About the 3+D.P.T. Pathway
Liaison to the Undergraduate Departments: Kathleen Fortier, PT, DPT, MBA
This is an accelerated program from a Biology major into the graduate Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) degree program at Arcadia University. Qualified applicants will be contacted by Enrollment Management for review.
During their first three years of study, students take prerequisite coursework and Undergraduate Curriculum requirements. In the fourth year of study, students begin their graduate coursework, but will not receive the B.A. in Biology until they have successfully completed the first year of the D.P.T. program. This pathway allows a student to fulfill all of the Undergraduate Curriculum and major requirements and the requirements of the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in five years. The 3+D.P.T. program provides a pathway to ensure that the undergraduate coursework taken by the student meets the expected prerequisites and required background knowledge for the D.P.T.
The Pre-Physical Therapy program emphasizes the sciences but also includes a well-rounded background in the liberal arts. This combination prepares students for a health-care profession that helps people to overcome the effects of disease and injury and prevent health problems.
Students who complete the program are prepared to work as physical therapists in a variety of settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, sports medicine centers, private homes, nursing homes, schools, private practices, specialized pediatric facilities, and wellness/fitness centers. They also can work as educators and consultants in a wide variety of organizations.
Admission Requirements
Applying From High School
Qualified applicants will be contacted by Enrollment Management for review. Students can only matriculate into the 3+D.P.T. program directly from high school. Highly selective admissions criteria will be used to choose academically talented students capable of handling the accelerated schedule. Applicants are expected to have taken academic science and mathematics classes in each year of high school, including one year each of biology, chemistry, and physics. Matriculated students will not be accepted into the 3+D.P.T. program, (Note: Matriculated students can follow the 4+D.P.T. pathway leading to preferred admission in Arcadia’s D.P.T. program for qualified students.)
At the end of the first year, students must have at least a 3.2 GPA in their major and overall to stay in the program. At the end of the second year, students must have at least a 3.4 GPA in their major and overall to stay in the program
At the completion of their third year of undergraduate study, students will be evaluated to ensure that they meet the qualifications to begin graduate coursework. At this point the students must have met the following criteria:
- Completed all major and Undergraduate Curriculum requirements.
- Maintained a 3.4 GPA and have received no less than a “C” in any of the required courses for the D.P.T.
- Earned at least 110 semester hours by the end of the third year.
- Received an acceptable recommendation from their academic advisor in the Biology Department.
- The Doctor of Physical Therapy program has decided to make the GRE optional beginning with the 2023-2024 application cycle. However, if you have already taken the GRE or have scheduled to take the test, we encourage you to submit your official scores.
At the start of their fourth year, students in the 3+D.P.T. program begin their studies in the D.P.T. program. Two undergraduate-level courses, BI 477 Movement Systems Foundation II: Force and BI 478 Integrated Patient Management II: Acute Medical Conditions, are taken in this fourth year and are only available to students in the 3+D.P.T. program. These courses are equivalent to PT662 and 672 taken by the other D.P.T. students.
Applying to the D.P.T. Program
By the Fall semester of their third year, students in the 3+D.P.T. program must have completed, or made arrangements to complete, all application criteria for the preferred admission program including observations in two clinical settings (one inpatient and one outpatient as defined by PTCAS). These observations are expected to be completed by the Fall of the year of application to the program. A minimum of two (2) and maximum of three (3) letters of recommendation are required, at least one from a currently practicing licensed physical therapist and one from their academic advisor in the Biology Department.
Students apply to the D.P.T. program in the Fall semester of their third year through PTCAS (www.ptcas.org) by the specified Priority deadline. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional for admission to the D.P.T. program. Students are strongly encouraged to take the exam at least one year prior to application and no later than the summer preceding their third undergraduate year. NOTE: the GRE code for the D.P.T. program is 7637.
What constitutes a completed D.P.T. application?
A completed application including responses to all essays and all of the supporting documents (the two previously stipulated recommendations, GRE scores (if applicable), and transcripts). Arcadia University students applying for preferred admission must electronically submit their completed application by the Priority deadline specified in PTCAS. Applications are NOT reviewed until ALL materials are received by Arcadia. The final decision will be made only after a full review of all application materials. Additionally, all successful applicants must display appropriate levels of professionalism and communication.
To meet the Preferred Admission requirements, all of the criteria in the Arcadia University Undergraduate Catalog (by appropriate year of entry) and all of the prerequisite courses need to be completed by the end of the third year. If accepted, any remaining prerequisite courses need to be completed with a “C” or better in order to start the Physical Therapy program.
Upon acceptance into the program under the Preferred Admission category, students will be required to pay a deposit in order to reserve a seat in the class. Any offer of scholarships or other assistance will be made known to the student along with the letter of acceptance to the D.P.T. program.
Students whose credentials do not meet the requirements that assure them admission to the D.P.T. program in Fall of their junior year will be decelerated to the traditional four-year Biology degree. They still may apply for preferred admission to the D.P.T. program in Fall of their senior year, but they must meet the minimum requirements for preferred admission at the time of application. Please see the Graduate Catalog for the minimum requirements as specified on the Pre-Physical Therapy webpage. To maintain the ongoing quality of the Physical Therapy program, the University reserves the right to limit the enrollment in all its offerings.
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