Doctor of Physical Therapy

The University’s Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy (DPT) prepares students for professional practice as general practitioners who demonstrate self-directed, ongoing learning, competency in clinical practice, a commitment to the application of professional skills, and knowledge in service to others. The program’s curriculum is a problem-based learning (PBL) design. PBL places emphasis on the development of a reflective practitioner by teaching students to learn from and solve clinical problems. Curriculum content is organized around carefully designed clinical patient problems that students study, discuss, and research in small tutorial groups. Students learn to synthesize information from multiple disciplines as it is relevant to the clinical problem. Tutorial group work develops interdependence among students and supports the use of peers in learning and problem-solving. Tutorial content connects to and drives lab based clinical skill development. Evidence in Practice and Professional development content is threaded throughout the curriculum. Clinical education includes part-time, integrated experiences in each of the academic semesters, and full-time clinical education in the summer following the first year and during the fall and spring of the third year. Clinical education totals thirty-eight (38) weeks of full-time work and approximately twelve (12) to sixteen (16) hours per semester of part-time work.

For additional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Information, visit the website:

http://www.sacredheart.edu/academics/collegeofhealthprofessions/academicprograms/physicaltherapy/doctorofphysicaltherapy/

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements

Sacred Heart University has been approved by Connecticut to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of post-secondary education.
For information regarding professional licensure by state, visit Disclosures and Student Complaints.

Expected Student Outcomes

A graduate of the Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy at Sacred Heart University is expected to:

1. Analyze, synthesize, and evaluate evidence to facilitate best patient outcomes by effective use of the professional literature and current information technologies.
2. Apply clinical-decision making skills to effectively develop and implement a clinical examination, physical therapy diagnosis, plan of care and prognosis.
3. Apply self-directed, life-long learning principles from the underpinnings of problem-based learning to anticipate, adapt and respond to changes in the health care delivery system.
4. Practice in a manner consistent with established legal and professional standards and ethical guidelines.
5. Communicate effectively with patients, families, caregivers, other disciplines and the community in ways that are congruent with situational needs.
6. Adapt delivery of physical therapy services with consideration for patients’ differences, values, preferences, and needs.
7. Educate others (patients, caregivers, staff, students, other health care providers, business and industry representatives, school systems) using relevant and effective teaching methods. 

Admission Requirements
Students entering the program must have completed an undergraduate degree in the discipline of their choice. Sacred Heart University undergraduates may choose a 3+3 or 4+3 program of undergraduate plus graduate study. 3+3 students must choose biology, exercise science, or psychology as their major; 4+3 students may choose any major. All undergraduates (SHU and external students) must have completed the necessary course prerequisites by May prior to enrollment. Provisionally admitted SHU undergraduates are considered for admission first, followed by other SHU students and external students on a competitive basis. Internal applicants must submit all materials for admission consideration by September 15 and external applicants by December 15 (or as published by the Graduate Admissions Office) the year prior to matriculation into the program in the fall.

Application materials must include:

• A graduate admissions application form (internal students) or PTCAS application (external students) and nonrefundable application fee;
• Official transcripts of all previous college or university studies;
• Two letters of recommendation (one from an academic source and one from an employment/volunteer source).

Admission criteria include:

• Completion of an UG degree and all pre-requisite courses
• Undergraduate and pre-requisite GPA of 3.2 or higher (Undergraduate and pre-requisite GPA of 3.3 or higher for students entering the DPT program in FA 21 and beyond)
• No grade lower than a “C” in any pre-requisite courses. Grades from repeated courses will not be used in the pre-requisite GPA calculation for admission. (Grades from one repeated course will be permitted for use in pre-requisite GPA calculation for students entering the DPT program in FA 19 and beyond). 
• Observation of PT practice in two clinical practice settings (minimum of 50 hours total for students entering the DPT program FA 19 and beyond)
• GRE recommended. (GRE required with no minimum score for students entering the DPT program in FA 19 and FA 20. GRE required with scores greater or equal to 25th percentile in each section for students entering the DPT program in FA 21 and beyond.)
• Upon invitation: Successful completion of the Admission Interview .

