General Program Description

The University academic year is divided into two semesters (Fall and Spring) and one Summer term per year. The program runs nine consecutive terms, or 34 months with the first term of the program beginning with the Summer term. The graduate completes a minimum of 119 credit hours. The first year focuses largely on the foundational sciences of human anatomy, physiology of disease, and biomechanics/kinesiology. Course work in patient care is also introduced during the first year. During the last five weeks of the fourth term, students participate in a five-week full-time clinical experience. An increased emphasis on clinical sciences occurs during the second year. During the last half of the seventh, part of the eighth and ninth terms, the student participates in the four full time clinical experiences, applied research and selective courses. Students must complete a Clinical Case Research Project prior to graduation from the program.

Clinical Experiences
The students complete a total of 34 weeks of full-time clinical experiences. The first full-time clinical experience is a 5-week clinical practicum that occurs at the end of the fourth term during the second summer term. The remaining 29 weeks of full-time clinical experiences consist of four clinical internships of 7 or 8 weeks each. The first two clinical internships run consecutively beginning after the completion of 6 weeks of classes during the seventh term. The final two clinical internships may be scheduled together at one setting and occur during the final term of the program. Every student is required to have a clinical experience in an orthopedic setting, a neurological setting, an inpatient setting, and an outpatient setting. The program has contracts with more than 150 different clinical settings.

Faculty
There are 8 full-time core faculty and 11 part-time faculty members. Of the full-time core faculty, 75% hold post-professional doctoral degrees, one holds a transitional DPT degree, and one is certified as a geriatric clinical specialist in physical therapy. Many of the part-time faculty members are doctorally-prepared in their discipline, are certified clinical specialists, and/or are practicing physical therapists. Over the past 3 years, the faculty has averaged 1:5.5 publications in peer-reviewed journals. The faculty to student ratio is 1:11.

Enrollment
There are approximately 3,000 undergraduate students and 3,000 graduate students enrolled at Governors State University. The Physical Therapy Program admits new students into the Program during the Summer term. The Program has a maximum capacity of 30 students per cohort.

Admission
Applicants are required to have a baccalaureate degree at the time of enrollment. The minimum overall grade point average (GPA) for an applicant to be considered for the Program is 2.8 out of a 4.0. The minimum GPA for prerequisite course work is 3.0 out of 4.0. The Graduate Record Examination must be completed for consideration for admission with a minimum score of 1000 points combined on the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections required. Applicants are required to complete a course that provides an overview to the field of physical therapy; an essay describing reasons for selecting physical therapy as a profession; three letters of recommendation, including one from a physical therapist and one from an instructor; and a personal interview. The following, in semester hours, is required prerequisite course work: General Biology with lab (4); General Chemistry with lab (4); one additional higher level Biology or Chemistry course with lab (4); Anatomy with lab (4-8); either two semester sequence of 100 level Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab (8) OR one semester of 200 level or higher with lab (4); General Physics with lab (8); Statistics (3); Medical Terminology (1); General Psychology (3); Abnormal Psychology (3); Developmental Psychology (3) such as Seasons of Life or Cognitive Development Through the Life Cycle; and Orientation to Physical Therapy (2) (PHYT 320). The deadline for application is October 15 for a Summer enrollment. Online admissions information and applications are available through the program website. 27% of qualified applicants are admitted to the program (3-year average).

Outcomes
More than 90% of admitted students graduate from the program (3-year average); the three-year overall licensure examination pass rate average is 91.9%; the three-year average of our licensed graduates’ employment as physical therapists to the level they desire is 100%.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
The University operates on a semester calendar, with two 15-week semesters (Fall and Spring) and one 11-week summer term per academic year. The Physical Therapy Program runs for nine consecutive terms over 34 months. DPT tuition for Illinois residents is approximately twice the standard graduate student tuition at Governors State University. DPT tuition for non Illinois residents is approximately three times the standard graduate student tuition. The current DPT tuition rate may be found at our website, www.govst.edu. Health insurance is not included in tuition and fees. There is new, state-of the art, on-campus housing. Students also find housing in the area, with costs ranging from $400-$600 per month per person. The total costs, including books and tuition/fees for a student to attend the GSU DPT curriculum for the 34 months between May 2011 and April 2014 was estimated at $69,000. Costs may vary according to inflation and location of clinical education experiences. Financial aid services are available through our Office of Financial Aid. Students may obtain information on their eligibility for Perkins, Stafford, and Direct Loans from the Office of Financial Aid. Other scholarships are available for students in the DPT program, and students in the College of Health and Human Services. Information on these scholarships is available from the Governors State University Alumni Association. The Department has two graduate assistantships available each year. Graduate assistantships and Federal Work-Study positions are available in other units on campus. Information on these positions is available at the College’s website.

Student life
Governors State University is a comprehensive university serving more than 5,600 undergraduate and graduate students. The University is located in the far southern suburbs of Chicago, approximately 30 miles from downtown Chicago. There is convenient access to public transportation, including METRA rail service and abundant parking is available. The 750-acre campus has six lakes on the grounds and features the internationally renowned Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park. The University has a 1,200 seat state-of-the-art Center for Performing Arts with a full season of performances. In addition, the University has a full-sized gymnasium with pool, workout rooms, and racquetball courts. There is a cafeteria, student bookstore, spacious library, and state-of-the-art computer laboratories.