A bachelor’s degree must be completed prior to attending the DPT program. It is acceptable to apply with a pending bachelor’s degree. The bachelor’s degree must be completed prior to matriculation into the DPT program. Upon successful completion of the Physical Therapy curriculum, the student will be awarded a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.
Applying
All candidates must apply online utilizing the APTA’s Centralized Application Service which can be accessed here: https://ptcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login.
Prerequisites
The following (11) prerequisites must be completed prior to admission to the entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.
Coursework OVER 10 years old will expire and will NOT be accepted.
Example: If you are starting class in May 2025, then coursework prior to Spring 2025 would NOT be accepted. Spring 2025 would be accepted.
UPDATES – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic:
* All prerequisite science courses will be accepted online if taken in 2020 and 2021. They must still be 4 credits with a lab.
Any prerequisite course taken in Spring 2020 that transitioned to a pass/fail system will be accepted for up to a maximum of 2 courses.
| Required Prerequisites (11) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| * Science (on campus only) | Credits | Lab | |
| 1 | Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) 1 | 4 | Yes |
| 2 | Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) 2 | 4 | Yes |
| 3 | Biology 1 | 4 | Yes |
| 4 | Biology 2 | 4 | Yes |
| 5 | Chemistry 1 | 4 | Yes |
| 6 | Chemistry 2 | 4 | Yes |
| 7 | Physics 1 | 4 | Yes |
| 8 | Physics 2 | 4 | Yes |
| Below can be online credits | |||
| 9 | Psychology 1 | 3 | N/A |
| 10 | Psychology 2 | 3 | N/A |
| 11 | Statistics | 3 | N/A |
| Total | 41 | ||
Prerequisite courses are offered by Dominican University in either the traditional semester-based weekday schedule or some may be offered on campus as a Weekend College format. Although the prerequisite courses may be taken at other accredited colleges or universities, preference for admission to the Physical Therapy Program is given to the most qualified applicants who have taken 30 or more credits at Dominican.
The overall grade point average, as well as in the prerequisites grade point average must be at least a 3.0 with no course grade lower than a C.
* Before applying, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED you place your prerequisite courses in an online GPA calculator to see if you would meet the prerequisite minimum GPA requirement.
A 3.0 G.P.A. is also required for the last 60 credits of the student’s most recent coursework as a whole.
Applicants whose native language is not English must obtain a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (T.O.E.F.L.) or 213 on the computer-based T.O.E.F.L. (C.B.T.).
The post-baccalaureate student who has satisfied the prerequisites can apply through PTCAS.org to the Physical Therapy Program. Upon successful completion of the Physical Therapy curriculum, the student will be awarded a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.
Voluntary/Work Clinical Experience In addition to the prerequisite courses, all applicants must document a total of 60 hours of voluntary or work experience in settings where a licensed physical therapist is employed. These hours must be completed in diverse healthcare settings providing exposure to therapeutic intervention across the life span. While 60 clinical experience hours are mandatory, it is recommended to complete 100 hours.
Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS)
Dominican University’s DPT program now subscribes to the new Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as PTCAS. Applicants need to apply online using the PTCAS application which is available here: https://ptcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login.
- PTCAS Application Deadline – Please check the https://ptcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login website for deadline dates.
- Program has a rolling Admissions Process? NO
Applications received after the deadline date will be considered subject to space availability in the entering class. To learn more about the PTCAS application process and to get started, please go to the PTCAS website at https://help.liaisonedu.com/PTCAS_Applicant_Help_Center. Once processed, the Admissions Committee looks forward to receiving your application. If you encounter difficulty with the PTCAS, please do not contact the program at Dominican University. Inquiries should be made directly to Customer Service at https://help.liaisonedu.com/PTCAS_Applicant_Help_Center.