General Program Description
The program requires approximately three years (33 months) of didactic classroom/laboratory work and clinical learning experiences. In keeping with the public affairs mission of the university, our students also participate in service learning activities, recognized as a model program in the State of Missouri. Faculty members are committed to educating students in an environment that is friendly, but at the same time challenging for students through the use of problem-solving strategies. The program is designed to produce excellent general practitioners who can function in a caring and professional manner, possess the skills and self-confidence to assume leadership positions at any healthcare facility or to be independent clinicians, as well as to be good ambassadors in their communities. Research projects and clinical case reports are completed in the second and third year. Students enter the program after having completed a baccalaureate degree. The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree is conferred in May of the third year, upon successful completion of the program.
Clinical Experiences
Students participate in part-time supervised clinical experiences in the community during the first year. Additionally, each student completes a total of 38 weeks of full-time clinical experiences, ranging in length from 4-8 weeks, throughout the program. Of the 38 weeks of clinical experiences, 22 weeks are for final full-time clinical internships. Missouri State has over 400 affiliated clinical sites, which are located in Missouri and across the United States.
Faculty
The program has eight full-time faculty members, eight adjunct faculty members, and various guest lecturers/lab assistants. Five of the full-time faculty members hold doctor of philosophy degrees, three hold doctor of physical therapy degrees. One of the full-time faculty is certified as a clinical specialist, and 6 are engaged in clinical practice. The core faculty to student ratio is 1:15.
Enrollment
Missouri State University has a total enrollment of approximately 20,000 students. The physical therapy program accepts 40 new students each year.
Admission
Applications for admission are available throughout the year with a November 15 receipt deadline for priority consideration. Rolling admission decisions continue until the class is filled. Interviews are conducted as early as January, with notice of admission within one month. Students must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 to be considered for admission. Two letters of recommendation, one from a licensed physical therapist and one from an academic adviser, 50 hours of observational experience in at least two different settings and an interview are also required. The overall grade point average of the last 3 classes is approximately 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. Prerequisites include the following: English composition; technical writing; college algebra or trigonometry or calculus; statistics; 2 courses in general biology; 2 courses in college physics with lab; 2 courses in chemistry with lab; human anatomy with lab; human physiology with lab; introductory psychology; abnormal or life-span developmental psychology. First year students begin in the fall semester. Complete information about the program and details regarding admission are available on the web page http://www.missouristate.edu/PhysicalTherapy/.
Outcomes
100% of our students who graduated from 2006 through 2013 passed the national physical therapy licensing exam. All graduates have been employed before or shortly after graduation, with many receiving multiple offers.
Tuition, fees and financial aid
For the 2013-2014 academic year, tuition averages $4,522 per semester or $12,059 per year for residents of Missouri and $8,628 per semester or $23,009 per year for non-residents. A majority of students receive financial aid in the form of student loans. Limited competitive scholarship funds are available from the Missouri State University Graduate College and the Department of Physical Therapy. For specific information regarding financial aid, contact the Missouri State University Office of Financial Aid ([800] 283-4243) or Graduate College ([866] 767-4723).
Student life
Graduate students obtain off-campus housing, which is conveniently located and reasonably priced. The campus is located in Springfield, the third largest city in Missouri. Springfield and the surrounding area offer multiple cultural, entertainment, sporting, and outdoor activities including the Springfield Symphony; Springfield Cardinals Baseball; Branson, Missouri; and Table Rock Lake. Two major medical centers and several academic institutions serve the greater Springfield region.