Physical Therapy (Doctoral)

Faculty

Prisca Collins, Chair, Professor
C. Scott Bickel, Professor
Kelly D. Atkins, Associate Professor
Dana D. Blake, Associate Professor; Director, Clinical Education
Sarah Ross, Associate Professor
Nicholas B. Washmuth, Associate Professor
Maegan L. Powell, Assistant Professor
William M. Scogin, Assistant Professor

Accreditation

The doctor of physical therapy program at Samford University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org. In November 2024, the program was re-accredited for 10 years.

Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by CAPTE is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.

Graduate Programs and Requirements

Degree
Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Program
Fast-Track Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) with a B.S. in Exercise Science
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The Department of Physical Therapy offers a clinical doctorate in physical therapy degree (D.P.T.). This is a full-time, three-year graduate program preparing students to practice physical therapy in a variety of settings: hospitals, inpatient rehab, inpatient, out-patient, pediatrics, schools, nursing homes, home health, and community wellness.

In collaboration with the Department of Kinesiology, the department also offers a six-year fast-track doctor of physical therapy–a combination of their bachelor of science (B.S.) in exercise science with the D.P.T. degree.

Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)

This is a three-year, full-time graduate study program in physical therapy, culminating in a doctor of physical therapy (D.P.T.). The program admits one class of students per year, in May. They are on campus for three consecutive semesters of didactic course work, then off campus in clinical experiences during the fourth semester. The students then come back to campus for three more semesters, and end their degree program with two consecutive semesters of full time clinical experiences.

Admission Requirements

Possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university (degree in any field) or be in the senior year of undergraduate study. A completed bachelor’s degree is required prior to enrollment, as evidenced by a final official college/university transcript. Applicants may receive a conditional acceptance with a letter from the registrar stating they have in fact completed the requirements for the degree. The “conditional” status is removed once an official transcript is received.
Cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
Cumulative prerequisiste GPA of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
          Required pre-requisite courses include:
          Biology I & II with labs
          Chemistry I & II with labs
          Physics I & II with labs
          Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II with labs
          Pre-calculus
          Statistics
          Psychology
GRE within the past five years. (Minimal combined score in Verbal and Quantitative: 297; Analytical: 4.0).
Ten hours of documented volunteer experience in each of three different physical therapy practice settings (30 hours total).
Three letters of reference submitted through the application system. The three required references should be from a) current or previous professor, b) work supervisor, c) a licensed physical therapist.
International applicants or American citizens who learned English as a second language must score at least 575 (paper) or 90 (internet) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a score of 6.5 on IELTS.
Exceptions to any admission requirements will be handled on an individual basis.
If accepted, a non-refundable fee of $1,000 is required to secure admission into the program. This fee is applied to the first semester’s tuition.

Transfer Credit

At this time, students may not transfer in any credit to count towards the physical therapy program.

Accelerated Bachelor-to-Graduate Pathway Program

Fast-Track Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)

For those called to a career in physical therapy, Samford University offers a fast-track doctor of physical therapy program that provides eligible students the opportunity to earn both a bachelor of science (B.S.) in exercise science and a doctor of physical therapy (D.P.T.) in just six years.

Incoming freshmen may apply for the fast-track and must meet specific progression standards in order to remain in the program. Acceptance to the fast-track as a freshman guarantees admission into Samford’s D.P.T. program as long as progression standards are met. The first three years of the program are dedicated to completion of all required undergraduate courses. Summer of the fourth year, students begin the D.P.T. program. A bachelor’s in exercise science is awarded in December of the fourth year, and a doctor of physical therapy at the end of the sixth year.

Admission into the fast-track program is highly competitive (see below). Based on the application, a limited number of candidates will be interviewed for admission. If selected, students are assigned a faculty mentor in the Kinesiology and Physical Therapy Departments.

Admission Requirements

The following requirements apply:

Admission to Samford University with a declared major in exercise science.
Minimum high school GPA of 3.80 (4.00 scale).
Minimum ACT score of 28 or SAT score of 1300.
Completion of the Fast-Track D.P.T. Application.
On-campus interview.

Progression Policies

During the undergraduate program, bachelor of science in exercise science (BS-EXER), students must meet the following progression standards to remain in the program.

Must be a declared exercise science major and follow the precise plan of study.
Complete all exercise science requirements on time in the first three years at Samford University.
Achieve a B or higher in all courses with a KINE prefix.
Achieve a C or higher AND maintain a 3.00 average GPA on all prerequisite courses.
Achieve a cumulative 3.50 GPA, or higher, and complete all required convocation hours by the end of the spring semester in the third year.
Participate in Samford approved service or mission work by the spring semester of the third year.
Meet with an academic advisor once a semester.
Candidates must pay a nonrefundable fee of $1,000 to secure admission into the D.P.T. program by January of the junior year.
Once students have begun the doctoral program, D.P.T. progression standards apply.

Programs

Doctoral

Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)

Courses

Physical Therapy