The DPT is an entry-level professional program leading to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. It is designed for students who have a bachelor's degree and are seeking a professional degree in physical therapy.

• The DPT program is a three year, nine semester cohort program, which means that we admit a group of about 40 students each year and they take the same courses in the same order for the entire 3 years.
• We enroll new students each summer beginning in June.
• Applications are due each year by October 15th.

• Please call the PT Department at (512) 245-8351 to set up an advising appointment with a faculty member. Office hours are available throughout the week to meet with students.

• The DPT is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). You can learn more about accreditation at www.capteonline.org.

• We accept 40 students each year. Unfortunately, not all students who apply are accepted.

• All pre-requisite courses must be completed by the time the student enrolls in the DPT program in the summer. Students must provided official transcripts indicating that remaining pre-requisite courses are completed.

• We do not have a preferred undergraduate degree.
• We suggest that the student major in a field of study that is of interest and that could be a choice should the student decide against graduate school after completion of the baccalaureate degree.

• The program is a full-time program.
• A part-time option is not available due to the nature of the sequencing of the curriculum.

• Ideally, we are looking for individuals with good interpersonal (people) skills.
• The individual should be well balanced – academically and personally.
• We desire students who are creative thinkers with excellent problem solving skills, who are not afraid to take on challenges, and can do that with thought and tact.

• The course load ranges from 10 to 14 credit hours per semester. The first several semesters are very heavy in classroom time, while the later semesters have more "out of class" responsibilities for learning.
• Additional course load is dependent on when clinical education assignments are made and how efficient projected completion is.

• The first strength is our on-site physical therapy clinic. Each student completes a clinical assignment working with our faculty as clinical instructors, evaluating and treating patients in our on-site clinical facility.
• The second is the spiral design of the curriculum which allows course content to build each semester for a thorough understanding of critical concepts.
• Our third strength is our faculty and the fact that many of the faculty are board certified specialists and maintain active clinical practice.
• And finally, our students are one of our best strengths - they are talented and intellectually curious. They are motivated to become professionals. In support of our students, we have a limited number of graduate assistantships available each year.

• The application process involves two simultaneous steps: the applicant must apply to the Texas State Graduate College, and must also apply to the Department of Physical Therapy.
• The Graduate College requires an official application, a fee of $40.00, scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and all official transcripts of previous college study, both graduate and undergraduate. These items should be submitted directly to the Graduate College. Contact the Graduate College at www.gradcollege.txstate.edu/ or at (512) 245-2581.
• The application to the Department of Physical Therapy requires an application, pre-requisite course list form, three reference checklist forms, two supporting statements, and the application fee of $25.00. Those items should be submitted directly to the Graduate College.

• The reference checklist forms should go directly to the Graduate College as part of the DPT application packet.

• No, Texas State University will provide that transcript to the Graduate College.

• One official transcript from all college course work even if only one course was completed at a specific institution is required for admissions.

• The Graduate College application is available at www.gradcollege.txstate.edu.
• The Physical Therapy Application is available at PT Application.
• Both application must be submitted to the Graduate College by the October 15th deadline. All application materials and GRE scores must be received by the Graduate College by that date for an applicant's file to be considered for admission during that admission cycle. Any missing application materials will cause your application to be incomplete and will not by reviewed for admissions.

• Yes...this is a requirement of our department and your application will be considered incomplete if the GRE score is not received by the October 15th deadline.
• However, the GRE score alone will not prevent an applicant from being admitted.

• You can take the GRE at any time. Call 1-800-473-2255 for information or visit their web site at www.gre.org.
• The GRE web site or phone counselors can give you the exact costs for their services, including study guides.
• Keep in mind that GRE scores take a while to process so be sure to schedule your GRE exam with enough time to have your scores received by deadline.

• Yes. However, your application is not complete and will not be reviewed until those GRE scores are on file in the Graduate College by the October 15th deadline.

• Yes, you can repeat the GRE and have the new scores sent to the Graduate College. They will notify us of the revised scores and if received prior to consideration of applications for interview, the score can be used. If it arrives too late, it will be added to the file for future consideration.

• Since the admissions process has changed this year, all new application materials must be resubmitted for the upcoming admissions cycle to the Graduate College.

• The PT application form will list the two questions that need to be addressed in essay format. They are located on the last page of the application form. These supporting statements should basically provide your personal reflections on the two questions asked.

• The Student Selection Committee considers a number of factors to determine which applicants are most likely to succeed in the graduate physical therapy program.
• We consider the previous college GPAs, the content and clarity of the applicant’s essays, the information contained in the recommendation checklists, the GRE score, and the applicant’s work and volunteer history. The Committee will interview a select number of qualified applicants for admission.