Required Pre-Requisite Courses:

• Biology I & II (6-8 credits w/ lab)
• General Chemistry I & II (Inorganic) (6-8 credits w/ lab)
• Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II (6-8 credits w/ lab)
• Physics I & II (non-calculus based)  (6-8 credits w/ lab)
• Math (3-4 credits precalculus or higher)
• Statistics (3-4 credits descriptive and inferential)
• Psychology Introductory course plus 1 upper level course (6-8 credits)

Degree Requirements

The program is a three-year (six semesters plus eight weeks of clinical education in the first summer and thirty weeks in the third year) course of study offered on a full-time basis only, to allow for the professional socialization of the student and the integration of coursework. This program leads to preparation for licensure as a physical therapist.

Prerequisite Courses (45 credits)

BI 111	Concepts in Biology I: Molecules to Cells	3
BI 112	Concepts in Biology II: Cells to Organisms	3
BI 113	Concepts in Biology I Laboratory	1
BI 114	Concepts in Biology II Laboratory	1
BI 131
BI 132
BI 133
BI 134
CH 151	General Chemistry I	3
CH 152	General Chemistry II	3
CH 153	General Chemistry Laboratory I	1
CH 154	General Chemistry Laboratory II	1
MA 131	Statistics for Decision-Making	3
MA 140	Precalculus	4
PY 111	General Physics I	3
PY 112	General Physics II	3
PY 113	General Physics Laboratory I	1
PY 114	General Physics Laboratory II	1
	Two psychology electives	6

MA 140: or above

Required Courses

Year 1, Semester 1 (17 credits)

This semester focuses on the patient with movement dysfunction primarily due to musculoskeletal problems. While PT 611 serves as the tutorial course, each of the courses uses the patient cases from the tutorial (some with additional information or modification) as the context for learning. Cases first presented in the tutorial will not be used concurrently across courses, but will be presented in a course context-specific manner. The courses will be substantially interrelated and are, therefore, corequisite to each other. Also included in this semester and tied to components of each course are 4–6 structured clinical exposures for each student per semester that will serve as a mechanism for understanding clinical relevance to practice and patient care. Each structured clinical experience will have an associated short writing assignment that will be used to facilitate achievement of the goals of the experience and to work on writing competence. These structured clinical experiences and related writing assignments are attached to the tutorial course for purposes of description.

PT 611	Structure & Function I	7
PT 621	Examination & Documentation I	4
PT 631	Evaluation & Intervention I	6

Year 1, Semester 2 (16 credits)

This semester focuses on the patient with movement dysfunction primarily due to neurologic problems, although some cases include musculoskeletal problems to maintain continuity across semesters. While PT 612 serves as the tutorial course, each of the courses uses the patient cases from the tutorial (some with additional information or modification) as the context for learning. Cases first presented in the tutorial will not be used concurrently across courses, but will be presented in a course context-specific manner. The courses will be substantially interrelated and are, therefore, corequisite to each other. Also included in this semester and tied to components of each course are 4–6 structured clinical exposures for each student per semester that serve as a mechanism for understanding clinical relevance to practice and patient care. Each structured clinical experience has an associated short writing assignment that will be used to facilitate achievement of the goals of the experience and to work on writing competence.

PT 612	Structure & Function II	7
PT 622	Examination & Documentation II	5
PT 632	Evaluation & Intervention II	4

Summer I (5 credits)

PT 651	Clinical Experience I	4
PT 740	Professional Practice	1

Year 2, Semester 1 (18 credits)

This semester focuses on the patient with movement dysfunction primarily due to cardiopulmonary or integumentary problems, as well as movement dysfunctions for the patient with complex and multisystem problems. Although PT 713 serves as the tutorial course, each of the courses uses the patient cases from the tutorial (some with additional information or modification) as the context for learning. Cases first presented in the tutorial are not necessarily used concurrently across courses but are presented in a course context-specific manner. The courses are substantially interrelated and are, therefore, corequisite to each other. Also included in this semester and tied to components of each course are 4–6 structured clinical exposures for each student per semester that serve as a mechanism for understanding clinical relevance to practice and patient care. Each structured clinical experience has an associated short writing assignment that will be used to facilitate achievement of the goals of the experience and to work on writing competence.

