Division of Physical Therapy

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Doctor of Physical Therapy

Program Mission and Outcomes

Entry-Level DPT Program History and Accreditation Status

The entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Southwest Baptist University prepares students for careers in physical therapy through the development of knowledge and skills needed for patient management, education, consultation, and clinical research. The entry-level DPT program at Southwest Baptist University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone (703) 706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. The entry-level DPT is also accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, Illinois 60602-2504, www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org, (312) 263-0456 or (800) 621-7440.

Program Mission Statement (rev. 11.26.18)

Preparing future doctors of physical therapy to deliver care in a global society while integrating Christian faith.

Program Vision Statement (rev. 11.26.18)

Equip graduates to transform the human experience through physical therapy with a Christ-centered perspective.

Program Goals (est. 11.26.18)

The graduate of Southwest Baptist University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program will be able to:

1. Integrate the Christian faith into the practice of physical therapy.
2. Engage in professional practice expectations on a diverse patient and client population throughout the lifespan.
3. Educate and communicate with appropriate stakeholders in the health care environment.
4. Serve the profession and society to promote and improve health care delivery.
5. Reflectively practice the art and science of physical therapy by critically evaluating, integrating, and contributing to the expanding professional knowledge base.
6. Formulate a plan for life-long learning coupled with professional, personal and spiritual growth.

The faculty of Southwest Baptist University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program strive to:

7. Pursue the development and delivery of a contemporary curriculum.
8. Promote and serve the professional and spiritual community.

The Physical Therapy Program at Southwest Baptist University seeks to:

9. Nurture the current and future doctors of physical therapy in the health care society.

Assessment

Periodic measurements of student perceptions, intellectual growth, clinical performance, and professional behaviors development are obtained as one means for the University to assess and improve its academic programs and student learning. The information obtained is used to measure and develop student competencies and to determine and improve the quality of the educational experience for students. Students are required to compile and maintain a formal learning portfolio by which the student demonstrates progress towards and achievement of the established program goals by the end of the final year of the curriculum.

Admission Requirements

Physical Therapy Requirements

The following requirements must be met before being admitted to the physical therapy program at SBU (courses in progress during semester(s) applying must be documented and completed prior to admission):

1. Completion of a baccalaureate degree
2. Completion of current PT application
3. Documented experience / observation in physical therapy; up to 40 hours will be counted and variety of experience is recommended
4. Completion of graduate records exam (GRE)
5. Earn a minimum of 2.75 overall GPA (for all previous course work or highest degree attained) OR for last 60 hours of course work earn a minimum of 3.0 overall GPA
6. Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a minimum of a 3.0 prerequisite GPA and at least a “C” in each. Prerequisites should not be taken pass/fail:
   1. General Chemistry - two semesters in sequence with labs; minimum 8 credit hours is expected
   2. General Physics - two semesters in sequence with labs; minimum 8 credit hours is expected
   3. General Biology - one semester with lab; minimum 4 credit hours is expected
   4. Anatomy / Physiology - one semester each or full year combined sequence with labs from a science-based division; minimum 8 credit hours is expected
   5. Statistics - one course
   6. Psychology - one course from a psychology department (general/intro, normal growth and development, or abnormal)
7. Completion of the following support courses (not calculated into prerequisite GPA:
   1. Medical Terminology - one semester is required at a “B” grade or higher; one credit hour minimum expected
   2. Pathophysiology - not required, but highly recommended
   3. Exercise Physiology - not required, but highly recommended; students demonstrating successful completion of an exercise physiology course with a “B” grade or higher will be exempt from completing the exercise physiology component of the DPT program
8. International student need to contact the division or consult the SBU catalog for additional requirements, including the TOEFL exam

Prerequisite science classes must be current. Completion of each course sequence must be within seven years prior to admission to the PT program. Exceptions may be granted only if the applicant can show that knowledge of the course content is current. Applicants seeking an exception must submit a written petition with rationale for approval.

In the case of repeat prerequisite grades, the division will use the “best case” scenario for determining eligibility; however, an application penalty would be applied by reducing the overall score for each repeat grade that was present on the transcript. The grade for any science courses repeated due to the seven year rule will be substituted for the old class regardless of the first grade received.

