Sacred Heart University

This page is intended for college transfer students and graduates ONLY. High school students MUST contact the institution directly for information about the guaranteed freshman-entry program. Do not apply using PTCAS.

PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION (2010-11)

Kathy Dilks, Associate Dean of Graduate Admissions
Graduate Admissions
5151 Park Avenue
Office of Graduate Admissions
Fairfield, Connecticut  06825
Phone:  203-396-8259
Phone (alternate number):
Email: dilksk@sacredheart.edu
Website: http://www.sacredheart.edu/pages/25879_doctor_of_physical_therapy_program.cfm

APPLICATION DEADLINE for 2011 ENTERING CLASS

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

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

PROGRAM PREREQUISITES

Course Prerequisites

• Must applicants earn a Bachelor's degree prior to enrolling into the PT program? Internal SHU Students can apply for a 3+3 option.
• For more information about course prerequisites, visit the program Web site: http://www.sacredheart.edu/pages/3106_physical_therapy_prerequisites.cfm

* YES=course must be completed in a 4-year college/university and NOT in a community college.
** REQ=required lab; Rec=recommended lab; NO=lab not required; N/A=not applicable

Additional information about program’s course requirements:

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

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

References

Number of references required by program:  2 References

Additional information about program’s reference requirements: Program requires one academic reference and one reference from a supervisor. The supervisor may be, but is not required to be, a licensed physical therapist.

Please speak to each of the headings below, if possible. It is not necessary to discuss each of the sub-topics. These are provided for your consideration and reflection only. Please send the letter to PTCAS, as described in the instructions.

From an Employment and/or Volunteer Supervisor Source: It is appropriate for this letter of reference to come from an individual who has had substantive experience supervising the applicant in an employment or volunteer setting, preferably in a health care setting. It is not necessary for the work or volunteer experience to be a physical therapy setting exclusively. The purpose of the letter of reference from this source is to provide information about the applicant in the following categories:

1. Knowledge of the applicant: in what capacity you have known the applicant, for what period of time, how well you have known the applicant.
2. Attitude and Character: confidence in the work place, ability to work with others, acceptance of criticism, motivation and enthusiasm, reliability, honesty, willingness, cooperation.
3. Work habits/work load tolerance: ability to work independently, ability to work effectively in groups, self-discipline, initiative, resourcefulness, ability to manage stress, self-control, time management, poise and confidence.
4. Communication skills: verbal, non-verbal, written with superiors, peers, subordinates, customers.
5. Judgment and Decision-making skills: ability to express opinion, creative thinking, active learning, practicality in every day decisions, leadership abilities.
   

From an Academic Source: It is appropriate for this letter of reference to come from an individual who has had substantive experience working with the applicant in a classroom or academic advising situation, preferably associated with the applicant's undergraduate degree. The purpose of the letter of reference from this source is to provide information about the applicant in the following categories:

1. Knowledge of the applicant: in what capacity you have known the applicant, for what period of time, how well you have known the applicant.
2. Attitude and Character: confidence in the classroom, ability to work with others, acceptance of criticism, motivation and enthusiasm, reliability, honesty, willingness, cooperation.
3. Learning characteristics: self-directed, group learning skills, intellectual curiosity, preferred learning style, listening skills.
4. Work load tolerance: ability to manage stress, self-control, time management, poise and confidence.
5. Communication skills: verbal, non-verbal, written with faculty, students and others.
6. Independent thinking: creative thinking, active learning, curiosity, problem-solving skills.

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.

GPA Requirement

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

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 INFORMATION

Profile of Most Recent Entering Class

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

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

The Physical Therapy Program is a professional educational program leading to a clinical doctorate (Doctor of Physical Therapy or DPT) as the entry-level degree for professional practice. The program is three years in length, including 8-10 weeks of full-time clinical work in each of the summers between the first and second years. The final semester of the program consists of 2 full-time 10 weeks clinical experiences, followed by awarding of the degree in May.

