| DEPARTMENT
OF PHYSICAL THERAPY |
| |
| Chair: Dennis W.
Fell (251-434-3575) |
| Professor: Wall |
| Associate Professors:
Fell, Irion |
| Assistant Professors:
Dale, Gray, Jefferson |
| Instructor: Harrison |
| |
Department
of Physical Therapy web site
http://www.southalabama.edu/alliedhealth/pt/
|
| |
|
Immediately
prior to publication of this
Bulletin, the Doctor of Physical
Therapy (DPT) degree was
approved by the Alabama Commission
on Higher Education. The
DPT program will
replace the current Master of Physical
Therapy program. The January 15,
2004 application deadline will
be for the first DPT class to begin
Fall Semester 2004 and graduate
at the end of Spring 2007.
The
prerequisites and requirements listed
below for the MPT program will be
sufficient for application to the
DPT program. A certain number of
students will likely continue to
be admitted in the Advanced Undergraduate
entry category described below,
but with a higher minimum GPA requirement.
The DPT program will be eight semesters
in length including 33 weeks of
full-time clinical PT internships.
Please check the Department web
page for updated information: http://www.southalabama.edu/alliedhealth/pt/
.
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| Physical Therapists
are primarily concerned with providing direct
patient care to persons who have disorders of
movement, whether caused by injury or disease,
to achieve maximum rehabilitation. Physical Therapists
have the necessary training to meet the total
range of patient care responsibilities involved
in preventing disabilities and promoting restoration
of function to the physically impaired. Physical
Therapists practice in rehabilitation centers,
private practices, hospital based and outpatient
based centers, home health care, sports medicine
centers, and in colleges and universities. |
| As its mission,
“The Department of Physical Therapy is dedicated
to the education of physical therapists who will
be able to provide the community with the highest
levels of professional care while maintaining
a commitment to lifelong learning and the pursuit
of excellence. We are further committed to advancement
of knowledge in the profession through research
and scholarly activity.” |
| The Master of
Physical Therapy Program is an entry-level Physical
Therapy practitioner program which consists of
six semesters (93 semester hours as listed below)
of full-time didactic and clinical study. The
goals and objectives of the program are guided
by the criteria and guidelines set forth by the
Evaluative Criteria for Accreditation of Educational
Programs for the Preparation of Physical Therapists
(American Physical Therapy Association). |
| The program
begins each year in early June. Application deadline
for June entry is January 15th. Additionally,
international students must apply to the University’s
Office of International Services (including certified
translations of transcripts) by October 15th,
before making application to the Department of
Physical Therapy. |
| |
| Two categories
of students are considered for admission: |
| |
| Baccalaureate
Degree Holders (Category I) |
| The student
must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited
college or university including prerequisites
listed below and
must meet the minimum requirements for admission. |
| |
Or |
| Advanced Undergraduates
(Category II) |
| The student
must have completed a minimum of 96 semester (144
quarter) hours of prerequisite work as stated
below for Advanced Undergraduate students and
must meet the minimum requirements for admission. |
| Applicants interested
in this category of admission should review the
Additional Information for Advanced Undergraduate
Applicants section. |
| |
| Additional Information
for Advanced Undergraduate Applicants: |
| Applicants who
complete 96 semester or 144 quarter hours of prescribed
and elective course work for Advanced Undergraduate
Applicants and who meet all admission criteria
and the terms specified below are eligible for
consideration for admission. Students planning
to pursue this category of admission must be working
toward a major in a discipline of their choice.
This will ensure that students who fail to gain
admission to the PT program or who elect not to
apply will be able to complete an undergraduate
degree within a normal time period. |
| Students planning
to pursue Advanced Undergraduate admission must
comply with the following: |
| |
| A.
|
Must
have completed prerequisites for Advanced
Undergraduate applicants including a minimum
of 21 semester hours in a major of their
choice. Courses should be major course work
rather than prerequisites for a major. |
| B.
|
Must
acknowledge an understanding of the following: |
|
| -that
they will be officially classified as an undergraduate
for the first 12 months of the program but will
be taking graduate courses of the program. |
| -that
for the entire two years of the program they will
be held to the same standards and policies as
students enrolled in the graduate school (see
policies of the Graduate School). |
| -that
upon satisfactory completion (minimum GPA of 3.0)
in all course work during the first 12 months
of the program, the student will be awarded a
Bachelor of Science in Preprofessional Health
Sciences. The student will complete all necessary
paperwork for reclassification as a graduate student
and will continue through the last 12 months of
the program. Upon satisfactory completion of the
entire program, the student will receive a Master
of Physical Therapy (MPT) degree. |
| -that tuition
will be assessed at the graduate level for the
entire six semesters of the professional program. |
| -that in the
first 12 months of the program while classified
as an undergraduate student, any financial aid
awarded is restricted to the types and amounts
for which an undergraduate student is eligible. |
| -that the academic
program for Baccalaureate Degree holders and Advanced
Undergraduate students is identical in its entirety. |
| |
| MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
FOR ADMISSION FOR ALL APPLICANTS |
| The
applicant must either hold a baccalaureate degree
from an accredited college or university including
prerequisites given below for Category I or must
have completed a minimum of 96 semester (144 quarter)
hours of prerequisite course work as stated below
for Category II applicants. A group of students
will be selected for interviews based on evaluation
of academic and GRE scores of all applicants.
