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Fact Sheet
Q: What is the 3 + 3 program at Slippery Rock
University?
A:
An opportunity to
earn a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) in six years rather than
seven years. You spend three years in an approved
undergraduate major and three years in the Graduate School of
Physical Therapy. |
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Q: How does it work?
A: You complete three years in an approved undergraduate
major, then apply for admission into the DPT program at the end of
your junior year. If accepted, the first year of the DPT
program meets the requirements for your undergraduate degree.
In the event that you do not gain admission into the DPT program,
you can complete your undergraduate degree in the fourth
year. At that point you have the option of reapplying to the
DPT program.
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Q: If I am interested in the 3 + 3 program, do I major in
"Pre-Physical Therapy?"
A: No. You select from one of six approved
majors and indicate that you are interested in the 3 + 3
program. Then (with the help of your academic advisor) you
take the required courses necessary to fulfill the requirements for
the undergraduate degree plus courses to meet the entrance
requirements for the physical therapy program. We do not
think a pre-physical therapy "major" is a good idea. The
advantage of having a specific undergraduate major is that it
prepares you for another career if you should change your mind or
are unsuccessful in gaining admission into the DPT
program. |
Q: How do I select my undergraduate major?
A: Your best strategy is to select your major based
on what you want to do if you do NOT go into physical
therapy. Select a major that offers you the best alternate
career choice(s) for you. Your academic advisor can help you
with that decision.
Q: What undergraduate majors can I select from?
A: For the 3 + 3 program, you must select a major
from among the following:
Biology :
Bachelors of Art-Biology
Bachelors of Science-Biology
Health and Safety:
Community
Health
Safety and
Environmental Management
Exercise and Rehabilitative Science:
Exercise
Science
Q: What if I am interested in PT but want to major in
another area, like music. Can I?
A: You can gain admission into the DPT program with
any undergraduate major, as long as you take all of the courses the
PT program requires (e.g., a year of biology, chemistry, physics,
psychology, etc.) and you satisfy the other admission
requirements. But you must select one of the six approved
majors if you are interested in the 3 + 3 program.
Q: Can I go somewhere else for my first three years
and apply to the graduate program after three years?
A: No, at this time the 3 + 3 program is only
available to Slippery Rock students. Additionally, transfer
students from other colleges and universities are not eligible for
the 3+3 program track.
Q: Is a 3 + 3 applicant going to be at a disadvantage
when trying to gain entry into the DPT program, especially
considering that they are competing with students who are already
completing their undergraduate degrees?
A: No. All students are evaluated according to
the same criteria, as long as they have met all the requirements
for admission (i.e., GRE, volunteer hours, etc.) and have completed
the required coursework. In addition, the Graduate School of
Physical Therapy program is reserving a minimum of 20% of its seats each
year for qualified 3 + 3 applicants. This should give
Slippery Rock 3 + 3 students an excellent chance of gaining
admission into this program. |
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Go to Catalog Information about 3+3 PT
Program
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