• Acceptance to the PT Program requires a baccalaureate degree.
• We prefer the following GPA's:
  
  • a minimum of a 3.0 in the last 60 hours of baccalaureate degree
  • a minimum of a 3.0 in pre-requisite course work
  • a minimum of a 3.0 in all science course work (calculated using all biology, chemistry, and physics courses)
  • a GRE score of 1000 or equivalent.
• All pre-requisite courses must be completed before entry into the program.

• The last 60 hours GPA cannot be changed unless you complete another bachelor's degree. Applicant may also complete a master's degree. The higher GPA will replace the low last 60 hour GPA.
• Courses may be repeated to improve the pre-requisite course GPA or science GPA.
• Courses that are repeated after completion of a degree will not change the last 60 hours GPA for the degree.

• A GPA is a grade point average - meaning that all courses are average to calculate the GPA. A course grade is just that the grade you received in an individual course.

• A GRE is designed to demonstrate the test-takers potential for success in graduate studies.
• An applicant can retake the GRE to raise the score. When the GRE is repeated, we will use the higher of each individual score. The score must be submitted to the Graduate College and then it is forwarded to us to update your application file.
• Visit the GRE website or call for recommendations about study guides or courses.

• We estimate that the student can spend as much as $15,000 per year in the program – including tuition and fees, books, lab supplies and equipment, travel, memberships, and other costs.This estimate is based on Texas residency. Out of state expenses will be higher based on current tuition and fees.
• For questions about tuition and residency, please contact Financial Aid and Scholarships at 512-245-2315 or visit the website at www.finaid.txstate.edu.

• Although we do not require a specific number of volunteer or observation hours, it is highly recommended that applicants have exposure to physical therapy prior to applying to the program.
• Most of our applicants have at least 12-20 hours of volunteer experience. Many applicants have many more than that and a number of applicants have work experience as well.
• Documentation of these hours is not required but you will be asked to list those experiences on the application.

Prior to enrollment in the DPT Program, the following courses (or the equivalent) must be completed at Texas State or another accredited institution:

• * Anatomy and Physiology: Requirement is for a one credit all inclusive course. At many institutions, 2 semesters/8 hours of A & P 1 and A & P 2 are available or required. If it is offered as a two course sequence, both courses must be completed in order to completely fulfill this pre-requisite. Anatomy and Physiology 2 will not fulfill the Exercise/Vertebrate Physiology pre-requisite.
  
• ** Medical Terminology: courses can be 1, 2, or 3 credit hour courses.
  
• *** Statistics: Statistics coursework must include the study of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and can be a basic statistics course from any department.
• **** Chemistry:  If Chemistry 1 and Chemistry 2 is taught with 3 hour lectures and a 2 hour combined lab for both Chemistry lectures, only one lab is required for a total of 8 hours of Chemistry.
• All science courses listed on the pre-requisite table must be taken with lab sections.
• The level of chemistry and physics courses should correspond to coursework needed for medical and dental schools pre-requisites.
  

• We do not have a time frame for when courses can be taken.
• The applicant is responsible for the content information of the pre-requisite courses since they provide the foundation for the professional program. The applicant must be confident in their knowledge from these courses.
• They do not need to be repeated for a more recent completion date.

• You can check the transfer course information available on Catsweb (http://www.sbs.txstate.edu/billing.html).
• If you still have questions, contact us at phystherapy@txstate.edu.

• Yes, if it is a two course sequence you will need to take both courses. I
• In addition, you will also need the advanced physiology or exercise physiology course. The more solid a foundation you have in anatomy and physiology, the more prepared you will be for our program.

• No...Anatomy and Physiology 2 will not fulfill Exercise or Vertebrate physiology. You will need an upper level (junior or senior) Exercise physiology for that pre-requisite.

• As long as your courses have been recognized by your undergraduate institution as credit courses, we will accept.
• However, note that those courses will not contribute to your GPA calculations.

• Competitive candidates have maintained a good GPA throughout their undergraduate studies, have a good basic knowledge of the field of physical therapy, and can express themselves well in both writing and verbally.

• Each student will consult with the Director of Clinical Education to establish an individualized clinical education plan. Sometimes these experiences can be arranged close to home, other times, you may need to plan to travel. It is important that you work directly with the DCE to establish a plan that can meet your needs within the confines of availability and access to a quality experience.

• We have a graduation rate of 98% over the past twenty years.

• Our ultimate pass rate is 100%; our first time pass rate is 96%.

• 100% of our graduates are employed within six months of graduation for those choosing to be employed.