General Program Description
The Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy is housed in the School of Rehabilitation and Medical Sciences within the College of Health Professions. The curriculum spans 3 years, with three clinical experiences. The program curriculum and the instructional strategies used by faculty are designed to promote the intellectual, professional, and personal development of knowledgeable, reflective, caring, competent and ethical practitioners. In addition, the program is designed to foster the development of physical therapy professionals who are dedicated to lifelong learning. The faculty seeks to develop individuals who will contribute to individuals in need and society through both their professional activities and personal commitments. The curriculum incorporates many innovative educational concepts in both the didactic and clinical portions of the curriculum. There are nine full-time faculty, three half-time faculty, and ten adjunct faculty members.
Clinical Experiences
A 6-week clinical experience occurs during the summer at the completion of the first year of the curriculum. The third year consists of two 14-week clinical experiences. Throughout the entire curriculum students may complete experiences in orthopedics, rehabilitation, acute care, geriatrics, industrial medicine/work hardening, sports medicine, aquatherapy, and trauma. Clinical experience sites are located in Michigan and the Great Lakes region.
Faculty
There are eleven full-time and two part-time faculty members. Of the full-time faculty 100% hold postprofessional doctoral degrees, one is certified as clinical specialists, and five are engaged in clinical practice. Over the past 3 years, the composite faculty has averaged six publications in peer-reviewed journals. The faculty to student ratio is 1:12.
Enrollment
Central Michigan University (CMU) has a total enrollment of 28,000 students. The physical therapy program has an enrollment of 140 students, with each class initially composed of 48 students drawn from a pool of approximately 300 applicants each year.
Admission
Students must have completed or be in the final stages of completing an undergraduate (BA or BS) degree. Students must complete the following pre-professional prerequisites prior to matriculation in the professional program: 11 semester credit hours in biology or health science (including anatomy w/lab and physiology w/lab); 9 semester credits in psychology (including developmental psychology); 8 semester credit hours in each: chemistry (inorganic w/lab, organic or biochemistry w/lab), and physics (w/lab); and 3 semester credit hours of statistics, and a course in math sufficient for completion of chosen physics sequence. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative and prerequisite GPA of 3.0, with each prerequisite course completed at a minimum grade of 2.0. The class most recently admitted had an average cumulative and prerequisite GPA of 3.65. Two formal recommendations, one from a licensed physical therapist, are required. Students must have devoted a minimum of 50 hours to exploring physical therapy as a career. Extra consideration is given to students who have been involved in extra-curricular, athletics and community service activities (volunteer work). The application deadline is October 1, with interviews held in January. Candidates are notified in February. 38% of qualified applicants are admitted to the program (3-year average).
Outcomes
94% of admitted students graduate from the program (3-year average).
Tuition, fees and financial aid
Physical therapy tuition for the 2014-15 academic year is $583 per credit hour for in-state students and $862 per credit hour for out-of-state students. The average tuition for graduate students in the fall and spring semesters is 16 credits. The average course load for summer semester is 11 credits. Total tuition for the three years is approximately $75,790. The majority of students receive some financial aid. Contact Scholarships and Financial Aid at 989/ 774-3674.
Student life
Mt Pleasant is the home of Central Michigan University and its 21,000 on campus students. It is located in the heart of Michigan, equidistant from Lake Michigan to the west and Lake Huron to the east. The main campus has 45 main buildings on an expansive campus with one of the top campus recreation centers in the country. Michigan University is a comprehensive regional university with a variety of educational opportunities and is also a NCAA Division I institution with membership in the Mid American Conference. In addition, an important element in the local culture is the contribution of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe.