Physical Therapy

Dr. Heather Ross, chair

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) curriculum is a three year, nine (9)-semester plan of study, which incorporates 30 weeks of full-time clinical internship and three weeks of integrated part-time clinical experiences. The students are awarded the D.P.T. degree after completing 128 credit hours of professional course work.

Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in college course work, and a minimum of a 3.0 in all prerequisite courses (all attempts at prerequisite courses will be averaged).
Successful completion (no grade below C) of all prerequisite courses by the end of the semester before starting the program.
Minimum score of 400 on the verbal portion of the GRE, 500 on the quantitative portion and 3.5 on the analytical writing portion for GRE test taken prior to August, 2011. Minimum score of 146 on the verbal portion of the GRE, 144 on the quantitative portion and 3.5 on the analytical writing portion for GRE test taken on or after August, 2011.
40 hours of volunteer experience or observations divided at least between two different types of settings.
Three letters of recommendations:
- One from someone practicing in the field of physical therapy
- One from someone who can speak to your academic ability
- One from someone who can speak to your character
Completed APTA essay.
Participate in on-site interview with demonstration of strong communication and interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, and sufficient knowledge of the physical therapy profession. •
The deadline will be March 1 for all materials to be received from applicants.

Essential Abilities
In order to acquire the knowledge and skills to function independently in a broad variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care, candidates for the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree must have abilities and skills in five areas: observation, communication, motor, conceptual (integrative and quantitative), and behavioral/social. Review DPT Essential Abilities (PDF) on the Brenau University website for details.

Prerequisite Courses (Courses more than seven years old will not be accepted)

Chemistry - General College Chemistry I & II with labs (Introductory Chemistry or Chemistry Calculation courses DO NOT fulfill this requirement)
Physics - General College Physics I & II with labs
Psychology- Two semesters of psychology including General Psychology and one additional psychology course. Suggested courses include Developmental Psychology, Child Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, or Psychology of Disability
Statistics -One semester of Introductory Statistics
Biology (One of the following three sequences should be met)
- Two semesters of General Biology with labs (Botany courses are not acceptable) AND one semester of Human Physiology with lab (Exercise Physiology Is not acceptable)
- One semester of General Biology with lab (Botany courses are not acceptable) AND two semesters of Human Anatomy and Physiology with labs
- One semester of General Biology with lab (Botany courses are not acceptable), AND one semester of Anatomy with lab AND one semester of Human Physiology with lab (Exercise Physiology is not acceptable)

General Application Instructions

All applicants must complete the application via the Physical Therapy Centralized Application System (PTCAS) found at www.ptcas.org
All supplemental items will be submitted through PTCAS. This includes:
- An official transcript from each post-secondary school previously attended
- Official GRE scores (send scores to GRE code 7557 to have them added to your PTCAS file)
- APTA Essay
- Observation hours verification
- Letters of recommendation
Applicants must also complete the Brenau University graduate application found at www.brenau.edu/apply
Students studying with an F1 visa must complete and submit the international student application packet found at www.brenau.edu/admissions /international/international-admissions

Financial Aid Procedures
While financial aid can only be awarded to students who have been officially admitted to the university, it is best to begin the process as soon as you apply for admission. Information about financial aid can be obtained from the Financial Aid section of the catalog.

Important Consumer Information
The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEDA) requires that postsecondary institutions participating in federal student aid programs make certain disclosures to students. In compliance with federal law, Brenau University discloses this information on our website at www.brenau.edu/disclosures. For additional information, including requesting a paper copy of any materials, please contact the appropriate offices.

Program Accreditation
Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.

Effective November 12, 2014, Brenau University has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), (1111North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; phone: 703-706- 3245; email: accreditation@apta.org). Candidate for Accreditation is a pre-accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates that the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses and that the program is progressing toward accreditation. Candidate for Accreditation is not an accreditation status nor does it assure eventual accreditation.

Programs

Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.T.P.)

Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)

Courses

Physical Therapy