Criteria to Progress to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

  • Successful completion of the bachelor’s degree with a minimum overall GPA of 3.2
    • Note that participation in the accelerated 3+3 dual degree program requires successful completion of the bachelor’s degree in biology, exercise science, or psychology
  • Successful completion of all required prerequisite courses with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and no prerequisite course grade below a “C.” Applicants may retake a maximum of two courses one time each for a grade replacement.
  • Completion of a minimum of 50 hours of observation of physical therapist practice. Observation experiences may be either volunteer or paid. Examples of physical therapy practice settings include hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation agencies, outpatient departments, private practice, schools, etc. Completing observation experiences in multiple practice settings is recommended.
    • SHU provides an Observation Form in the dual degree portal for students to document this experience.
  • Submission of two Attestation Forms demonstrating readiness for success in the DPT program. SHU provides the form in the dual degree portal:
    • Academic Attestation: Completed by a SHU faculty member who can evaluate the student's academic abilities and potential for success in the DPT program.
    • Employer Attestation: Completed by an employer who can evaluate the student's work ethic, professionalism, and interpersonal skills.
  • Submission of a reflection statement, approximately one double-spaced page, addressing each of the following topics:
    • Briefly describe the types of experiences you have had in physical therapy and/or health care thus far. Include some indication of how extensive (comprehensive) each exposure was and how it contributed to your continued pursuit of a physical therapy career.
    • Identify a project you completed that you believe required the most independent learning on your part. The project does not have to be something you did as part of your schooling. Briefly describe what the project involved. Identify why you considered the experience to have been “independent” learning. Identify whether you consider the experience to have been successful, including why. Identify one way you would change the experience if you had it to do again that would make it a better or more positive learning experience.
  • Successfully demonstrate your potential for success in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program's problem-based learning curriculum through participation in Dual Degree Day, which comprises of two parts:
    • Mock tutorial session: Demonstrate collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills while working in a small-group learning environment
    • Individual meeting with DPT faculty: Meet with a physical therapy faculty member to discuss your experiences and demonstrate communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
  • Submission of a form of acknowledgment and understanding of Essential Functions of the Physical Therapy profession

Dual degree deadline for submission of evidence of compliance with progression criteria is October 15.

Students are highly encouraged to attend pre-PT information sessions, progression appointments, and events to keep updated with progression criteria.

CAPTE | Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education | Click to VerifyThe Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Sacred Heart University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; or website. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, call 203-396-8078 or email petrosinoc@sacredheart.edu.