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Physical Therapy Application Information

Shenandoah University’s physical therapy graduate programs prepare you professionally for diverse clinical positions.

Shenandoah University’s Division of Physical Therapy prepares students as doctorally educated physical therapists who are reflective, collaborative practitioners that provide evidence‐based, compassionate and ethical care for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of movement dysfunction across the global community.

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Doctor of Physical Therapy

How to Apply

Applications for Shenandoah University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program are completed and verified utilizing the Physical Therapy Centralized Application system.

Full Detailed List of Shenandoah’s PTCAS Requirements

DPT Application Opens: July 1

START TERM APPLICATION OPENS APPLICATION DEADLINE
Fall 2024 July 2023 October 1, 2023

Program Information

The DPT degree is designed for students wishing to pursue an entry-level doctoral program. Graduates of this program are able to enter the physical therapy profession as well as sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) to obtain state licensure. 
 
 

Admissions Process

Applicants to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program should complete applications using the Physical Therapy Centralized Application System (PTCAS). 
 
Applicants must have demonstrated success in academics and have a strong background in the sciences. Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, prior to matriculation, is required. The bachelor’s degree must include the, strongly recommended, 41 credit hours of prerequisite coursework completed at the institution granting the bachelor’s degree. A grade of “C” or above is required for all prerequisite courses. Please see the program specifics PDF linked above for a full list of these courses. 
 
All applicants must submit an application and all materials through the PTCAS system which includes two letters of reference, which must come from a licensed practicing physical therapist and a college professor (preferred science or professor in major), GRE test scores, transcripts, and documentation of 40 volunteer or paid hours of observation. 
 
A demonstration of well-developed problem-solving skills, interpersonal skills, and commitment to service is necessary. Applications should be prepared to work closely with other students in the program, make contributions to the learning process of others, and contribute to the enrichment of the curriculum and the profession.

Learn more by attending an Open House

Post Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy

How to Apply

Post Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy applicants must have a completed application, including all required documents, by the application deadlines listed below:

Apply Now

The 2024 application opens in October.

START TERM APPLICATION DEADLINE

Summer (Track III): May 2024

Fall (Track I & II): August 2024

Summer: April 1, 2024

Priority Fall: June 1, 2024

Final Fall: Rolling

Program Information

The Post Professional DPT degree is a post-professional program designed to meet the busy lifestyle of a practicing clinician by offering courses in a distance-based format. There is an orientation meeting and a final capstone immersion experience followed by a Hooding Ceremony held as half-day onsite sessions in mid-August of the first and last years of study.
 
Learn more about the Post Professional DPT program by visiting the program website.  
 

Admissions Process

The T-DPT is offered to both Masters and Bachelors prepared physical therapy practitioners. Students with a Masters degree in Physical Therapy (or other health related Masters degree) are eligible for the 1-year (Track I) or the 2-year (Track II) curriculum. Students with a Bachelors degree in Physical Therapy are eligible for the 7 consecutive trimester (Track III) curriculum.

All applicants must submit a completed application, application fee, transcripts, and proof of US or Canadian physical therapy licensure and verification of current employment for at least 1 year as a physical therapist. Unofficial transcripts and a copy of license can be uploaded directly to the application form for initial admission. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is NOT required.  All non-US educated physical therapists must also submit an academic credential evaluation of their transcript.

Offers of admission are extended in a rolling process. Seats will be offered in the order that completed applications and all application materials are received. Class size is limited to sixty five students.

Language Proficiency 

All applicants must be licensed to practice Physical Therapy in the United States or Canada, and in order to sit for the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for licensure in most US states they have to provide a TOEFL score. If applicants hold a license in one of those states, the language proficiency requirement will be waived.  Shenandoah University will hold their license as a requirement of English proficiency.

If an applicant is licensed in one of the few states or in Canada that does not require a specific TOEFL score, he or she must demonstrate proficiency in the English language when applying to Shenandoah University. 

States that as of August 2018 do not require TOEFL for Licensure Examination:

  1. Colorado
  2. Connecticut
  3. Delaware
  4. Florida
  5. Indiana
  6. Montana
  7. New York
  8. Pennsylvania
  9. Wisconsin
  10. Puerto Rico

*This information can be found on the FSBPT website.

Dual Degree: Physical Therapy/Athletic Training

Program Information

The Dual Degree program DPT/MSAT is for those students who wish to become members in both professions sharing a common link to become a sports medicine expert clinician. The program produces graduates with an array of skills in not only rehabilitation but also prevention and coaching in terms of helping athletes grow faster and stronger. Dual Degree students are offered all of the courses required to meet the standards to take the physical therapy licensure examination and the athletic training BOC certification examination. 

How to Apply

Applicants apply in PTCAS by October 1 and must complete a supplemental application by November 1 to be considered for the Dual Degree program.

START TERM APPLICATION OPENS APPLICATION DEADLINE
Summer I (May)
Summer 2024		 Summer 2023

PTCAS Application: October 1, 2023

Supplemental Application: November 1, 2023
 
The Dual Degree program involves formal admittance into the DPT and MSAT programs. After submitting a PTCAS application, applicants also submit a supplemental Dual Degree application.
  • No more than five Dual Degree DPT/MSAT students are admitted annually due to the availability of clinical affiliation sites for this program.
  • Applicants who wish to pursue the Dual Degree program, who have been formally admitted into the DPT and MSAT programs, are ranked on a competitive basis using the admissions criteria established for the DPT and MSAT programs.

The Shenandoah Graduate Dual Degree Supplemental Application requires the following items in addition to PTCAS requirements:

  • Essay
  • List of Athletic Training experiences
  • One Athletic Training recommendation letter