Sacred Heart University has announced that its Doctor of Physical Therapy Program has received all necessary program approvals. Fully accredited at both the state and national levels, the Physical Therapy Program intends to admit its first class to the DPT curriculum in Fall 2004. The University will be the first in the state of Connecticut to offer the Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy.

The program will lead to a clinical doctorate (Doctor of Physical Therapy, or DPT) as the entry-level degree for professional practice. The course of study will be three years in length, including 8-10 weeks of full-time clinical work in each of the summers between the first and second years, and 20 weeks in the final semester of the program. A total of 106 credits are required to complete the DPT curriculum.

The program is fully accredited at both the state (Connecticut Department of Higher Education) and national (Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education) levels. As a result, graduates will be prepared to sit for physical therapist licensing examinations anywhere in the United States.

Among the Sacred Heart University DPT Program's special features is the opportunity for qualified undergraduates to complete an undergraduate degree and a DPT degree within 6 years (3 years of undergraduate course work, followed by 3 years of graduate course work). Students choosing a 3+3 option will work closely with their undergraduate advisor to follow a specific sequence of study in their chosen undergraduate major. The 3+3 option requires course work in the summers between the Freshman and Sophomore years, regardless of undergraduate major. With appropriate planning, summer course work may be completed at other universities offering equivalent courses.
In addition, structured clinical activities integrated into classes during each of the first 4 academic semesters will help students understand the practical application of semester content, as well as facilitate the process of professional development.

The Sacred Heart University Physical Therapy faculty is comprised of eight faculty members, with over 75 years of aggregated teaching experience. All of the faculty members hold post-professional doctoral degrees or advanced clinical certification, including those who are nationally recognized for scholarship, service to the profession, or teaching excellence.

In commenting on the planned launch of Sacred Heart University's DPT Program, Physical Therapy Department Chairman, Dr. Michael Emery said: "This new curriculum will prepare physical therapy students to enter a changing clinical practice environment which now allows physical therapists to practice independently and engage more formally in a clinical diagnostic process with their patients. This is a very exciting step for the profession of physical therapy and for the academic program at Sacred Heart University."

For more information on the planned DPT curriculum, including courses listed by years and semesters, visit Sacred Heart University's Physical Therapy and Human Movement Science Department website.

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