Western University of Health Sciences

PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION

Karen Hutton-Lopez
Interim Director of Admissions
Western University of Health Sciences
Physical Therapy Admissions
309 E Second Street
Pomona, California 91709
Phone: 909-469-5650
Phone (alternate number):
Email: klopez@westernu.edu
Website: http://www.westernu.edu/xp/edu/cahp/dpt_about.xml

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Final PTCAS Application Deadline	Thursday, January 15, 2009
Deadline Type	Firm Deadline
Program has rolling admissions process?	NO

Other deadlines (if any):

Supplemental Application Deadline: January 15, 2009

Additional Deadline Information: January 15, 2009 is the final deadline for acceptance of any application for the fall 2009 entering class. An Open House will be held in October 2008 and Information Sessions are scheduled regularly throughout the year. Check the WesternU website at www.westernu.edu for more details.

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://www.westernu.edu/xp/edu/howtoapply/dpt_requirements.xml

Course prerequisite fields will be blank if program data is not available or applicable.

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)

GRE: Required
Last acceptable GRE test date( if applicable):
Oldest GRE score considered (if applicable): 7/31/2004

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	.	.
Analytical Percentile	.	.
Writing	.	.
Writing Percentile	.	.

Additional information about program’s GRE requirements: GRE must have been taken within 5 years of the anticipated matriculation date.

References

Total number of references required by program: 3 References

REFERENCE TYPE	Reference Type Is Required, Recommended, Accepted, Conditionally Required, NOT Accepted, or Other
Teaching Assistant	Not Accepted
Supervisor	Not Accepted
PTA	Not Accepted
Professor (Science)	Required
Professor (Math)	Required
Professor (Liberal Arts)	Required
Pre-Health Advisor	Not Accepted
Politician	Not Accepted
Physical Therapist (1)	Required
Physical Therapist (2)	Required
Health Care Provider	Not Accepted
Friend	Not Accepted
Family Member	Not Accepted
Faculty Advisor	Not Accepted
Employer	Not Accepted
Co-Worker	Not Accepted
Clergy	Not Accepted
OTHER	Required

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 college course instructor; a physical therapist is preferred.

PT Observation Hours

Enter your PT observation hours on your PTCAS application. Login to the PTCAS application and print each customized PT Observation Hours form, if the program requires a physical therapist to verify your hours with a signature. Mail the signed form directly to the PT program, if required. Do not mail 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 Hours REQUIRED	100
Total Number of Hours RECOMMENDED	.
DEADLINE for Completion of All PT Hours	27-Jul-09
PAID Experience	Accepted
VOLUNTEER Experience	Accepted
INPATIENT Experience	Accepted
OUTPATIENT Experience	Accepted
Number of hours in each PT specialty (if specified)	.
Number of hours in each PT setting (if specified)	.

Additional information about program’s PT hours requirement: The total of 100 hours must include two clinical settings. A minimum of 40 hours is required in each clinical setting to qualify as a second setting. Any hours in an inpatient clinical setting are highly recommended.

GPA Requirement

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

Name of GPA	Minimum GPA	Average GPA for Accepted Students
Overall Undergraduate Cumulative	2.80	3.09
Program-specific Prerequisite	2.80	3.14
Other GPA 1:	.	.
Other GPA 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 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. Course may be repeated only once.

PTCAS Essay Instructions

PROGRAM’S ESSAY REQUIREMENTS: Please respond to questions 1, 3 and 4. If you are re-applying please also respond to question 6.

(1) What personal characteristics do you have that make you suitable for the profession of physical therapy?

(3) How has your background and experience prepared you to interact effectively with individuals who are different from you in their social, cultural, or economic perspectives?

(4) What types of patients have you observed with the greatest frequency, and what have you learned from them?

(6) REPEAT APPLICANTS If you have applied to a physical therapy program in the past five years, what have you done to improve upon, or enhance, your application for this current admissions cycle?

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

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

ITEM	PROGRAM REQUIREMENT
Supplemental application required?	YES - For all complete PTCAS applicants
Supplemental deadline(s)	January 15, 2009
Link to supplemental application or instructions	http://www.westernu.edu/xp/edu/howtoapply/dpt_application1.xml
Supplemental FEE required?	YES
If yes, supplemental fee amount	$60
Briefly describe requirements for supplemental materials (if applicable)	Applicants will be required to complete a WesternU supplemental application. Items to be submitted with supplemental application are as follows: Supplemental Application Fee Official GRE Scores PTCAS Observation Hours Form Foreign Coursework Evaluation (if applicable) TOEFL Score (if applicable)

Criminal Background Check

Are accepted applicants required to complete a criminal background check? NO
Description of criminal background check process (if 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.

POLICY	PROGRAM REQUIREMENT
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 foreign transcript evaluation to PTCAS.
Program policy for CANADIAN coursework:	Same as instructions for foreign transcripts above.

Additional information about program’s policy on foreign coursework: Applicants who wish to use course work completed outside 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 web site 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:	Late Aug/early Sept 2009
Dual-degree programs offered in conjunction with the PT degree (if any):	.

PROFILE OF MOST RECENT ENTERING CLASS

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

PROFILE INFORMATION	PROGRAM DATA
Size of Most Recent Entering Class	44
Anticipated Size of Next Entering Class	44
Percent of IN-STATE applicants accepted	.
Percent of WICHE applicants accepted (if applicable):	.
Percent of OUT-OF-STATE (non-resident) applicants accepted	.
Percent of CANADIAN applicants accepted	.
Percent of INTERNATIONAL (non-U.S/non-Canadian) applicants accepted	.

Additional information about the class profile:

Institution's religious affiliation (if any):

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The curriculum for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program will prepare the graduate to be a physical therapist generalist. The curriculum consists of nine trimesters, each having a particular emphasis. The DPT program is three years in length. Didactic education, which includes classroom and PT laboratories to practice procedures on classmates, is followed by clinical education assignments 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 3-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 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 may select the opportunity to complete an optional 4-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.