International Students

Official records of all higher education, including certificates or degrees with the dates the degrees were conferred must be submitted. As part of the admissions process, an international credential evaluation is required which reports prior university study. SBU accepts evaluations from World Education Services (WES), found at www.wes.org or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) found at www.ece.org. An official international credential evaluation should come directly to Southwest Baptist University electronically or through the mail in a sealed envelope. Transfer credit will be applied according to information reported on the official evaluation. International students who transfer work to SBU from foreign institutions are responsible for any evaluation fees associated with the transfer of credits. A letter of acceptance will be issued only when an applicant is found eligible for admission.

Transfer Students

Students with previous course credit in a professional phase of a CAPTE accredited PT program will be considered for academic transfer into the professional phase of the SBU entry-level DPT program if:

1. the student completes and submits a current application
2. the application meets established minimum application standards for unconditional enrollment (as if they were enrolling for the first year of the program)

and the new student will be subject to the following conditions or standards:

3. No prior PT school earned grades of less than a “B-” will be accepted for transfer credit.
4. The student will automatically be placed on a status of academic probation under the supervision of the PT Review Committee.
5. A maximum of 1 full year of academic credit may be transferred depending on the ability to match historic courses to pending courses in the normal SBU sequence (i.e. the student must successfully complete the second and third year of the normal DPT sequence).
6. All considerations are on a space available basis and by taking a transfer student, it is in the opinion of the faculty, that SBU academic standards are not compromised.
7. Potential transfer student may be required to provide extra or special documentation or interviews as deemed necessary by faculty in order to fully consider the application request.

Students who have not taken the prerequisite courses should be advised to take the specific courses or equivalents. When those courses are not available at the college / university they are currently attending, course substitutions may be allowed under the following guidelines. All substitutions submitted with the application must be made in writing and include a course syllabus or adequate description to determine equivalency. Applicants who have taken the specific prerequisite course but want to substitute another course with a higher grade may be able to do so only when the substitute course is an advanced course covering the same content. Course substitutions may be allowed when the content is met or exceeded.

Specific course substitution considerations will be handled as follows:

• General Chemistry - Upper-level chemistry courses (e.g. organic or biochemistry) which require General Chemistry may be substituted assuming higher level sequence is completed (prior approval not required).
• General Physics - Upper-level physics courses (e.g. calculus based) may be substituted assuming higher level sequence is completed (prior approval not required).
• Biology - General Zoology may also be substituted (prior approval not required). Upper level human- or animal-based biology course(s) containing appropriate content for PT may be substituted pending approval.
• Anatomy / Physiology - only human, comparative, or vertebrate anatomy / physiology from a science-based division (e.g. biology, zoology, anatomy, physiology) may be substituted (prior approval not required). Any other course(s) must have prior approval. Applied anatomy / physiology from non-science based divisions may not be substituted.
• Statistics - Course meeting or exceeding expected foundational content may be substituted only if from social science, business, or math based division (prior approval not required).
• Psychology - Out of division substitutions will only be considered if the university does not have the expected psychology prerequisite courses from a psychology based division.

CLEP/Advanced Placement Considerations

In some cases, college credit is given for coursework (e.g. CLEP, Advanced Placement) and an actual grade is not recorded. Credit will be given if needed to meet an admissions requirement, however, if no transcripted grade can be produced, it will be omitted from GPA calculations.

General Admissions Process

Applicants must apply to the Physical Therapy Program. Students must complete the courses required for entry into the program and complete a Baccalaureate Degree in another field prior to admission to the Physical Therapy Program. Students may have courses in progress in the Spring or Summer semester prior to enrolling in the physical therapy program but all requirements must be completed prior to enrollment. Important admission dates include the following:

• July 1: Begin receiving applications.
• September 1: Begin reviewing applications (Early Decision considerations).
• October 1: Begin reviewing applications (General Pool)
• August: New physical therapy entry-level DPT class begins in mid-August. Students accepted into the entry-level program in physical therapy will be enrolled full-time in professional graduate courses for 33 consecutive months to finish with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.

Admission to the University does not guarantee admission into the graduate physical therapy program. Application priority points will be given to SBU undergraduate students and recognized undergraduate articulation school students.

