Admission to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
Program-Specific Admission Requirements
(See separate section for the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy requirements.)
In addition to the general admission requirements of the University, the following program-specific requirements must be met:
1. A Doctor of Physical Therapy application, including personal statements, to be completed online at www.ptcas.org.
2. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better is expected for all undergraduate- and graduate-level study.
3. One official transcript from each college, university or professional school attended. Transfer credits included on a transcript must include grades earned; if not, an official transcript from the original school must be submitted. Transcripts must be sent from the issuing school in a sealed envelope and contain the appropriate signatures and seals to be considered official.
4. The following minimum prerequisite courses with grades of “C” or better and a cumulative GPA in these course areas of no less than “B” (3.0) is expected. When calculating the prerequisite GPA, Arcadia includes all courses in the prerequisite areas. A grade of “C–” is not acceptable for the minimum prerequisite courses. Courses used toward the minimum prerequisite biological and physical science requirements should be taken through the appropriate science departments (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Physics). All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to the start of the Physical Therapy program. One-half of the prerequisite courses, including Physiology and Statistics, must have been taken within 10 years prior to application.
a. Biological Sciences—four courses (a minimum of 12 semester credits) from a biology department, which should include the following:
i. One lab/lecture course in Human or Mammalian Physiology. (Note that a two-semester lab/lecture course of Anatomy-Physiology will meet the requirements of one Physiology course.)
ii. Anatomy is recommended but not required.
iii. One upper-level course (300- to 400-level) of least 3 credits with a biology focus. This course can be taken through another department, such as exercise science or kinesiology, but preferably should be taken through a biology department. Examples of courses that would fulfill this requirement are Neuroscience, Principles of Motor Control, Anatomy and Biology of Aging.
b. Physical Sciences—four lab/lecture courses to include the following:
i. Two courses in Chemistry.
ii. Two courses in General Physics.
c. Psychology—two courses.
d. Statistics—one course.
5. Three letters of recommendation, at least one from a currently practicing licensed physical therapist and one from a college professor who is able to judge the applicant’s academic qualification and readiness for rigorous work at the graduate level. This professor should have taught one of the academic courses for the applicant’s major.
6. Test scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), taken within the last five years. A minimum total score of 1050 is expected for the verbal and quantitative portions of the test with no single score below 450. A minimum score of 4 is expected on the analytical writing portion of the test. NOTE: Program GRE code is 2039.
7. International Applicants: Official results from the TOEFL or IELTS are required for all students for whom English is a second language, except for non-native speakers of English who hold degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g. the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand). A course-by-course evaluation of all transcripts by an independent evaluation service based in the United States also is required. NOTE: International students applying to the Physical Therapy program must send scores to the PTCAS code 5312.
8. Knowledge of the profession through more than one documented work or volunteer experience. A broad overview of the profession is preferable to experience in a limited area.
9.Increasingly, clinical facilities are requiring that participating students undergo various criminal background checks, child abuse clearances, and/or drug screens. Therefore students should be prepared to participate in these screenings.
Application Deadline
The review process for completed applications begins on September 1. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete all components of the application well in advance of the priority deadline of December 15. (A complete application for Arcadia includes official GRE scores, PTCAS application, and three recommendations.) For applications completed by December 15, decisions will be released between January 15 and February 15. In the case of highly qualified applicants, admission may be offered prior to January 15. A $500 deposit must accompany the acceptance reply. This deposit is applied to the first semester’s tuition, and it is non-refundable if students fail to enter the program on the date for which they are accepted.
Following official acceptance into the program, all students must supply information about their health and medical history and are required to submit the results of a physical examination. Registration will be considered complete when the University is satisfied that the student is physically able to undertake the year’s work.
Institutions participating in clinical internships require a certificate of good health before permitting students to work with patients.
Deferred Admission
Students who want to defer their admission for one year must submit their request to do so in writing to the Director of Physical Therapy Admissions. Deferrals will be considered on an individual basis. Once a deferral is granted, a student must submit the required deposit to reserve a seat in the class. This deposit will be credited toward tuition. A student who is granted a deferral must understand that he or she will be subject to the prevailing tuition at the time of matriculation to the program.
