problem or situation, ask questions, seek information, and report findings. To enhance participation in the learning process, students experience a variety of teaching methods such as lecture, laboratory exercises, reading, role-playing, and clinical experiences. As students progress through the program, they are increasingly held responsible for independent learning and are expected to assume responsibility for their developing professional actions and behaviors. Thus, through exposure to and participation in a variety of teaching and learning styles and methods, program graduates are able to integrate knowledge and skills to deliver efficient and appropriate services to patients and clients. Utilizing such a learner-centered approach the St. Scholastica physical therapy program provides the foundation for autonomous practice, lifelong learning and professional development.

Students with a Bachelor's degree may apply to the program. Please note that students completing their pre-physical therapy requirements at St. Scholastica are given priority in the admissions process.

Pre-Physical Therapy Requirements

Each student is encouraged to seek academic advisement concerning a course of study that will enable him/her to make progress toward a four-year degree while completing the physical therapy prerequisite courses. The required physical therapy prerequisite courses include:

• Full year, full sequence of chemistry*
• Full year, full sequence of physics
• Full year, full sequence of human or vertebrate anatomy/physiology
• Lifespan developmental psychology
• Abnormal psychology
• Statistics
• Medical terminology
• Students must declare an alternate major and be making satisfactory progress toward that major and the College's general education requirements.

*must take appropriate chemistry sequence for alternate major

Licensure

Students graduating from accredited programs in physical therapy are eligible to take the physical therapy licensure exam. Successful completion of the exam is required to attain licensure in all states. Requirements for taking the exam vary by state. Students must apply separately to take the national exam and apply for licensing. The department will certify the student's readiness for these credentials, but is not responsible for obtaining, completing or returning the required forms.

The Physical Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

Admissions Procedures

The student must make formal application to the Department of Physical Therapy via PTCAS.  Admissions information can be found on PTCAS and our admissions website.

ATHENS Project

As the healthcare industry is being transformed by health information technologies of this type, students must be prepared to effectively use these tools in their future healthcare workplaces. Students in the Physical Therapy program at The College of St. Scholastica have significant levels of hands-on experience using a state-of-the-art electronic medical record system to gain confidence and competence in using this type of information technology as a tool to enhance the quality of their professional practice. 

The College of St. Scholastica is an equal opportunity educator and employer.