Admission Process

Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA and have completed all required courses with a C or better in order to receive an interview for the professional program. Competition will be based on prerequisite and cumulative grade point averages, GRE scores, interview, and references.

The DPT program begins in May with a six-week online term consisting of four courses. Classes will be begin on campus in late August or early September of each year. Applications will be reviewed on their individual merit. Qualified applicants will be scheduled for an interview in January. Early application submission is encouraged. Applicants will be notified in writing of full acceptance into the program, placement on a waiting list, or rejection within a month of their interview date.

In addition, candidates must earn at least an overall 3.0 GPA in the courses listed below. At the time of application, applicants must be able to report grades from a minimum of 25 credits from these courses.

PREREQUISITE COURSE LIST
Course (click to see WJU catalog description)	Equivalent Course # in WJU catalog		Credits (min #)
Biological Sciences
General Biology I with Lab	BIO 109	BIO 121	4
Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab	BIO 128	BIO 127	4
Human Anatomy & Physiology II	BIO 129		3
Physical Sciences
General Chemistry I with Lab	CHE 110	CHE 121	4
General Chemistry II with Lab	CHE 120	CHE 122	4
General Physics I with Lab	PHY 110	PHY 121	4
General Physics I with Lab	PHY 120	PHY 122	4
Statistics
Statistics*			3
Psychology
General Psychology	PSY 110		3
Developmental Psychology	PSY 212		3
Psychology or Social Science Elective			3

*This requirement may be fulfilled by any discipline specific statistics course.

1. Interview Process: The interview is a required, scored admissions activity used to evaluate the verbal/nonverbal communication, the understanding of the profession of physical therapy, and group interaction skills of the student. These are important abilities in the Problem-Based Learning professional program. A writing sample is done during the interview process, which is used to evaluate writing ability. References are another method used to determine a student's preparation for the graduate physical therapy program. 
2. Direct observation of physical therapists working in a variety of settings is recommended.  A minimum of 80 documented hours is required for application.
3. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores will be considered in the admission process.
4. Students whose native language is not English are required to submit a TOEFL paper-based score of at least 600, TOEFL computer-based score of at least 250, or a TOEFL web-based score of at least 100.

Application Procedure

The Wheeling Jesuit University (WJU) Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program participates in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). Applicants applying to the entry-level doctor of physical therapy program will apply online using the PTCAS application. 

To learn more about the PTCAS application process or to submit your application, please visit the PTCAS web site at www.ptcas.org. If you have any questions about the application process, please contact PTCAS.

You will be asked by PTCAS to submit the following information:

1. Essay
2. Resume
3. Graduate school test scores (GRE).
4. Three letters of recommendation. One must be from a physical therapist, the other two from academic sources. Recommendation forms are also available upon request.
5. Verification letter(s) attesting to completion of 80 observation/volunteer hours in a clinic or hospital.

Prospective Students