t-dpt ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the transitional DPT program occurs on a continuous basis and is open to any physical therapist licensed to practice in the United States. Applications are accepted throughout the academic year and within any semester. The unique nature of the curriculum allows students to begin taking courses at multiple points within a semester.

Prospective students are invited to take courses prior to formally applying for admission into the program. Up to 6 credits of coursework completed prior to formal matriculation into the program can be applied toward the DPT degree.

Applicants must submit the following materials:

1. Proof of current licensure to practice physical therapy
   
2. Transcripts as proof of graduation from a CAPTE accredited Certificate, Bachelor or Master of Science in Physical Therapy program
   
3. Transcripts from any post-professional coursework completed beyond the entry-level physical therapy degree
   
4. If educated outside the United States, an official transcript evaluation from either the IREF or the ICD:
   
   IREF
   nternational Education Research Foundation
   P.O. Box 3665
   Culver City, California 90231-3655
   
   ICD
   International Consultants of Delaware
   109 Barksdale Professional Center
   Newark, Delaware 19711
   
   
5. CV/resume
   
6. A one-page personal statement of professional goals and objectives
   
7. Completed application form with appropriate fees. Click here to download the PDF version of the admission application (Adobe Acrobat Reader required). The application is due by August 1 for the fall semester and by December 1 for the spring and summer semesters
   
8. Computer Literacy Affidavit - evidence of the ability to meet the technology requirement for participation in the program. Computer literacy is required. Additional computer software requirements and specifications will be provided upon acceptance into the program
   
9. For those applicants who possess either a certificate or a Bachelor of Science as the entry- level practice degree, and who do not have a post-professional Masters of Doctoral degree, completion of the Physical Therapist Evaluation Tool (PTET) is required for admission.

Please contact the program director, Bob Wellmon, at 610-499-1295 if you have any questions regarding the PTET and the admissions process.

For more information about the PTET, please contact:

PTET
Credentialing Services Inc.
PO Box 1502
Galesburg, IL 61402-1502
Phone: 309-343-1202
Fax: 309-344-1715

Completion of the PTET is only required for those applicants who do not have either an entry-level Master of Science in Physical Therapy, Masters in Physical Therapy, or a post-professional masters degree.

Coursework can be started prior to formal admission to the program. The student can take courses with a non-matriculated status.

Application for Advanced Programmatic Standing

Students can petition to receive credit for up to 9 semester hours by showing evidence of the successful completion of graduate level coursework, a clinical specialization, or related clinical or professional experience. All requests for course waivers based on professional life experience and transfer credits will be reviewed by the DPT Program Committee. Application for credit waivers can be made during the first semester of matriculation, after completing DPT 902 Professional Portfolio Development. The committee will review the student's application and make a decision within 2 weeks of receiving the request for credit waiver.

Credit for professional life experience can only be provided for those students who have either an entry-level master degree in physical therapy or who have a post-professional masters or doctoral level credential

Students will have the option to receive credit for any of the following:

• Graduate level coursework taken at another university toward an area identified in the professional development plan
• Professional continuing education courses taken within an identified area of clinical specialization that is listed in the professional development plan
• Preparation for a clinical specialist examination; professional life experience with documented evidence of the experience meeting the objectives identified in the professional development plan; fellowships in a specialized area of practice
• Participation in a clinical residency

The applicant's request for transfer credits and/or advanced standing in the program will be evaluated by the t-DPT Program Committee. Awarding of credit for life experience and waiver of coursework will be based in part on the student's professional development plan, which is completed during the first semester in the program.

Course waivers will not be considered nor granted prior to entry and enrollment into the t-DPT program. Students who have taken courses that may fulfill a part of the didactic curriculum program requirement are required to submit the following documentation items:

• A letter addressed to the t-DPT Program Committee formally requesting a waiver credit for a specific t-DPT course.
• An official transcript for the course being considered for equivalency or waiver.
• A detailed course syllabus, which should include a topical outline of the course including the names of required textbooks and other learning experiences. Course descriptions found in college catalogs are NOT acceptable substitutes for course syllabi.
• Other items of documentation the student feels are important to support the waiver request. Please see the summary contained in the elective courses for additional options for course waivers.

When applying for course waiver based on participation in continuing education courses, the applicant must submit evidence of attendance at the continuing education courses and discuss the relevance of the course to the practice of physical therapy and the professional development plan. This can be accomplished by submitting copies of attendance or graduation certificates, state license documentation of CEUs or by submitting letters from course directors affirming attendance at these courses. The total number of hours spent in continuing education must be also documented.

Transfer Credits for Graduate Level Coursework

Students who have taken courses that may fulfill a part of the curriculum requirement can apply for either a course waiver or transfer credit. Waiver applications can be submitted only for those graduate level courses completed within seven years prior to admission to the program.

Only those graduate level courses in which the student received a minimum grade of B- are eligible for transfer.

Estimated Costs

• Application fee $40.00 (non-refundable)
• The per credit hour tuition for the 2004-2005 academic year was $505.00.

Tuition and other fees are subject to change

Technology Requirements

Minimum System Requirements

• Operating System: Windows 95, 98, XP, NT, 2000, or ME
• Processor: Pentium or PowerPC
• Memory: 128 MB of RAM
• Hard Disk Space: Sufficient to store course materials
• Monitor: 15" color monitor (800 x 600 minimum resolution)
• Modem: 56K or higher
• CD-ROM: recommended for optional course materials
• Sound Card: Needed to hear any optional audio clips
• Printer: graphics-capable (inkjet, bubble jet, or laser printer) is recommended
• Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher, or Netscape Navigator 4.7 or higher
• Software: Microsoft Office 97, 2000, or 2002 with Word, Excel, PowerPoint; Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0

Internet Service Provider

Students are responsible for obtaining their own internet service provider for internet access from home.

E-mail

All program participants will need to establish an e-mail account that is accessible from home. Through its Campus Cruiser Portal, Widener University will also provide all incoming students with an e-mail account that is accessible from home. Much of the communication between the instructor and students in web-based and distance learning courses is accomplished through e-mail.  

Post-professional Transitional DPT Program

Bob Wellmon, PT, PhD, NCS

Associate Professor

t-DPT Program Coordinator

tel: (610) 499-1295

fax: (610) 499-1231

rhwellmon@widener.edu