General Program Description

The PT program consists of 144 graduate units. The program begins with foundational sciences, such as graduate level anatomy, and progresses through clinical to professional sciences. Many courses include a laboratory component. Students will complete 36 weeks of clinical assignments. Graduates from an accredited program are eligible to apply for the state licensure exam in the state in which they plan to be employed.

Clinical Experiences
The PT program has one full-time 2-week supervised clinical practicum in the summer of the first year of the program. Three full-time 8-week affiliations are completed in the second year of the program as well as a 10-week affiliation in the last 3 months of the program. The student is responsible for all expenses needed to complete the affiliations assigned to them. Students will be placed in a variety of settings approved by the full faculty including hospitals, private practices, skilled nursing facilities, and rehabilitation agencies.

Faculty
There are eight full-time and four associated faculty members. All of the full-time faculty hold post-professional doctoral degrees, three are certified as clinical specialists, and four are engaged in clinical practice. Over the past 3 years, the faculty has averaged five presentations/publications in peer-reviewed settings. The faculty to student ratio is 1:15.

Enrollment
The physical therapy program admits approximately 43 students each February into its graduate program.

Admission
An information packet is available upon request or online. Applicants are evaluated by a selection committee and are admitted on a competitive basis. Requirements for consideration are the following: an officially posted bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; prerequisite courses with a C or better including science courses that have laboratories; minimum GPA of 3.0 (see options in Graduate Catalog); completed application through PTCAS for Graduate Admission by October 1 for February admission; official transcripts from all institutions; three recommendations from persons well-suited to evaluate qualifications for graduate study and/or physical therapy: one must be from a registered/licensed physical therapist and two from faculty members familiar with academic work in areas closely related to the proposed field of study or responsible persons well-informed about relevant work completed by the student; 100 hours of clinical experience in physical therapy setting; GRE score; a minimum TOEFL score of 600/250 for applicants whose first language is not English; and computer literacy. International students should contact the Office of International Student Services at 626/812-3055. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained in the program and any grade below a B- is considered unacceptable. All qualified applicants will attend a personal interview with the admissions committee. Contact the program directly for more details.

Outcomes
First Time Pass Rate on National Licensure Exam in 2012: 91.89% First Time Pass Rate on National Licensure Exam in 2013: 94.59%

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition and fees for the 2013-14 academic year are $650/unit. Tuition and fees are subject to change without notice. Information regarding fees can be found in the Graduate Handbook or by contacting the Office of Admissions. Other costs include lab fees, name tags, books, background checks, room and board both during course work and for clinical assignments that may be out of town, and transportation to and from school and clinical assignments. Financial aid is coordinated through the Office of Graduate Financial Services.

Student life
The PT program is housed in a modern teaching facility with state of the art equipment. An on-campus wellness and fitness program, counseling and tutoring services, and disabled student services are available to the students. Students have many opportunities to become active citizens of the university and the community. There are many cultural, service, and athletic activities, available on and off campus. Limited housing is available on campus. The state has a variety of topographical settings that allow a full spectrum of activities such as water sports, snow skiing, hiking, and sightseeing.