Western University of Health Sciences

PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION (2009-10)

Western University of Health Sciences
DPT Admissions Office
309 E. Second Street
Pomona, California 91766
Phone: 909-469-5335
Phone (alternate number): 909-706-3758
Email: admissions@westernu.edu
Website: http://prospective.westernu.edu/physical-therapy-entry/requirements

APPLICATION DEADLINE for 2010 ENTERING CLASS

PTCAS Application Deadline	Thursday, October 15, 2009
Deadline Type	SOFT Deadline
Application Close Date (for soft deadlines only)	Monday, November 16, 2009
Program Has Rolling Admissions Process?	Yes
Important Dates (if any): November 16, 2009 is the firm deadline for acceptance of any application for the Fall 2010 entering class. This means that both the PTCAS and Supplemental applications must be received by the Admissions Office no later than Monday, November 16, 2009. An Open House will be held in Fall 2009 and Information Sessions are scheduled regularly throughout the year. Check the Western University website at www.westernu.edu for more details.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

If supplemental materials are required, send items directly to the PT program.

Supplemental APPLICATION required?	YES
Supplemental MATERIALS required?	YES
If yes, list of items	Applicants will be required to complete a WesternU supplemental application.
Supplemental FEE required?	YES
If yes, amount	$60
Supplemental deadline(s) YYYY-MM-DD	2009-11-16
Link to supplemental forms or instructions	http://prospective.westernu.edu/physical-therapy-entry/apply

PROGRAM PREREQUISITES

Course Prerequisites

Must applicants earn a Bachelor's degree prior to enrolling into the PT program? YES
For more information about course prerequisites, visit the program Web site: http://prospective.westernu.edu/physical-therapy-entry/requirements

Course Prerequisite Name or Subject Area	Req, Rec, Crq*	SEM hrs	QTR hrs	Lab Required (Y/N)	Additional Program Information
Human Anatomy	REQ	4	6	YES	Course must have been completed no more than 7 years prior to matriculation. Must be taken from the anatomy, physiology, A&P, biology or zoology departments. Combined anatomy & physiology courses will be considered only if a combined course sequence (2 semesters or 2 quarters) in anatomy & physiology is completed.
Human Physiology	REQ	4	6	YES	Course must have been completed no more than 7 years prior to matriculation. Must be taken from the anatomy, physiology, A&P, biology or zoology departments. Combined anatomy & physiology courses will be considered only if a combined course sequence (2 semesters or 2 quarters) in anatomy & physiology is completed.
General Chemistry	REQ	8	12	YES	Must be a course specified for science majors. Introductory courses not acceptable.
General Physics	REQ	8	12	YES	Introductory courses not acceptable.
Psychology	REQ	6	8	NO	Two courses required. At least one must be from the psychology department.
Statistics	REQ	3	4	NO	Prefer from math or statistics department.
English Composition	REQ	3	4	NO	If your institution does not offer an English Composition course please contact the Admissions Office.

* “Req” = required course; “Rec” = recommended course; “Crq” = conditionally required course

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

Is the GRE required?	Required
Program’s GRE College Code	# 4152
Last acceptable GRE test date – YYYY-MM-DD (if applicable)	2010-07-01
Oldest GRE score considered – YYYY-MM-DD (if applicable)	2005-07-31

GRE table below may contain blank fields if program data is not available or applicable.

GRE Section	Minimum GRE Score	Average GRE Score for Accepted Students
Verbal
Verbal Percentile
Quantitative
Quantitative Percentile
Analytical Writing
Analytical Writing Percentile
Composite (verbal & quantitative)
Composite Percentile
Additional information about program’s GRE requirements

References

Number of references required by program: 3 References

EVALUATOR TYPE	Applicant must send one reference from this SPECIFIC type of evaluator	Applicant must send a reference from one or more evaluators in this category to fulfill program's requirements	Evaluator Type ACCEPTED	Evaluator Type NOT Accepted
Physical Therapist-1	X
Physical Therapist-2	X
Professor in Major		X
Professor		X
Academic		X
Supervisor/Employer				X
Teaching Assistant				X
PTA				X
Pre-PT Advisor				X
Politician/Elected Official				X
Health Care Professional				X
Friend				X
Family Member				X
Co-worker				X
Clergy				X
OTHER	X

Additional information about program’s reference requirements: We require three satisfactory recommendations: one from a supervising physical therapist and one from a college course instructor. The third letter must be from either a physical therapist or a college course instructor; a physical therapist is preferred.

PT Observation Hours

Enter your PT observation hours on your PTCAS application. Print the PT Observation Hours form from the PTCAS application or use online PT Hours signature process, if the program requires you to have your hours verified by a physical therapist. Send signed forms to PTCAS.