PT 713	Structure & Function III	7
PT 723	Examination & Documentation III	4
PT 733	Evaluation & Intervention III	3
PT 741	Professional Practice II	2
PT 743	Grand Rounds I	2

Year 2, Semester 2 (18 credits)

This semester focuses on the patient with movement dysfunction primarily due to spinal, TMJ, or genitourinary problems, including patients with congenital or acquired spinal cord injury that is inherently multisystem and complex. Although PT 714 serves as the tutorial course, each of the courses uses the patient cases from the tutorial (some with additional information or modification) as the context for learning. Cases first presented in the tutorial are not necessarily used concurrently across courses but are presented in a course context-specific manner. The courses are substantially interrelated and are, therefore, corequisite to each other. Also included in this semester and tied to components of each course are 4–6 structured clinical exposures for each student per semester that serve as a mechanism for understanding clinical relevance to practice and patient care. Each structured clinical experience has an associated short writing assignment that is used to facilitate achievement of the goals of the experience and to work on writing competence. This semester also includes the introduction of the special project that will serve as the summative capstone experience for the patient-based components of the curriculum. The special project continues into Year 3, Semester 1.

PT 714	Structure & Function IV	6
PT 724	Examination & Documentation IV	4
PT 734	Evaluation & Intervention IV	4
PT 744	Grand Rounds II	3
PT 760	Special Project I	1

Summer II (17 credits)

This semester focuses on the larger issues in contemporary physical therapy practice rather than on individual patient management. While PT 825 serves as the tutorial course, PT 843 will also use the contemporary practice cases from the tutorial as the context for learning. The courses will be substantially interrelated and are, therefore, corequisite to each other. Students also work with a faculty member and preceptor to complete their special project.

PT 825	Contemporary Practice in Physical Therapy	9
PT 845	Professional Practice III	4
PT 861	Special Project II	4

Year 3, Semester 1 (11 credits)

PT 752	Clinical Experience II	5
PT 853	Clinical Experience III	6

Year 3, Semester 2 (6 credits)

PT 854

Clinical Experience IV

6

Program Total: 108 credits

Clinical Education

The curriculum includes 21 credits of full-time clinical education at affiliating clinical sites across the United States. These activities occur in the summer following the first year and during the fall and spring of the third year. Student placement for these clinical education experiences provides each student with a variety of learning experiences within different types of practice settings. The DPT program is affiliated with more than 700 clinical facilities representing a wide range of practice settings, located predominately in the northeastern United States, but include sites across the country. Each site must have a formal contractual relationship with the University that includes a description of the responsibilities associated with clinical education. The University supervises the student’s clinical education experience through communication with the clinical instructor on site, written student performance evaluations, and on-site visits as necessary. Students should anticipate the additional costs of clinical education in the curriculum, including travel, housing, meals, and living expenses. In some cases, clinical sites may provide some assistance for expenses such as housing. Planning for clinical education is done through the DPT program by the directors of clinical education (DCEs). Students will receive individual advisement regarding clinical education planning. Students will be asked to make clinical education placement requests; however, final placement decisions are the responsibility of the DCEs.

Program Accreditation

The Physical Therapy program was initially accredited by both the Connecticut Department of Higher Education (CTDHE) in 1998 and the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in 1999, in 2004, and reaffirmed again in 2014. In 2003, both agencies approved transition of the program to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. The program was recognized in these accreditation proceedings for several strengths, including the high quality of its curriculum, the exceptional qualifications of its faculty, and the level of University support provided to the program. CAPTE accreditation is an ongoing process for all PT programs. The PT program at Sacred Heart University received continuing accreditation in 2014 with the next CAPTE accreditation review occurring in 2023.