Admission Requirements

**The Physical Therapy Department at Mount St. Joseph University participates in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as PTCAS. Applicants applying to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program must apply online using the PTCAS application. Full requirements are found here.

Admission Criteria

  • Completion of the PTCAS application including ALL verifications, transcripts, etc. by the application deadline as posted on PTCAS 
  • Conferment of a bachelor's degree prior to program start
  • Overall GPA > 3.0/4.0
  • Prerequisite course work completed within last 10 years
  • No prerequisite with a grade < C (includes C-, C, C+)
  • Science prerequisite GPA > 3.0
  • At least 2/3rds of prerequisite science course work completed prior to application deadline (All prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to matriculation date)
  • GRE scores within 5 years of application deadline
  • Participate in the interview process

Prerequisite Requirements

  1. Prerequisite Coursework:

    Sciences - one (1) year [two (2) semesters or three (3) quarters] of each of the following courses with laboratory:

    • Anatomy and Physiology (human is preferred, although mammalian or vertebrate are also acceptable; courses in exercise physiology do NOT count towards the physiology requirement)
    • Physics (algebra/trigonometry-based as well as calculus-based courses are acceptable)
    • Chemistry (general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry are all acceptable)

    Humanities and Social Sciences - one course in each of the following areas:

    • Psychology
    • Ethics

    Statistics - one course

  2. Completion of at least 80 hours of clinical observation supervised by a physical therapist.  Hours must include a minimum of 20 hours in both inpatient and outpatient settings. In light of the COVID pandemic, observation hour requirements have been decreased to 30 hours total, with a minimum of 10 hours in the inpatient environment.

Additional Requirements

For International Students

  1. Undergraduate transcripts from countries outside the United States will need to be evaluated by World Education Service (www.wes.org)
  2. TOEFL requirements: paper-based - 510 undergraduate, 560 graduate, computer-based - 220, i-TOEFL - 83. (www.ets.org/toefl). Requirements can be waived only if the graduate department requires another standardized test, e.g. GRE.
  3. Permanent residents must provide a copy of Alien Registration Card (green card) or a copy of visa documentation.
  4. Declaration of Finances (for F-1 Visa), either I-134 or certified bank statement on letterhead with dollar amount equal to one year’s tuition, housing, etc.

Technical Standards

The DPT program has established specific technical standards for admission. These standards reflect the minimum mental and physical requirements necessary to become a physical therapist. Candidates for selection to the Mount St. Joseph University DPT program should review these before making the decision to apply to the program. However, this form is not a part of the DPT application. After students commit to a place in the program, they will be required to verify they understand and meet these standards or that they believe that, with reasonable accommodations, they can meet them.  Students who need accommodation must meet with the Director of the Learning Center and Disability Services.

Application Deadline

ALL application materials must be completed and to PTCAS by October 1st of the year prior to matriculation to be considered for an interview. Thus, clinical observation hours must be completed and official GRE scores and transcripts must be submitted to PTCAS by the application deadline in order to be considered for an interview. The only exception to this is ongoing prerequisite course work transcripts. It is acceptable to be completing your degree and/or some prerequisite courses when you apply. However, all completed coursework must be documented with official transcripts by the application deadline.

Physical Therapy Program Graduation Requirement

In addition to the academic and professional standards outlined above, students are required to complete the 117 credit curriculum (courses listed below).  All students must complete the DPT program with 5 years of matriculation.

Course Descriptions can be found here. 

Program Requirements

Hours: 117

Year One

BIO 526/BIO 526A Human Gross Anatomy with LAB (8)
PT 601 Foundational Science (4)
PT 603 Surface Anatomy (1)
PT 605/605A Clinical Exercise Physiology with LAB (3)
PT 608/608A Biomechanics/Kinesiology with LAB (4)
PT 610/610A Basic Patient Care Skills with LAB (3)
PT 611/611A Therapeutic Modalities with LAB (3)
PT 612/612A Basic Examination & Evaluation with LAB (3)
PT 615/615A Therapeutic Exercise with LAB (3)
PT 624/624A Neuroscience with LAB (3)
PT 650 Professional Socialization I (2)
PT 651 Professional Socialization II (2)
PT 652 Professional Issues in PT I (1)
PT 661 Research in PT I (2)

Year Two

PT 702 Foundational Science II (3)
PT 703 Foundational Science III (3)
PT 715/715A Patient Management: Acute Care & Cardiopulmonary with LAB (4)
PT 720/720A Patient Management: Applied Orthopedics I with LAB (5)
PT 721/721A Patient Management: Applied Orthopedics II with LAB (6)
PT 722/722A Patient Mgmt:Neurological Rehabilitation I with LAB (3)
PT 725/725A Patient Mgmt:Neurological Rehabilitation II with LAB (3)
PT 745/745A Patient Management:Special Topics with LAB (3)
PT 746 Patient Management:Lifespan I- Pediatric Conditions (3)
PT 747/747A Patient Management:Lifespan II- Geriatric Conditions with LAB (4)
PT 754 Professional Issues in PT II (1)
PT 762 Research in PT II (3)
PT 770 Administration, Consultation & Management (3)
PT 780 Introduction to Clinical Experience (2)

Year Three

PT 753 Health Care Policy (3)
PT 855 Professional Issues In PT III (1)
PT 857 Professional Issues in PT IV (1)
PT 863 Research in PT III (1)
PT 881 Clinical Education Experience I (5)
PT 882 Clinical Education Experience II (5)
PT 883 Clinical Education Experience III (5)
PT 884 Clinical Education Experience IV (5)

Electives - MINIMUM 3 hours/MAXIMUM 6 hours from the following:

PT 875 Elective Seminars in PT (1-3) 
PT 876 Independent Studies in PT (1-3)