PROGRAM MISSION

The Program in Physical Therapy prepares graduates for professional practice in physical therapy as general practitioners who demonstrate self-directed, ongoing learning, an understanding of self in the context of professional role, competency in clinical practice, a commitment to the application of professional skills, knowledge of self in service to others, and a commitment to effect positive change within the greater community.

UNIQUE PROGRAM ATTRIBUTES

PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (PBL) DESIGN: PBL places emphasis on the development of a reflective practitioner by teaching students to learn from and solve clinical problems. Curriculum con­tent is organized around carefully designed patient or professional practice problems that students study, discuss, and research in small groups called tutorials. Students develop the ability to identify, organize and synthesize materials relevant to each case in a self-directed manner that indicates respon­sibility for one's own learning as well as the learning of the group. The tutorial group work develops reasonable inter­de­pendence among students and supports the use of peers in learning and problem solving. Prospective students should consider themselves comfortable with this highly interactive, small group-focused learning style. Clinical super­visors and employers of our graduates have acknow­ledged a clinical readiness in terms of independence in clinical decision-making, efficiency in practice, and self-directedness in professional development that is important for today's practitioner.

INTEGRATED CLINCAL EXPERIENCES: Structured clinical activities integrated into classes dur­ing each of the first 4 academic semesters help students understand the practical application of semester content and facilitate the process of professional development.

CAPSTONE PROJECTS: Students complete two special projects during the program. The first “capstone” experience occurs at the end of the second year and is the culmination of the patient-based portion of the curriculum. The second “capstone” experience occurs at the end of the prac­tice-based portion of the curriculum during the third year. Each develops the students' ability to access, interpret, synthesize, and apply relevant research literature to patient or practice situations - with the goal of using evidence to inform practice and understand the gaps in the professional body of knowledge.

FACULTY: The PT program includes exceptional faculty with more than 100 years of aggregated teaching experience across the 9 faculty members. Program faculty are well established in the physical therapy education com­munity. Most faculty hold post-professional doctoral degrees or advanced clinical certification, including those who are nationally recognized for scholarship, service to the profession, or teaching excellence. For further information about our faculty, please visit our faculty profiles page.

MOTION ANALYSIS LABORATORY: The Motion Analysis Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art advanced technology to facilitate disciplined scientific inquiry in the field of human movement science.

PHYSICAL THERAPY FACULTY PRACTICE: The practice includes a large clinic on campus, another in Shelton, CT, and several contractual services provided in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living centers, and programs for children with special needs. The practice offers opportunities for faculty to remain current in the field and engage in clinical research. Additionally, students may have the opportunity to work with faculty and staff in the clinical environment.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES: Community outreach activities include the operation of the St. Charles/Sacred Heart University Health & Wellness Center in Bridgeport, CT, in conjunction with St. Charles Catholic Church Parish.

PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY

The program and its faculty believe that the Program Mission can best be accomplished through a professional curriculum based upon a strong liberal arts foundation. Further, we believe that the curriculum of the professional program should place at its center the process of clinical problem-solving as a construct for: (1) the acquisition of knowledge, attitudes, and skills; and (2) for the process of clinical decision-making in professional practice. The application of the clinical problem solving process is dependent not only upon knowledge of one's patient, but also on the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the profession's body of knowledge through effective use of the professional literature and current information technologies. We believe that the problem-based model of learning provides the optimal tools for developing graduates who value self-directed learning, who are prepared for the clinical decision-making demanded in professional practice, and who anticipate and respond to changes in the health care delivery system.

We believe that role models who are professionally competent and personally committed to serving the greater community are best able to model the behaviors of a socially responsible professional. We believe that in order to be effective, graduates must be sensitive to the diversity of individuals with whom they interact, and to regional differences in the practice of physical therapy.

PHYSICAL THERAPY ACCREDITATION

Sacred Heart University's physical therapy program is fully accredited at both the state (Connecticut Department of Higher Education) and national (Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education) levels. As a result, students are prepared to sit for physical therapist licensing examinations throughout the United States.

(Page last updated 7/26/2010)

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