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(Bachelor of Science Degree)
Health care professionals promote optimal health and well-being. Physical therapists foster concepts of health, wellness and fitness, injury prevention and optimizing functional outcomes for patients/clients and their families. Physical therapists function in a variety of settings within the community: hospitals, rehabilitation centers, pediatric facilities, geriatric treatment centers, extended care facilities, industry, sports medicine, private offices, and school systems. Physical therapists serve patients of all ages, from newborn to elderly. Physical therapists assume responsibility for the patients, clients, and families with whom they interact. These professionals respond to the diverse, dynamic, and complex needs of society and recognize the value of lifelong learning and the application of new knowledge.
The Department of Physical Therapy offers two doctoral programs, each leading to the clinical doctor of physical therapy degree; each program is distinct, offering education to meet the needs of the learners. The Entry Level Program (DPT) consists of three years, on-campus full-time study to prepare students to enter the profession. The Post Professional transitional DPT (PPtDPT) enhances the preparation of licensed physical therapists who aspire to have the doctor degree commensurate with the American Physical Therapy Association’s vision for the future of the profession.
Entry-Level Program
The Physical Therapy Program at Utica College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call (315) 792-3075 or email aelazza@utica.edu. Graduates are eligible for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and licensure in all states. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call (315) 792-3075 or email aelazza@utica.edu.
The entry-level DPT curriculum integrates traditional instruction with case analysis to guide, stimulate, and challenge student learning while fostering development as professionals with sound reasoning skills. To provide context for learning, small group discussions of clinically relevant case studies, hands-on laboratory practice, and clinical education experiences are integrated throughout the curriculum.
The mission of the Utica College Physical Therapy Program is to “educate students to become doctors of physical therapy who embrace the honor of their responsibility as professionals. Our faculty, students and graduates will demonstrate behaviors consistent with the mission of Utica College and the Core Values of the American Physical Therapy Association.”
In order to maintain one’s status as a Health Sciences Physical Therapy major, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better must be maintained. Students must earn a grade of B or better in each of the science courses. Students who fail to earn a grade of B or better in a required science course may repeat that course to earn a satisfactory grade. However, a student may repeat no more than two science courses and any science course may be repeated only once.
Should a student fail to meet these requirements, his/her major will change to Health Sciences with no guarantee of acceptance into the graduate DPT program. The student is welcome to re-apply at a later date if all admission requirements have been met. Please see Graduate catalog for additional information.
Learning Objectives
Graduates will:
- Communicate an awareness of and appreciation for the importance of interacting effectively with people of diverse backgrounds.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the varied interdisciplinary healthcare roles inclusive of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Nursing, Therapeutic Recreation and Psychology-Child Life.
- Interpret and apply Human Development concepts across the lifespan to evaluate and improve the health of individuals with/without various medical conditions.
- Demonstrate critical appraisal skills when utilizing clinical research in order to be critical consumers of research as well as advocates for their future healthcare clients.
Identify key components of professional ethics and behaviors of health practitioners.
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