General Program Description

The physical therapy program offers the entry-level Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) degree for the student with an undergraduate degree in a field other than physical therapy. The program entails three years of full time study, including summers, and enrolls up to twenty-eight (28) students per entering class. The program begins in January of each calendar year. Twelve faculty and two staff support students in their learning experience.

Clinical Experiences
Students complete a total of 36 weeks in full-time clinical internships (second year students complete two, eight week full-time clinical experiences; third year students complete two, ten week full-time clinical experiences; and have the opportunity to serve in a student run and faculty supervised community clinic and on a mobile health care unit. The DPT program affiliates with over 150 clinical sites within the state of North Carolina, the nation and globally.

Faculty
There are twelve full-time and nine part-time faculty members. Ninety two percent of the full-time faculty hold doctoral degrees and five are certified as clinical specialists. The faculty actively pursues research funding and publishes scholarly work. The program faculty share a 2,000 square foot, state-of-the-art human movement and biodynamics lab with the orthopedic surgery faculty at a neighboring medical school and wet science labs with other collaborators. Faculty also have access to a 4,000 square foot virtual hospital for educational research and a community-based clinic for applied learning experiences.

Enrollment
Total enrollment for the University averages approximately 6,000 undergraduate and 500 graduate students per year. The physical therapy program accepts up to 28 graduate students each January.

Admission
To be eligible for acceptance into the physical therapy program, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and must enroll as a full time student into the university. The undergraduate major may be in any field, however, applicants must have completed all pre-requisite courses. A detailed listing of acceptable prerequisite courses and other required application materials can be located at PTCAS.org.

Outcomes
Overall GPA of 2012 cohort = 3.53 Average GRE of 2012 cohort = 1101 Retention Rate (all students;10 year average) = 91% Retention Rate (minority students; 10 year average) = 86% Number of graduates taking the NPTE (2006-2008) = 45 3 year ultimate pass rate = 91% Employment Data = 100% of graduates who successfully pass the licensure exam are employed post-graduation.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
Full-time graduate in-state tuition and fees for the 2013-2014 year are $6,786; full-time graduate out-of-state tuition and fees are $15,745. Standard government loans are available to DPT students at Winston-Salem State University. Details regarding financial assistance can be found in the Financial Aid Office. Financial aid may include, but is not necessarily limited to, any or all of the following: Stafford loans, College Foundation of NC Forgivable Loan for Service, federal work study program support, and Graduate Assistantships.

Student life
Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is a comprehensive, public university and a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina. It is situated on 94 acres in the Twin-City of Winston-Salem, a growing metropolitan area with more than 227,000 residents. Winston-Salem is located in Forsyth County and has a national reputation for its diverse cultural life. It is home to Wake Forest University, Salem Academy and College, and the North Carolina School of the Arts. The WSSU campus population provides students with an ethnically and culturally diverse environment. In addition, a variety of athletic, social, and educational events and opportunities are woven into the academic fabric of the university.