Ranking of applications will consider criteria including as established by the core faculty as follows:

• prerequisite grade point average (30%),
• overall grade point average (8%),
• references (15%),
• observation experience (4%),
• written essay\narrative (5%),
• preferred attendance (8%),
• graduate record exam (30%)

Applicants are strongly encouraged to communicate frequently with the Physical Therapy Admissions Coordinator and schedule an individual visit to campus. Starting with the initial review date, applications will be acted upon on a rolling basis and designated into one of the following categories with appropriate notification to the applicant:

On a rolling basis starting with the initial review date, applications will be acted upon and designated into one of the following categories with appropriate notification to the applicant:

1. selected for unconditional admission into the program (i.e. met all admission criteria);
2. selected for unconditional admission into the program contingent upon outstanding action items (i.e. has currently met most admission criteria with the exception of a few items, which in the opinion of the committee will not make a major negative impact upon the overall status of the application. Outstanding items must be successfully completed prior to admission in program);
3. placed on a waiting list to be considered for unconditional admission as space is available;
4. held for subsequent review pending the submission of further requested or outstanding material;
   or
5. denied admissions (i.e. does not meet published admission standards)

A student may decline SBU acceptance a maximum of one time. If student wishes to re-enter the pool for another application cycle, they must first appeal directly to the division head establishing appropriate grounds that their new application should be considered.

A student who is dismissed, denied the privilege of re-enrollment, or voluntarily leaves the program for any reason, and wishes to re-enter the program, must first appeal in writing to the division head establishing appropriate grounds that their application and/or re-entry should be considered. The division head will present appeal to core faculty for final decision (2/3 vote needed to approve). This is a final decision at the program level. If a student wishes to appeal, they may elect to follow procedures set forth in the SBU Graduate Catalog.

High School Early Acceptance Program

Selected High School students are eligible to apply on a competitive basis for early acceptance into the physical therapy program subject to the following parameters and guidelines:

1. Earn a 24 ACT or equivalent SAT score (1160) or equivalent CLT score (76).
2. Submit a completed High School Early Acceptance (HSEA) application with appropriate supporting evidence and documentation.
3. Should be a graduating high school senior or collegiate freshman with less than 30 completed undergraduate hours at the time of application. Note: This provision is aimed to not penalize students from taking dual credit courses in advance of regular collegiate admissions as an incoming freshman.
4. Once accepted into the HSEA program, all undergraduate classes must be taken at SBU with the successful awarding of a bachelor’s degree. The spirit of this provision is not to prevent the student from taking an occasional summer or correspondence course from a different college or university.
5. HSEA recipients must confirm their intent to matriculate into the professional phase of the physical therapy program by the end of January in their intended enrollment year and pay appropriate deposit.
6. Must submit current overall graduate program application.
7. HSEA recipients must earn an overall GPA of 3.00, a prerequisite GPA of 3.25, and a minimum grade of a “C” in all prerequisite courses or else forfeit their acceptance. The prerequisite GPA will be calculated with the first-time attempted course grade. Withdrawals will be considered an “F” grade. Under special circumstances, a withdrawn course can be petitioned, reviewed by the admissions committee, to be retaken for prerequisite GPA consideration.
8. Document 40 hours of observation or work hours in a physical therapy setting.
9. Participate in 50 hours of community service.
10. Complete PTH 2523 Introduction to Physical Therapy or HSC 1013 Medical Terminology with a minimum grade of a “B.” Complete KIN 3073 Exercise Physiology with a minimum grade of a “B.” Note: These courses are considered support courses and are not used to calculate prerequisite GPA. Courses may be retaken if needed to earn the required grade level.
11. HSEA applications should be submitted to the department for consideration for the upcoming fall semester before the first of April. If applications are received by the Scholars Day deadlines, acceptance decisions will be made within a few weeks of Scholars Day.
12. A maximum of 20 awards will be given during any one academic year. If the 20 slots are not filled during the first selection cycle, a late cycle pool will be considered during February of the academic year just prior to the selection cycle for the next academic year. If slots are not filled for any one academic year, they will not roll over or be extended.

The physical therapy division recommends the completion of one of the following undergraduate degrees: Biology, Exercise Science, or Psychology. Students should carefully plan their undergraduate experience such that most prerequisites are completed prior to their senior (or application) year. Students electing to take non-recommended degree paths should make those considerations for other specific purposes and with the knowledge that those elections may increase the duration of their undergraduate experience prior to entering the physical therapy program. If there are ever any questions about the most effective and efficient undergraduate path toward entering the graduate physical therapy program, please contact the program directly.

