The Division of Physical Therapy offers an entry-level doctoral degree program leading to the awarding of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) degree.

The D.P.T. program begins in June and extends over a three-year period.  The curriculum is designed to prepare competent health care practitioners who will be able to employ critical decision-making skills and evidence-based practice for optimal patient care.  The hybrid curriculum (traditional plus problem-solving) is designed to move from simpler concepts to more complex problems as the student progresses.  Foundational courses are taught throughout the first three quarters to provide a solid basis on which to build clinical sciences and clinical skills.  Several courses, called Synthesis courses, are positioned prior to the student attending full time clinical rotations in order to integrate material from the previous quarters. Clinical experience is integrated with the didactic and laboratory components throughout the program of study. The School of Physical Therapy has clinical education agreements with medical centers, rehabilitation and outpatient facilities, general acute care hospitals and specialty clinics throughout Ohio as well as California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina and Louisiana among others.  If accepted into the program, you will be responsible for transportation, housing, and living expenses during all of the clinical experiences.  You will also be required to: 1) obtain CPR certification; 2) obtain a criminal background check; 3) have a physical examination ; 4) provide evidence of immunization for childhood diseases, a recent TB test, and immunization for Hepatitis B; and 5) have health insurance.  Because you may be exposed to infectious diseases during your clinical experiences, you should be aware that some sites may have additional health or screening requirements.  Some courses have fees attached to them to provide for items such as malpractice insurance, clinical evaluation instruments, etc.

 

Application Process

Eligibility: You are eligible to apply to the Division of Physical Therapy if you meet the following criteria:

1.	A minimum overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 grading scale.
2.	Completion of 2/3 of the Life and Physical Science prerequisites by the end of the Fall Quarter/Semester in which you apply. The remainder of the Behavioral. Life and Physical Science prerequisites must be completed during the Winter and Spring quarters/semesters following submission of your application.
3.	All prerequisites must be passed with a grade of “C” or better.
4.	You must hold a baccalaureate degree at the time that the Program starts (June).

 

Prerequisite Course Information

1.     Biology/Zoology:

a.     Requirement: Two courses, both must include a laboratory component as part of the course or as a separate course.

b.    Content required:

                                  i.    Cellular and molecular biology. Introduction to the chemistry of life, cell structure and function, and the principles of inheritance.

                                 ii.    Animal organ systems. Introduction to multi-cellular life, organ systems, anatomy, physiology, and animal development. 

c.     OU courses: BIOS 170 and 171

d.    Note: Biology/Zoology courses must be designed for science majors and pre-professional students.

2.     Chemistry Principles:

a.     Requirement: One year, all courses must include a laboratory component as part of the course or as a separate course.

b.    Content required: Atomic and molecular structure, periodic table, states of matter, gases, solutions, acids, bases, equilibrium, survey of organic and biochemistry.

c.     OU courses: CHEM 121,122,123; or CHEM 151,152,153       

3.     Introduction to Physics:

a.     Requirement: One year, all courses must include a laboratory component as part of the course or as a separate course.

b.    Content required: Mechanics of solids and liquids, electricity, magnetism, heat, thermodynamics, waves, sound, light, relativity, quantum, atomic, nuclear physics.

c.     OU courses: PHYS 201, 202, 203

4.     Human anatomy:

a.     Requirement: One course with a laboratory component as part of the course or as a separate course.

b.    Content required: Structure and general function of all body systems with emphasis on human musculoskeletal system and human structure/function relations.

c.     OU courses: BIOS 301A and BIOS 301B

d.    Note: Comparative vertebrate anatomy with a laboratory component is also acceptable.

5.     Human or animal physiology:

a.     Requirement: One course with a laboratory component as part of the course or as a separate course.

b.    Content required: Basic cell physiology through most organ systems, particularly those of humans. Emphasis on physiological regulation and physiological responses to various stresses. 

c.     OU courses: BIOS 345 and 346 

6.     Exercise Physiology:

a.     Requirement: One course. (An Exercise Physiology Lab is not required)

b.    Content required: Application of organ system responses to exercise, including skeletal muscle metabolism, energy expenditure, cardio-respiratory regulation, and training and environmental adaptations. 

c.     OU course: BIOS 445 or PESS 414

7.     Statistics:

a.     Requirement: One course.

b.    Content required: Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics with emphasis on inferential statistics.  Includes inferential statistics such as t-test and ANOVA.

c.     OU course: PSY 221

8.     Developmental/Child Psych:

a.     Requirement: One course.

b.    Content required: Basic principles of human development from the prenatal period through adolescence. Theory and literature on physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development.

c.     OU course: PSY 273

9.     Psychology:

a.     Requirement: One additional course (excluding statistics).

