General Program Description
The professional curriculum begins in September and continues for a total of six semesters including two summer sessions. The average semester includes 15-16 semester hours. Students have many opportunities for hands-on experiences in well-equipped labs and in service-learning at various community sites. The faculty consists of eight full-time and two part-time core faculty. Degrees are conferred in September. Graduates of the Program are prepared as generalists who are capable of working in a variety of health care settings.
Clinical Experiences
During the second and third years, students will have part-time experiences in local facilities. Full-time experiences of 6-weeks are also completed during the second and third years. Two Clinical experiences of 8 weeks in length are completed in the summer prior to graduation and are offered in the geographic area of the Mid-Atlantic states. Students are required to complete one experience in a general hospital setting, one experience in a rehabilitation care facility, and have the option of one specialization clinical experience.
Faculty
There are eight full-time, two part-time and 15-20 part-time, adjunct faculty. Of full-time faculty, 57% hold post-professional doctoral degrees and three are certified as a clinical specialist. Over the past 3 years, the faculty has averaged 5 publications in peer-reviewed journals. The faculty: student ratio is 1:6.
Enrollment
The total enrollment at the university is 4,500 students of diverse culture, gender, and age. The Department of Physical Therapy accepts 30 students per class.
Admission
The grade point average for entering students is 3.0 or above. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree that contains prerequisite courses. Prerequisites include 3 semester hours in each: statistics, psychology and sociology; 4 semester hours in each: zoology, mathematics (trigonometry or higher), and histology or cell biology; or microbiology with a lab; and 8 semester hours in each: human anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and physics. Applicants are to submit three letters of recommendation. Application deadline is December 1 for early admission decisions and February 1 for regular admission decisions.
Outcomes
No outcome information provided by the program.
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Tuition for the 2007-08 school year is $225 per credit hour for Maryland residents and $408 per credit hour for out-of-state students. Average tuition cost per year including summer sessions are $9,750 for in-state students and $17,680 for out-of-state students. Costs for books are approximately $1,200 per year. Students are also responsible for housing and transportation cost associated with clinical affiliations. For financial aid information, contact the Office of Financial Aid, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD 21853, Telephone 410/651-6172.
Student life
Resident Halls provide housing for 70% of the students (80% of the freshmen are assigned to dormitories). Ninety-five percent of the physical therapy students live off campus. There are off-campus rentals varying in price. Cars are permitted without restriction. Intercollegiate athletics include basketball, volleyball, cross-country, golf, soccer, tennis, and track. The campus is only one hour from the State’s famous seaside resort, Ocean City, 13 miles east of Salisbury and three hours from Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD. Recreational facilities are located in the recently opened Athletic Complex and Student Services Center.