PT HOURS	PROGRAM REQUIREMENT
Description of Program’s PT Hours Requirement	PT hours are required - a licensed PT must verify hours with signed form
Total Number of PT Hours REQUIRED	100
Total Number of PT Hours RECOMMENDED
DEADLINE for Completion of All PT Hours YYYY-MM-DD	2010-07-30
PAID Experience	Accepted
VOLUNTEER Experience	Accepted
INPATIENT Experience	Accepted
OUTPATIENT Experience	Accepted
Additional information about program’s PT hours requirement	The total of 100 hours must be completed in two different clinical settings or facilities.

GPA Requirement

GPAs will be blank if program data is not available or applicable.

GPA	Minimum GPA	Average GPA for Accepted Students
Overall Undergraduate Cumulative	2.8	3.2
Program-specific Prerequisite	2.8	3.2
Additional information about program’s GPA requirements (if any)	Applicants must have a minimum overall and prerequisite GPA of 2.8 or higher. Competitive applicants will have an overall and prerequisite GPA consistent with the current incoming class averages of 3.0 and above. We may also consider a GPA based on the last 60 semester/90 quarter units. We will use the latest grade for repeated courses. A course may be repeated only once.

Program Essay Instructions

Some PTCAS programs require applicants to respond to a custom essay question in addition to the standard PTCAS essay question. The PTCAS application will automatically prompt you to respond to the custom essays for your designated programs. The custom essay question for this program is below.

(none)

FOREIGN APPLICANTS AND TRANSCRIPTS

The program’s foreign (international) transcript policies do NOT apply to study abroad coursework that is itemized on a U.S. college or university transcript. Study abroad is processed in the same way as U.S. coursework.

Program’s citizenship requirements (individuals listed may be eligible for admission)	U.S. citizens U.S. permanent residents Canadian citizens Foreign (non-U.S.) citizens with a visa
Program requires non-native speakers to submit TOEFL scores?	Yes
Program policy for submission of non-U.S. (foreign/international) coursework	Send official copy of foreign evaluation directly to program.
Program policy for CANADIAN coursework	Send official copy of foreign evaluation directly to program.
Additional information about program’s policy on foreign coursework	Applicants who wish to use course work completed outside of the United States, including Canada, must submit their transcripts for evaluation to a Western University approved service. A course-by-course evaluation is required and all course work must be designated as undergraduate, graduate or professional. Please visit our website, http://prospective.westernu.edu/physical-therapy-entry/foreign, for a list of Western University approved services.

PROGRAM INFORMATION

PT Degree Offered	Program culminates in a doctoral (DPT) degree.
PT Program Start Date(s) For Entering Class YYYY-MM-DD	2010-08-09
Dual-degree programs offered in conjunction with the PT degree (if any)	.
Institution's religious affiliation (if any)	.

Profile of Most Recent Entering Class

Items will be blank if program data is not available or applicable.

Size of Most Recent Entering Class	48
Anticipated Size of Next Entering Class	44
Percent of IN-STATE students in most recent entering class	74%
Percent of WICHE students in most recent entering class (if applicable)
Percent of OUT-OF-STATE (non-resident) students in most recent entering class	26%
Percent of CANADIAN students in most recent entering class
Percent of INTERNATIONAL (non-U.S/non-Canadian) students in most recent entering class
Additional information about the class profile	Due to our rolling admissions process we encourage applicants to apply early. Interviews will begin in December 2009.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The curriculum for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program will prepare the graduate to be a physical therapist generalist. The DPT program is three years in length, and the curriculum consists of nine trimesters, each having a particular emphasis. Didactic education, which includes classroom and PT laboratories to practice procedures on classmates, simulated and real patients/clients, is followed by clinical education experiences in a wide variety of clinical settings.

Year I consists of one 16-week trimester, one 15-week trimester, and one 17-week trimester that includes a three-week clinical experience.
Year II consists of one 15-week trimester, followed by a 12-week clinical experience and a 16-week trimester.
Year III consists of a 15-week trimester followed by an 18-week and a 12-week trimester. Didactic courses are presented in the first trimester and the first six weeks of the second trimester during this year. The student completes the remaining 24 weeks of the program in two 12-week clinical internships.

Students will have the option to assist faculty in research during the second year and first part of the third year. Research studies must be completed prior to the final clinical internship. Selected topics courses, in which students choose courses to meet a minimum number of hours, will be offered during the first six weeks of the eighth trimester. During this same time, some students, with faulty approval, may select the opportunity to complete an optional four-week clinical experience in a highly focused clinical setting.

DPT students will complete their education in August, but will participate in the University-wide commencement two months prior in May. State licensure examinations can be taken following successful completion of the program. The faculty includes scholars, researchers, administrators and clinicians from the professions of physical therapy, psychology, education, osteopathy, medicine and the basic sciences. All faculty are committed to the preparation of the Doctor of Physical Therapy professional who will be well versed in all aspects of physical therapy and dedicated to their profession and to the patients they serve.