General Program Description

The goal of the program is to prepare physical therapists to meet the unique needs of North Carolina in a changing health care environment. Faculty with diverse experience and interest support the 3-year curriculum designed around a health care process model. Students enroll in the fall and graduate in early August. Approximately 25 hours per week of lecture and laboratory classes are supplemented with optional opportunities to explore individual educational goals by participation with faculty in clinical practice or research. The program includes innovative teaching methodology including primarily on-line courses during the final year of the program. All students enroll in two electives and complete a comprehensive exam and a capstone project.

Clinical Experiences
Clinical education experiences are scheduled during the summer of the first year, and during the spring and summer of the second year each for 8 weeks. The final clinical experience is in the summer of the 3rd year for 12 weeks for a total of 36 weeks of full time clinical education. A variety of clinical settings and geographic locations, primarily in North Carolina and the southeast, are available. Students may also participate in additional elective part-time clinical experiences during the third year of the program

Faculty
There are 15 full-time faculty members. All of the full-time faculty members hold doctoral degrees, five are certified as clinical specialists, and seven are engaged in clinical practice. Over the past 3 years, the faculty has contributed a significant number of publications to peer-reviewed journals. The faculty to student ratio is 1:2.

Enrollment
Enrollment is targeted at thirty students. Students are accepted for enrollment each fall.

Admission
Qualified applicants must have a baccalaureate degree and a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Graduate Record Exam scores must also be submitted with the application. Prerequisite courses include chemistry with lab, physiology with lab, anatomy with lab, physics with lab, psychology, biology with lab, exercise physiology, and statistics. Information regarding specific course requirements can be obtained by contacting the program. Applications are accepted until mid October, and interviews are conducted in January-February. Contact the program web site for specific deadlines. Applicants are notified of admission decisions in early March. Applicants should have a sufficient knowledge of the profession to make an informed career choice. Applicants are encouraged to visit with physical therapists in a variety of practice environments and clinical specialties.

Outcomes
The following data are based on three-year averages: 26% of qualified applicants are admitted to the program; 99% of admitted students graduate; 100% of graduates pass the licensure exam; and 100% of graduates who seek practice opportunities are practicing at six months.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
For updated cost of attendance, please see UNC Cashier web site at finance.unc.edu. For the 2013-14 academic year the estimated cost of tuition and fees for NC residents is estimated at $18,549 and for out of state residents $41,070. The program offers in excess of $200,000 in scholarships per year with approximately 50% of students receiving an award at some point during their academic studies. A faculty member for the program acts as the Coordinator of Financial Aid and assists students in identifying the most appropriate financial aid options. Interested students should contact the University Financial Aid Office at 919/962-8396.

Student life
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located within 8 miles of Durham and 25 miles of Raleigh. The community offers many options for housing. Opportunities are available able for general entertainment, cultural events, and recreation. Students take advantage of the proximity of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the beaches of the Outer Banks. The University has one of the most successful intercollegiate athletic programs in the country, and many students take advantage of the intramural athletic program. The area is served by the Raleigh-Durham International Airport and an excellent public transportation system.