Admissions - Doctor of Physical Therapy Requirements

PTCAS
Application

PTCAS
Application

Matriculation
Fee

Dept.
Handbook

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Application Process - Doctor of Physical Therapy Requirements

1. All applicants must apply to Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). The PTCAS application must be completed and submitted to PTCAS by September 2, 2024 (Priority Deadline) or November 1, 2024 (Hard/Final Deadline). Please allow up to four weeks for verification. Transcripts: Official transcripts from every college or university attended are considered part of the PTCAS application and must be sent directly to PTCAS. Applications will not be verified until all official transcripts have been received by PTCAS.
   
   
   PTCAS Application

    

2. Application Fee: $75 non-refundable Application Fee is required.  A copy of your receipt must be emailed to the Dept. of Physical Therapy no later than the September 2, 2024 (Priority Deadline) or November 1, 2024 (Hard/Final Deadline).
   
   
   PT Application Fee

    

3. International applicants must have a TOEFL (internet) score ≥100, or IELTS ≥7.5 and must submit application requirements to the Department of Physical Therapy by September 15 of the year prior to admission.

    

   For information regarding immigration and student visas, please contact the USA Office of Immigration

   Meisler Hall, Suite 2200
   390 Student Center Circle
   Mobile, AL 36688-0002
   Phone: (251) 460-6050
   immigration@southalabama.edu
   https://www.southalabama.edu/departments/immigration/

4. All applicants must have a minimum 3.0 (A=4.0) overall grade point average (GPA).
   
   
5. Graduate Record Examination (GRE): Preferred GRE verbal and quantitative combined minimum score of 290. GRE scores must be officially reported to PTCAS color:red (use Institution Code 7799) by September 2, 2024 (Priority Deadline) or November 1, 2024 (Hard/Final Deadline).. No copies are accepted. USA PT Studies Institution Code 7799 will allow GRE scores to be sent to your designated PTCAS application and USA Admissions. GRE must have been taken within the last 5 years. Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing sections may be utilized.  We strongly recommend that you take the GRE BEFORE August 15 (Priority Deadline) or October 1 (Hard/Final Deadline), so that there is sufficient time for PTCAS to receive and verify the scores before the September 2, 2024 (Priority Deadline) or November 1, 2024 (Hard/Final Deadline).
   
   
6. Students accepted to the DPT program must submit completed health and physical exam forms to include required immunizations. Accepted students must also read, sign and submit the Core Performance Standards document outlining fundamental tasks of which applicants should be capable upon entering the DPT program. The Core Performance Standards document is included in the application packet and available upon request.
   
   
7. Acceptance into the DPT program is provisional pending completion of any additional required prerequisite courses (see below) with a grade of "C" or better and submission of required medical forms as supplied in the acceptance packet. Failure to make a grade of "C" or better in any required prerequisite course will result in a nullification of acceptance into the professional program.  Applicants may have a maximum of 2 Science prerequisite courses remaining by the application deadline (September 2nd or November 1st). The remaining prerequisites must be completed in the spring and summer prior to the start of the program.
   
   
8. A minimum of 50 Observation Hours are required and must be completed by the application deadline
   (Priority deadline Sept 2, 2024 or Hard/Final Deadline of November 1, 2024). These must be submitted and verified electronically through PTCAS. These hours must have been completed under the supervision of a licensed Physical Therapist. Applicants must include name, dates worked, and contact information of the Physical Therapist(s) under whom they shadowed, as well as the name and address of the facility or facilities at which they shadowed. This information should be uploaded to PTCAS for verification. There is no additional form required for submitting hours.
   
   

Applicants Considered for Admission to DPT Program

Applicants must complete a bachelor's degree prior to starting the USA DPT program.

Regular Graduate Applicants
These applicants must hold a bachelor's degree in any field from an accredited college or university and complete all prerequisites for regular graduate admission as listed below with a GPA > 3.00 by the time they would start the DPT program.

Admissions rankings
Admissions rankings for all applicants are determined using the same criteria. Acceptance to the DPT program will be based on the student's academic ability and aptitude for a career as a physical therapist including GPA emphasizing Science prerequisites, GRE score, and interview score.

Prerequisite Courses Required For All Applicants

 
NOTE: For all prerequisite courses, credit older than ten years from the application deadline must be repeated or validated by examination or other appropriate mechanism.

*Botany may not be used to satisfy this prerequisite.
**Electives should be concentrated in a back-up major of the student's choice.

***Medical Terminology is required prior to matriculation into the DPT program. Students that have not
completed a Medical Terminology course prior to matriculation will be required to take an online course
during the summer prior to matriculation. There is no cost associated with the Medical Terminology
course taken in the summer through the department.

DPT Recommended Courses

A number of courses are determined to be good preparation for certain components of the PT graduate program.  Recommended courses include: 
*Microbiology or Infectious Disease, 
*Medical Terminology
* Kinesiology
* Exercise Physiology
* Motor Learning
* Upper Level Anatomy / Physiology
* Neuroscience
* Pathophysiology
* Abnormal Psychology
* General Psychology
* Developmental Psychology. 

Admissions Timeline

This schedule represents the admissions timeline in a typical year. In any given year, the schedule may have to be adjusted.