Eligibility for awarding the HSEA is established at the point of SBU undergraduate graduation and all normal requirements must be completed at the time of recognized graduation. Successful HSEA participants will receive a scholarship upon entering the professional phase of the physical therapy program subject to the following parameters and guidelines:

1. Students will receive credit for the scholarship by attending and documenting Pre-PT Club events and/or mentoring sessions on a semester basis during their undergraduate semesters.
2. The total $6,000 scholarship is awarded in equal semester installments upon entry to the SBU physical therapy program (i.e. first-year fall and first-year spring in equal $1000 amounts resulting in a $2,000 “discount” on the annual tuition). HSEA students that matriculated into the DPT program prior to Fall 2024 receive a $3,000 total scholarship under the same distribution pattern described above.
3. The award is not distributed as a cash award.
4. If the student does not accept the HSEA enrollment into the SBU physical therapy program, the award becomes null and void.
5. If the student does not merit entry to the SBU physical therapy program under the established guidelines as a HSEA participant, the award becomes null and void.
6. A deferment of up to 2 calendar years after earning of a bachelor’s degree from SBU may be granted upon request of the HSEA participant who otherwise meets established guidelines. The spirit of this provision is a variance given to HSEA participants who meet unexpected life events beyond their control.
7. Once enrolled in the professional phase of the program, the HSEA participant must meet established unconditional matriculation requirements (i.e. not on academic or professional behaviors probation) or the remaining award distributions will be forfeited.

A+ Recruitment Program

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at Southwest Baptist University realizes and appreciates that the cost of earning a valuable degree continues to increase and this cost factor does play a role in the decision-making processes on where students elect to attend college. The program wishes support Missouri A+ students who have a professional goal on becoming a physical therapist by establishing a path by which they can complete their A+ requirements and earn an automatic acceptance into the SBU DPT program.

A+ Recruitment Program Requirements

1. Successfully earn an Associate’s degree based on the existing parameters of the A+ program
2. Earn a Bachelor’s of Science degree from SBU within two years of completing the identified Associate’s degree
3. Have the following prerequisite courses completed by B.S. graduation and present on the transcript with at least a minimum grade of a “C” in each course (combined prerequisite GPA should be 3.25)^#:
   1. Biology* - one semester, human or animal-based with lab component
   2. Chemistry* - two semesters with lab component
   3. Physics* - two semesters with lab component
   4. Anatomy and Physiology* - two semesters with lab component
   5. Statistics
   6. One psychology course - general/intro, normal growth and development, or abnormal
   7. Medical Terminology - housed in PTH 2523 - Introduction to Physical Therapy  at a “B” or higher level (does not enter into prerequisite GPA calculations)
   8. Exercise Physiology - KIN 3073 Physiology of Exercise at a “B” or higher level (does not enter into prerequisite GPA calculations)
4. Earn a combined overall GPA of 3.0 and prerequisite GPA of 3.25
5. Complete the GRE with a combined average of “45th” percentile across all content areas
6. Complete 40 hours of professional physical therapy observation
7. Complete 50 hours of community service - international mission trips preferred
8. Complete an application to the PT program during senior year, including an essay and references

^Repeated courses will be reviewed by the admissions committee for evaluation of acceptance. It is the general guideline that courses should not be repeated unless extreme circumstances are presented. #Course in Pathophysiology is highly recommended, but not required.

*Courses must be taken in sequence from a science-based division.

Student Orientation

New students enrolled in the physical therapy program attend two full days of orientation at the beginning of their first year. At this time, they receive a Physical Therapy Student Handbook which includes the policies and procedures for the graduate program in physical therapy. Students are responsible for all materials presented in the respective handbooks.

Clinical Education

The purpose of the clinical education component within the physical therapy curriculum is to ensure student carry-over and integration of didactic course work into the clinical setting. To ensure a broad range of clinical experiences, each student will be required to have a clinical experience in acute care, outpatient orthopedics, and neuro-rehabilitation. These experiences appear late in the curriculum totaling 34 weeks in a residency-like format. One of the final clinical education experiences may be in an area of special interest within physical therapy that has not already been experienced by the student in a prior clinical experience. Students are responsible for all expenses for travel and living during the clinical education experiences. Students with a history of criminal actions documented on a background check may have clinical education placement options severely limited or delayed. While student input to the assignment process is valued and considered, we cannot guarantee these requests for clinical assignments will be met. The final decision rests with the Director of Clinical Education (DCE), with input from the Core Faculty, and the student should be readily prepared to attend a rotation that may not have been a top preferred position on the part of the student.

Specific clinical education policies and requirements are delineated in the Physical Therapy Student Handbook.

Progression in the Physical Therapy Program

Students are subject to the academic regulations stated in the respective SBU catalogs and handbooks. To be eligible for the clinical education component and/or matriculation to the next year of the program, students must successfully pass all prior courses in the program and maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale). Students must also submit an individual learning portfolio for formal annual assessment and earn a final passing grade at the end of the curriculum.

