Progression Requirements

Program Matriculation Requirements

Prior to matriculation in the program, newly accepted students must fulfill the following requirements at their own cost:

• Acceptance of the Essential Functions document indicating his/her capacity to perform the duties of a physical therapist in the realms of abilities, skills, and behaviors.
• Completion of a designated non-credit bearing on-line Medical Terminology course.
• Criminal background check. (Some felony convictions may disqualify a person from completing the clinical education component.)
• Physical examination and Immunizations required for clinical experiences to have been completed within the past 12 months.
• Proof of Medical Insurance.

Program Requirements

The DPT program is a cohort-based, full-time, graduate program. Students in the DPT program must maintain a 3.0/4.0 overall GPA in their graduate/professional coursework and earn a minimum grade of “C+” or a credit in credit/no credit courses in all program courses in order to progress in the program. Students are required to fulfill the requirements of the catalog released in the summer they start the program.

Grading Scale

The following grading scale is used for all DPT courses that are not credit/no credit:

Unsuccessful Grade

Grades below a “C+" are considered “unsuccessful” and are listed only as a means of assessing the student’s relative level of understanding of course material.

Departmental Probation

Students with a term GPA < 3.0 will be placed on “Departmental Probation”, issued an Academic Warning Letter, and may be required to perform remediation activities as determined by the faculty to improve their GPA. A student who is in this category for more than one term may be subject to dismissal if it becomes mathematically impossible to achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA prior to completion of didactic coursework. A 3.0 GPA is required to begin Terminal Clinical Experiences and for Graduation.

Criteria for Academic Dismissal

The student may be dismissed from the DPT program for any of the following:

• The student earns a cumulative GPA > 3.0 and is not mathematically able to reach a GPA of 3.0 by completion of didactic coursework.
• The student earns less than a “C+“ in a DPT course.
• The student is unsuccessful in two attempts at any lab practical.
• The student does not adhere to Professional Behaviors as outlined.
• The student can no longer meet Essential Functions as outlined with or without accommodations.