Physical Therapy, DPT

Department of Health Sciences

Health Sciences 101
(216) 687-3566
John Bazyk, Chair
Karen O’Loughlin, DPT Program Director
http://www.csuohio.edu/sciences/dept/healthsciences/graduate/PT/

Introduction

The emphasis of the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is to prepare competent entry-level practitioners who are well prepared to meet the demands of the current health care arena. The DPT degree emphasizes advanced skills in medical screening, differential diagnosis, critical thinking and clinical reasoning, and will arm students with an evidence base that validates clinical decisions to support the level of independent practice expected in a direct access environment. The DPT, a clinical doctorate, is differentiated from a Ph.D. by its emphasis on clinical skills and practice issues. However, it is expected that students will develop research skills related to being prepared to be criticial consumers of the scientific literature, to support clinical research and to use research data to design and manage the processes of care. In addition, all students complete a clinical case report as a research capstone project of the curriculum.  The DPT program is fully accredited by the Committions on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.

Faculty Research

Cleveland State University faculty have research specializations in biomechanics, culture and health, health services research, epidemiology, exercise physiology, motor learning and control, neurologic disorders, and orthopedics. A state-of-the-art Motion Analysis Laboratory is available for research. Students in the program have an opportunity to work on research with faculty mentors.

Current faculty information can be located on the Cleveland State University Faculty Profile page.

Admission Information

Admission to the program is selective and limited. Admissions are conducted yearly; each admissions cycle begins in July with complete application files due by February 15 annually.  In addition to meeting College of Graduate Studies requirements for admission, applicants to the program must:

• Submit an application through the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). 
• Submit a complete CSU Application for Graduate Admissions, OR, if an international student, submit a graduate application to the Center for International Services and Programs.
• Take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and have scores submitted to PTCAS, with scores of at least 400-450 verbal and 500-550 quantitative (GRE prior scoring: combined score = 950; the Program will use the translation table provided by GRE to determine equivalent scores using the revised GRE scoring system).
• Demonstrate language proficiency for non-native English speaking applicants. The TOEFL or Michigan test is required. Applicants must have a TOEFL score of 550 or a Michigan test score of 85 to be eligible.
• Attain the minimum of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in any subject area.
• Attain a minimum grade point average overall of 3.00
• Complete all prerequisite coursework listed below.  The following prerequisitie courses must be completed with a B grade or better:  Human gross anatomy with cadaver lab; neuroscience with lab; general pathology; vertebrate, human or mammalian physiology with lab; and statistics.  For all other prerequisite courses, no more than 2 “C” grades are acceptable.  Contact PTAdvising@csuohio.edu if you have questions about whether a specific course meets the prerequisite requirement.
  
  1. Physics: two course sequence with laboratories (PHY 221 + PHY 222 or PHY 241 + PHY 242)
  2. Chemistry: two-course sequence with laboratories (CHM 251/CHM 256 + CHM 252/CHM 257)
  3. Cell or general Biology with laboratory (BIO 200/BIO 201); must include cell/molecular biology component
  4. Vertebrate, Human or Mammalian Physiology [junior or senior level] (BIO 422/BIO 423 or HSC 422)
  5. Psychology: one course
  6. Social/behavioral sciences: 2 courses
  7. Statistics/research design: one upper level course [junior or senior level] (PSY 311)
  8. Medical Terminology [not calculated in prerequisite grade point average] (HSC 203)
  9. Human Gross Anatomy with cadaver laboratory (HSC 457/HSC 475)
  10. Neuroscience with laboratory (HSC 476/HSC 478)
  11. General Pathology (HSC 381)

Apply Now: http://www.csuohio.edu/gradcollege/admissions/apply.html

Program of Study

The curriculum for the Doctor of Physical Therapy consists of 112 semester credits over three years/nine consecutive semesters, including:

1. Eighty academic credits in core areas
2. Twenty-six credits of clinical experience
3. Six credits of elective course work