Aaron Hartstein, Interim Director
Health Professions Building

Physical Therapy (PT) is a challenging and satisfying profession — one with many career pathways from which to choose. The wide range of clinical settings, the diversity of the patient populations, and the variety of specialty areas provide a vast array of employment and professional growth opportunities for the new graduate. Shenandoah University’s entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy professional degree program prepares students for the challenges of the profession and provides an excellent foundation for further graduate study.

The Division of Physical Therapy Mission

The mission of Shenandoah University’s Division of Physical Therapy is to prepare students as doctorally educated physical therapists who are reflective, collaborative practitioners that provide evidence‐based, compassionate and ethical care for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of movement dysfunction across the global community.

The Division of Physical Therapy Vision

The Division of Physical Therapy will become recognized as a leader of physical therapy education driven by innovation, local and global service, and dedication to professional advancement.

The Physical Therapy Program at Shenandoah University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and is fully accredited until December 2028.

Applicants to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program must have demonstrated success in academics and have a strong background in the sciences. A demonstration of well-developed problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills and commitment to service is necessary. Those applying to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program should be prepared to work closely with other students in the program, make contributions to the learning process of others and contribute to the enrichment of the curriculum and the profession.

The Physical Therapy program is closely affiliated with Valley Health System and Inova Health System. These relationships provide extensive clinical opportunities, equipment, space and human resources.

Admission Requirements

The Division of Physical Therapy offers three avenues for admission into the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program: 1) traditional pathway, 2) articulation agreement pathway, and 3) Shenandoah Undergraduate Early Assurance Pathway. Regardless of the route of application, processing for the DPT program is through the Physical Therapy Central Application Service (PTCAS) at www.PTCAS.org. Although these applications are processed through PTCAS, they are held to the same standards as Shenandoah  University’s other graduate programs. All offers of admission into the DPT program are determined by the Division of Physical Therapy Admissions Committee.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of a 2.8 on a 4.0 scale in all completed coursework and in all prerequisite coursework. A candidate with cumulative GPA < 2.8 but greater than 2.5 may be considered if at least 15 semester hours of relevant graduate level coursework has been earned with a minimum 3.2 GPA. Applicants must meet higher GPA requirements for Articulation Agreement Pathway and for the Early Assurance Pathway, which are described below.
2. Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). No minimum GRE scores are required for admittance into the DPT program. For non-native speakers of English, a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) must be completed.
3. Submit two letters of reference; one from a licensed, practicing Physical Therapist that has supervised the applicant in a clinical setting and one from a college professor that has taught the applicant at the college/university level, preferably a professor from the applicant’s major.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the profession by completing a minimum of 40 documented hours (volunteer or paid) of exposure to physical therapy practice under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist.
5. All prerequisite science courses must be less than 10 years old at the time of application. Anatomy coursework should be no more than 5 years old at the time of application. Exceptions are made at the discretion of the PT Admissions Committee, if the applicant is able to provide documentation of functional use of the information. Detailed instructions for the admissions process and prerequisite course requirements can be found at www.su.edu/pt or www.ptcas.org.

Traditional Pathway

The primary method for admission into the DPT program is through the traditional admissions pathway. In addition to the global requirements as listed above, consideration for admission through this process requires applicants to complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution prior to matriculation. The bachelor’s degree must include the 36 credit hours of prerequisite coursework and applicants must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale for these courses.

Articulation Agreement Pathway

A second means of admission into the DPT program is through articulation agreement pathway established by the Division of Physical Therapy with other universities and colleges. This program follows the same admission criteria as noted for the traditional admissions pathway except for the prerequisite coursework GPA. To qualify for one of the reserved seats, applicants must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale for the 36 credit hours of prerequisite coursework. The articulation agreements also require the applicant complete prerequisite coursework and receive a bachelor’s degree from the articulating institution. Applicants who meet the criteria for admission through the Articulation Agreement will be granted priority status for an admissions interview and consideration of a reserved seat in the Division of Physical Therapy. Two to five seats in each incoming class are reserved for students from each participating institution. These universities and colleges include: Bridgewater College, Ferrum College, James Madison University, Penn State Mont Alto, Shenandoah University, Virginia Tech University and West Virginia Wesleyan College. If more applicants qualify for priority status than reserved seats for the institution, the Division of Physical Therapy, the Division of Physical Therapy will rank-order all priority applicants based on consideration of the full set of application materials and the evaluations from the admissions interview. If a student applies under the articulation agreement and is not accepted, their application is automatically entered in the pool of traditional applicants. They do not need to reapply that cycle. Students who take a gap year or more will not be eligible and must apply to the graduate program via the traditional pathway. Copies of the articulation agreements can be found at www.su.edu/pt.