Students earning a grade of “F” or “non-credit” in any given course will not be able to enroll in courses listing the failed course as a prerequisite. Any student who is unable to meet these requirements is subject to review by the Physical Therapy Review Committee which will in consultation with the student, determine a plan for further action which may include academic probation with a specific plan for remediation or dismissal from the program (see policy 04-05 Dismissal and 04-10 Academic / Non Academic Probation).

Students will be expected to satisfactorily pass each practical examination and course. Students having difficulty meeting established course standards should meet with course instructor and/or advisor to determine an appropriate plan of action. The Physical Therapy Core Faculty will, as part of the curriculum/program evaluation, monitor the overall curriculum standards.

Graduate level physical therapy repeat courses are permitted only under the supervision and recommendation of the PT Review Committee for remediation purposes. Students passing a physical therapy course will not be

permitted to retake the course for academic grade or transcript purposes unless otherwise directed by the PT Review Committee. If the course is successfully repeated (as defined by the PT Review Committee), then the new earned grade will replace the previously earned failing grade for matriculation and transcript purposes and the previous grade will not enter into grade point average (GPA) calculations from that point forward. The Registrar will replace the original earned failing grade with a designation that the original grade was failing, but has now been successfully repeated (e.g. RF).

Course policies and expectations will be stated in writing found in the class syllabus and explained to the class by the course instructor within the first few class sessions. Criteria for projects, papers, and/or assignments will be stated in the syllabus for the students. Exams will be based on course objectives.

Criteria and determination of grades for each course will be established by the core or adjunct faculty member who is leading the course. The following grading scales will be used unless otherwise directed in the specific syllabus:

Academic Grading Scale

Clinical Education and Selected Courses Grading Scale

Individual Learning Portfolio

Dismissal

A student may be placed on probation, suspended for a specific period of time, or dismissed for either academic issues (i.e. grade-based) and/or professional behaviors issues (i.e. non grade-based) as defined in the Southwest Baptist University Professional Behavior Definitions found in the DPT Student Handbook. All decisions for dismissal, or being denied the privilege of re-enrollment, are made by the Physical Therapy Review Committee and approved by the Division head with appropriate input from the Dean of Students. Students may be dismissed from the program based on the following:

1. A final grade of “F” in any required course prior to PTH 7362 - Capstone .
2. A GPA of less than 3.00 if already on probation.
3. An “F” in any course if already on probation.
4. Non-compliance with the requirements stipulated in a remediation plan established by the DCE or Physical Therapy Review Committee.
5. Cheating or plagiarism.
6. Any misconduct listed in the SBU Student Handbook as serious offenses (class C).
7. Serious or repeated breech of professional behaviors found in SBU Professional Behavior Definitions.
8. A second final grade of “F” beginning with PTH 7362 - Capstone  through the end of terminal clinical education courses.
9. Violation of the SBU Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Attendance

Class attendance is mandatory. The student is responsible for attendance at all class sessions and meetings. A pattern of repeated absence or tardiness will be reported to the faculty advisor and may result in development of a remediation plan by the PT Review Committee. Students must notify the instructor directly in writing via email for any absence. If the student is not able to send an email prior to an absence, the student must communicate with the program as early as is practically possible and then follow up with an email. Additional assignments or documentation may be required. See policy 04-03 Attendance for more details.

Appeals

The faculty of the Division of Physical Therapy realizes that occasionally some circumstances may prevent a student from performing optimally in every course during each term. Any student wishing to appeal a decision by an individual faculty member or by the Physical Therapy Review Committee or Division head must first appeal to the decision maker then to the next level within the division. If the student is not satisfied with the Division’s decision, he/she may appeal as described in the SBU graduate catalog. The grade appeal process is described in the SBU graduate catalog. It is plausible that the successful appeal process creates a natural delay in matriculation due to the lockstep nature of the curriculum. Under rare circumstances, a student who was normally admitted to the program, is discovered to either knowingly or unknowingly mislead, misrepresent, or falsify elements related to admission standards. If this circumstance is discovered, regardless of when it is discovered, the status of an enrolled or admitted student is automatically revoked and the student forfeits any rights to appeal and any claim on monies already paid to the institution in the form of tuition and fees.

Official Communications

All official notices from the division will be sent to the official student local address on file with the university and/or the official SBU email provider.

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