Acceptance into the program will be based on the
student’s academic ability and aptitude for
a career as a physical therapist. Places will
be offered to students after both academic and
interview scores are taken into consideration.
The candidate is expected to satisfy the following
requirements for consideration: |
| 1. |
Completion
of Graduate Record Examination (must have
been taken within the last five (5) years).
|
| 2. |
Completion
of all prerequisite course work with a minimum
3.0 (A=4.0) overall grade-point average.
|
| 3.
|
At
least a "C" in each of the prerequisite
courses. |
| 4.
|
Documented
observation or work experience in Physical
Therapy under the supervision of and signed
by a licensed PT: 50 hours minimum. |
|
| |
| NOTE: If selected
for interview, the applicant must achieve a satisfactory
interview score, and if accepted into the program,
submit a health form and physical examination
which includes required immunizations. |
| |
| PROGRAM PREREQUISITESa |
| Baccalaureate
Degree Holders (Category I) and Advanced Undergraduate
Applicants (Category II) must complete these prerequisites: |
| English
Composition (2 courses) |
| Social
Sciences (3 courses; at least two of which must
be Psychology) |
| Statistics |
| College
Physics - with labs (2 semester or 3 quarter sequence) |
| General
Chemistry for science majors - with labs (2 semester
or 3 quarter sequence) |
| General
or Cell Biology for science majors - with labsb
(2 course sequence) |
| Microbiology
or Infectious Disease |
| Human
Physiology - USA courses
are BMD 334 and
335 or BMD 330 (online course) |
| |
| Additional Prerequisites
for Advanced Undergraduate Applicants |
| Fine Arts (History
or Appreciation) (1 course) |
| Literature
I & II (World Lit, American Lit, or British
Lit) |
| Oral Communication
(Speech) (1 course) |
| History of Civilization
or U.S. History (1 course) |
| Precalculus Algebra/Trigonometry
or Higher Mathematics (1 course) |
| Computer Science
(1 course) |
| Electives (21 semester
hours)c |
| |
| Advanced Undergraduate
prerequisites should total at least 96 semester
hours. |
| |
| a. |
For all
prerequisite courses, credit older than
ten years from the application deadline
must be repeated or validated by examination
or other appropriate mechanism. |
| b. |
Botany
may not be used to satisfy this prerequisite. |
| c. |
Electives
should be concentrated in a major of the
student’s choice. |
|
| |
| ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS |
| Core Performance
Standards, which are fundamental tasks that must
be performed to successfully complete the program,
have been outlined and are available upon request
from the program and on the department web site. |
| |
| EXPENSES |
| Students should
be prepared for extra expenses associated with
professional studies including books, local travel
to and from clinical facilities and for out-of-town
travel and living expenses during the 27 weeks
of clinical internship during the second year.
Special lab fees are assessed for the following
courses: |
| PT
500 |
Human
Gross Anatomy I |
$190.00 |
|
| PT
510 |
Scientific
Inq in Rehab |
37.50 |
|
| PT
520 |
Clinical
Foundations |
15.00 |
|
| PT
522 |
Electrophysical
Agents PT |
15.00 |
|
| |
| REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHYSICAL THERAPY |
| Courses (First
Professional Year) |
| Summer |
|
Fall |
|
| PT 500 |
5
|
|
PT 503 |
2
|
|
| PT 502 |
1
|
|
PT 504 |
4
|
|
| PT 510 |
2
|
|
PT 511 |
1
|
|
| PT 520 |
4
|
|
PT 521 |
3
|
|
| PT 580 |
2
|
|
PT 522 |
4
|
|
| |
14
|
|
PT 530 |
4
|
|
| |
|
|
|
18
|
|
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| Spring |
|
|
|
| PT 501 |
2
|
|
|
|
| PT 512 |
2
|
|
|
|
| PT 531 |
4
|
|
|
|
| PT 540 |
5
|
|
|
|
| PT 550 |
2
|
|
|
|
| PT 560 |
2
|
|
|
|
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17
|
|
|
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| Courses
(Second Professional Year) |
|
| Summer |
|
Fall |
|
| PT 505 |
1
|
|
PT 513 |
2
|
|
| PT 506 |
1
|
|
PT 582* |
6
|
|
| PT 532 |
3
|
|
PT 583 |
6
|
|
| PT 541 |
5
|
|
|
14
|
|
| PT 570 |
2
|
|
|
|
| PT 581 |
2
|
|
|
|
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14
|
|
|
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*Begins
in early August |
|
| |
| Spring |
|
|
|
| PT
514 |
2 |
|
|
|
| PT
584 |
8 |
|
|
|
| PT
585 |
3 |
|
|
|
| PT
586 |
2 |
|
|
|
| PT
594** |
|
|
|
|
| PT
595** |
1 |
|
|
|
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16
|
|
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|
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| **Students are required
to take only one of these courses. |
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