3+3 Early Assurance Pathway for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

In addition to the articulation agreement, the Division of Physical Therapy has established a unique admissions process with the undergraduate Office of Admissions for Shenandoah University.  The Early Assurance Pathway is available for incoming first-year applicants and is highly competitive. This pathway guarantees an admission interview with a graduate program as long as criteria are maintained during the undergraduate years at Shenandoah. The graduate schools reserve placements with their graduate program for all EA students meeting or exceeding the interview benchmarks. The SU-DPT Early Assurance pathway accelerates a student’s transition into the graduate program by overlapping the first year of graduate school with their fourth year of undergraduate study.

In order to be admitted to this program as a first-year student at Shenandoah University (out of high school) the student must:

• Apply to Shenandoah University. If a student qualifies to be considered for the Early Assurance Pathway option, undergraduate admissions will contact the student via email and notify them how to submit the required supplemental documentation and how to register for the required interview.
• Achieve a High School GPA ≥ 3.5.
• Earn a minimum of a B- or higher in biology and chemistry courses in high school.
• Complete 20 hours of observation under a practicing licensed physical therapist.
• Successfully complete an interview with Division of Physical Therapy faculty.

In order to remain in the early assurance program and matriculate into the DPT Program at the end of three years of undergraduate study at Shenandoah University, the student must fulfill the requirements stipulated in the contract signed upon matriculation to the College of Arts and Science. These requirements include but are not limited to:

Successfully complete a minimum of 90 hours of undergraduate coursework with a grade of “C” or above which includes the required prerequisite courses.

Prerequisite coursework should be completed at Shenandoah University. Advanced placement college credits are not accepted for Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, and Physiology. Students should take those courses while enrolled as an Shenandoah University undergraduate.

At the time of the graduate application, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale for completed undergraduate coursework and continue to maintain the 3.4 on a 4.0 scale through the third year. The student must also have a minimum 3.4 GPA for prerequisite courses by the end of the spring semester of the third year. Additionally, the applicant must have completed in-depth study of upper division concentrated coursework in an area of study that satisfies at least 18 credits, which is equivalent to minor.

Criminal Background Checks

A criminal background check (which may include fingerprinting) will be required of all students before being allowed to begin clinical placements. Some clinical sites require more current background checks be done. Some students also may be expected to submit to random drug testing required by clinical and school sites. Students who enter programs and courses that involve training in settings identified by federal and state laws must authorize and submit to a criminal background check prior to entering the program, and may be required on an annual schedule after admission. These settings include, but are not limited to childcare agencies, elementary and secondary schools, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, district homes for adults, adult day-care centers, and community service agencies. Federal and state laws, health care accreditation regulations, and requirements for professional practice require that employees have not committed certain felonies or misdemeanors. Students must meet the same requirements as employees who work in these healthcare and community settings.

Non‐compliance with this policy means that faculty members may not be able to place a student in a clinical or education site. In addition, a student may not be able to complete the requirements of the education program and may not be eligible for federal or state credentialing required for practice. Shenandoah University programs included in this policy are Athletic Training, Education, Music Therapy, Exercise Physiology, Nursing, Respiratory Care, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, and Service Learning. Faculty members, who work with students and special populations in clinical and education sites, in most circumstances will be required to meet the same requirements as employees in those sites. 

Requirements for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree

Students must take all courses in the specified order to be retained in the curriculum and receive the DPT degree. All courses must be passed with a grade of “C” or higher and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 must be achieved by the end of each semester. The student who receives a grade of “D” or below will be dismissed from the program. A student who fails to reach the cumulative 2.8 GPA in any semester will be put on academic probation. The 2nd time a student’s cumulative GPA falls below a 2.8 they will be dismissed from the program. Students dismissed from the program for academic concerns may petition the faculty for a seat in the next year’s class.

Any student who demonstrates inappropriate affective behavior may receive disciplinary action. Conduct or academic integrity violations may result in course failure and/or immediate dismissal from the program.

In addition to policies and procedures of the university as identified in this catalog, students enrolled in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program are responsible for reading, understanding, and implementing the policies and procedures found in the Division of Physical Therapy Student Handbook.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination is administered at the end of the fall semester of the third year and is intended to identify the student’s preparedness to enter their Terminal Full-Time Clinical Education Experiences. Prior to the Terminal Full-Time Clinical Education Experiences, students are required to pass the written and oral components of the comprehensive examination. Successful completion of both components of the comprehensive examination is required of all students as a condition for continued progress through the curriculum.