10.  Notes regarding prerequisites:

a.     Combined anatomy and physiology courses

                                  i.    Two courses of combined anatomy and physiology may be used to meet both the anatomy and the physiology prerequisite requirements provided the content in the combined anatomy and physiology courses is similar to the content of the individual anatomy and physiology courses described above.  These combined anatomy and physiology courses must include a laboratory component.

b.    Science course for non-science majors

                                  i.    Science courses for non-science majors are not acceptable to meet the prerequisite requirements.

 

Annual Application Deadline

There are two applications to complete by the deadline posted on the School’s website, www.hhs.ohiou.edu/pt. Please note:  Application to the D.P.T. program requires submission of both the DPCAS application and the Ohio University Graduate College application. Consult the Division’s webpage at www.ohio.edu/chsp/rcs/pt/academics/dpt.cfm for the most application current information (effective Fall 2011).

International students – please refer to the Admissions Requirements available on the Graduate College’s webpage, www.ohio.edu/graduate/apply/admitRequirements.cfm. All non-native speakers of English must demonstrate proficiency by submission of official TOEFL (550 minimum paper-based test/80 internet-based test) or IELTS (6.5 across all bands) scores. See the Graduate College’s webpage for exemptions and more details regarding English proficiency requirements.

Selection Criteria:  These criteria provide a composite bank of information about each applicant that allows the faculty to make admissions decisions as objectively and uniformly as possible.

Applications are ranked using the following criteria:

1.     Overall GPA

2.     Prerequisite GPA

3.     GRE scores

4.     Evaluations/References

5.     Interview (Preview Day)

6.     Relevant life experiences

Applicants from all undergraduate institutions are evaluated equally. While no specific number of seats is reserved for Ohio University students, an attempt is made to have approximately 50% Ohio University students. Typically, 40 students are admitted yearly. You will be notified of acceptance no later than late March.                    

Overall and Prerequisite GPA’s  provide objective data about previous academic performance.  Therefore, it is important that transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have attended except Ohio University be sent to Ohio University’s Graduate College. The Division of Physical Therapy will request OU transcripts for OU applicants.

Acceptance for Admission:   Admission is granted to eligible students through a ranking of the current applicant pool.  The selection of students is determined by a weighted scoring of the GPA, the Prerequisite GPA, the GRE score, the Evaluation/References, the interview/general impressions from Preview Day and relevant life experiences.

There are five possible admissions decisions:  

1.	Full Acceptance:  The applicant has completed all prerequisite work with a “C” or above, has completed an earned degree and has acceptable Evaluations /References and Preview Day interview.
2.	Provisional Acceptance:  The applicant is admitted to the School contingent upon completion of an earned degree, and completion of prerequisite course work in progress with a grade of “C” or better prior to beginning the program and acceptable Evaluations/References and Preview Day interview.
3.	Alternate Acceptance:  The applicant is placed on an alternate waiting list, contingent upon space becoming available and completion of an earned degree and prerequisite course work in progress with a grade of “C” or better prior to beginning the program and acceptable Evaluations/References and Preview Day interview.
4.	Ineligibility:  The applicant lacks sufficient prerequisites courses, minimum overall GPA, approved plan for degree completion  and/or has unacceptable Evaluations/References or Preview Day interview.
5.	Non-Acceptance: The applicant has a composite admissions score that is not competitive in relation to others in the applicant pool.

 

 
Preview Day:  The purposes of our Preview Day are to provide an opportunity to view the facilities, interact with current faculty and students, and evaluate the program curriculum and philosophy. Open-ended sessions allow applicants to ask faculty and students pertinent questions and provide faculty a chance to gather additional information regarding our applicants.

Applicants eligible to attend a Preview days will be notified.  Preview Days may be scheduled during December or January.

The Preview Day will include:

• Tours of the Ohio University campus and the Division of Physical Therapy
• Overview of the Physical Therapy curriculum and philosophy
• Opportunity to hear about research projects being conducted by faculty and students
• Meetings with financial aid representatives
• Meetings with faculty and students
  

Evaluation/References: Three Evaluation/Reference forms are required in the Physical Therapy Application process.  (Do NOT use the reference forms from the OU Graduate College Application). The appropriate form is part of the DPCAS application.

Two recommendations must be from two physical therapists for whom you have worked or with whom you have volunteered, and one college professor. We request that the two physical therapists not be coworkers in the same work group.  If the form is completed by a Physical Therapist Assistant with whom you have volunteered, it must also be signed by the supervising Physical Therapist.