About the Program
Arcadia’s entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is 25 months in duration. The program is now offered through two different pathways - the residential program is composed entirely of on-campus learning experiences, while the hybrid pathway is composed of a combination of online and on-campus learning experiences. The Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum is designed to create practitioners who can fulfill the American Physical Therapy Association’s vision of “transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience”.
Arcadia University is recognized as a leader in global education and provides interested students with international opportunities to study. Arcadia believes that to understand the world, students should experience it—and that can mean leaving the campus for a time. Whether it is for clinical education in Alaska or California or a service trip to Jamaica, Arcadia’s DPT students have several opportunities to experience the world as health care professionals.
The Profession
Physical therapy is a healthcare profession whose practitioners evaluate, treat and instruct individuals in order to prevent or overcome the effects of disease or injury. Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, outpatient centers, individual homes, skilled nursing facilities and the public school system. Patients of all ages, from newborn to older adults, may be encountered. Physical therapists also work as educators, researchers and consultants. Physical therapy is an integral part of today’s changing healthcare system. Practitioners serve in a range of capacities—they may be a patient’s entry point into the health-care system as they conduct appropriate screening and examination techniques and make professional assessments. Clinical practice is based on theory and/or evidence.
Physical therapy is a profession that offers a lifetime of satisfaction in helping people to function more effectively. Each patient presents a new challenge, and the constantly changing clinical situations provide for a stimulating and exciting career.
The entry-level DPT program at Arcadia University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314; telephone: 703- 706-3245; Email: accreditation@apta.org; website:http://www.capteonline.org.
Physical Therapy Academic Policies and Procedures
A student accepted into the Physical Therapy program is expected to abide by the regulations set forth by Arcadia University and the written policies of the Physical Therapy program. For a discussion of the general academic policies and procedures for graduate students, see the Academic Policies section in this catalog and the Student Handbook. The policies of the Physical Therapy program are published in the DPT Student Handbook, revised annually, and address specifics regarding performance benchmarks that must be met in order to progress through the program.
To remain in good academic standing, students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.7 in each semester. If a student receives less than a 2.7 for a semester, the student will be placed on probation. Failure to improve the grade point average to a 2.7 in the subsequent semester may result in dismissal from the program.
Successful completion of all clinical experiences is required in order to fulfill program requirements. If the student fails to meet minimum performance expectations in a clinical experience, the student will receive a grade of Unsatisfactory for the clinical education course and be dismissed from the program. If a student at any time during the course of an experience is performing in an unsafe manner causing a patient’s well-being to be jeopardized, or behaves in an unprofessional, unethical, or illegal manner, the student will be immediately removed from the clinical setting. The student then will receive a grade of Unsatisfactory for the clinical education course.
If a student is dismissed or withdraws from the program, they may apply for provisional readmission. A decision to grant provisional readmission is made by the Academic Review Committee in consultation with the student’s advisor and relevant faculty members. A student who is provisionally readmitted must still apply for full readmission into the program when appropriate. Decisions on full readmission into the program and required remedial work are made by the Physical Therapy Review Committee.
Essential Functions to Participate in the DPT Program
Essential functions are the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills necessary for a student to participate in the physical therapy program and become a physical therapist.
View Arcadia University DPT Program Essential Functions
Return to: