General Program Description

Marymount University, located in Arlington, Virginia, is a private liberal arts university that offers undergraduate and graduate programs in a wide array of disciplines. Its close proximity to Washington, DC offers exceptional opportunities for educational and cultural enrichment. The DPT program is three-year full-time only program delivered over nine semesters with a two-month break during the first summer semester. The program utilizes a modified problem-based curriculum design and a complex model for clinical education, which incorporates part-time integrated and full-time clinical learning experiences. As a result of the design of the clinical education program, students participate in early and frequent hands-on patient care experiences, across a variety of practice settings. Substantial learning is organized around small group tutorials. Students, with facilitation from a faculty member, work in small groups twice weekly examining patient case scenarios that address common clinical situations. The focus of each tutorial case is closely aligned with the didactic content being covered that same week, generally across multiple courses. Major clinical science content is provided in large blocks of lecture, lab, and tutorial for immersion in key content areas: musculoskeletal in fall of year two; acute medical conditions, cardiopulmonary/vascular, and integumentary in spring of year two; and neuromuscular in fall of year three. The final didactic semester, spring of year three, includes major capstone activities: completion and presentation of a case report, written and practical comprehensive exams, and analysis and evaluation of professional issues experienced in the clinic. The mission of the DPT program is to prepare generalist practitioners to deliver best available physical therapist practice for improving movement, function and health across diverse individuals and communities. The program employs a dynamic learning-in-context environment that is warm and welcoming. Critical thinking, professionalism, respecting individual differences, and adherence to ethical practices ground all classroom, clinic, and community activities. The focus on active learning strategies empowers independent thought, analytical judgment, clinical reasoning, and hands-on skill development. Courses move from simple to complex and from foundational to clinical sciences. Cross curriculum topics, including values and ethics, psychosocial factors, patient/client education, evidence-based practice, and professional roles, are all threaded through the curriculum.

Clinical Experiences
The clinical education component of the curriculum includes both part-time and full-time experiences in clinical settings throughout the Washington Metropolitan area. There are also opportunities for full-time clinical practicums outside the region. The part-time clinical experiences are offered each semester except the first semester of the program. In addition, there are three full-time clinical practicums that provide opportunities for students to develop competence in a variety of clinical settings. The first full-time clinical practicum is a 12-week experience occurring in the summer between year two and year three of the program. An 8-week, full-time clinical practicum is scheduled during the spring semester of year three. The final 12-week, full-time clinical practicum takes place during the last summer semester in the program. Students have the opportunity to spend 2 weeks in Costa Rica at the conclusion of the second clinical practicum for an international service learning experience.

Faculty
The program has eight full-time core faculty members. Local expert clinicians are involved in the program as tutorial leaders and laboratory assistants. The faculty are actively engaged in scholarship, and in numerous clinical and professional activities at the national and international level.

Enrollment
Marymount University enrolls more than 3,400 undergraduate and graduate students. The DPT program enrolls 35 students each year in the fall semester.

Admission
Marymount University admits one new cohort of DPT students each fall semester. The application deadline is December 1 for the class starting the following fall semester. The program utilizes the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). A $30 supplemental fee is required and sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions, 2807 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22207 by the December 1 application deadline. No separate Marymount University application form is required. Students must submit all application materials to PTCAS prior to this deadline. Go to the PTCAS website for more information about their online application process. The Marymount PT Admissions Committee reviews completed applications, and qualified applicants are invited to attend Interview Day, which is typically scheduled for the last Saturday in January. Please check the Marymount University website for the date of Interview Day for the upcoming admissions cycle. Attendance at Interview Day is a required component of the application process. Letters of Acceptance into the program are mailed out within two weeks of the interview. Requirements for admission include the submission of the following documents: documentation of completion of a bachelor’s degree (graduation may be pending at the time of application), autobiographical essay, resume, list of extracurricular activities, verification of clinical hours (40 hours minimum), a minimum of two letters of recommendation, official copies of all transcripts (3.0 minimum overall GPA and 3.0 minimum science prerequisite GPA), and GRE scores. Prerequisite coursework includes 3 credits of Statistics, 3 credits of General Psychology, and 8 credits in each of the following science courses: General Chemistry, General Biology, Human Anatomy and Physiology, and General Physics. No more than 12 credits from this group of science courses may remain incomplete at the time of application to the program. Marymount University offers an opportunity for incoming freshmen and some early transfer students to become a part of a Pre-Physical Therapy undergraduate program. Pre-physical therapy students majoring in Biology or Health Science can establish a Plan of Study that, if followed, assures completion of all requirements for the undergraduate degree as well as all prerequisite requirements for the DPT program. Additionally, particularly well-qualified, first-time college students can apply for ‘PT Scholars’ status at the undergraduate level. Students accepted as PT Scholars are guaranteed entrance into the DPT program at Marymount University upon completion of undergraduate studies at Marymount provided established performance criteria are maintained during the student’s undergraduate education.

Outcomes
The three year average for the licensure exam (NPTE) pass rate is 100%. For all graduates who were actively seeking employment, the employment rate is 100%.

Tuition, fees and financial aid
The DPT program has a flat rate tuition structure. The flat rate includes all tuition and fees and does not increase while in the program. Tuition for students entering Marymount University’s DPT program in the fall of 2014 is $17,800 per semester, paid fall and spring each of the three academic years, for at total tuition of $106,800. The majority of DPT students receive financial aid through graduate loans.

Student life
The DPT program is located at Marymount University’s Ballston Center, just two blocks from the Ballston metro in the vibrant and bustling Ballston section of Arlington. Most PT students live in apartments close to campus. On campus housing is available. The campus is located just minutes from Washington, DC. There are numerous opportunities for both community and university service for Marymount students; and students are encouraged to participate in these activities on an ongoing and proactive basis. The Washington Metropolitan Area offers exceptional international cultural, culinary, social, and educational opportunities to broaden the scope of experience beyond the classroom doors.