Physical Therapist Education Programs in Pennsylvania

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapists entering the job market after 2009 need to hold a graduate degree, and almost all accredited physical therapy programs offer doctoral degrees. In addition to the number of schools in Pennsylvania that offer free-standing Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) degrees, several options exist that offer students the chance to earn a bachelor’s degree and a DPT in six to seven years, for example a 3+3 program, which allows students to earn a bachelor's in three years and a DPT in another three years.
  1. Saint Francis University

    • Saint Francis University, located about two hours east of Pittsburgh, offers a 3 + 3 DPT program with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science awarded after the successful completion of a fourth year of study. The university website boasts a three-year first-time pass rate of almost 94 percent on the National Physical Therapist Examination. Enrollment at Saint Francis included 1,679 undergraduates and 621 graduate students in 2009. Tuition and fees for the 2009-2010 academic year amounted to $25,554.

      Saint Francis University

      117 Evergreen Drive

      Loretto, PA 15940

      814-472-3000

      francis.edu

    Duquesne University

    • Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University offers both a six-year combined program, which offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Health Sciences with the DPT, and a seven-year combined program, which offers a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training with the DPT. According to the university's website, program graduates in 2010 enjoy a 99 percent pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Examination (four-year average) and 100 percent job placement. In fall 2009, more than 10,000 students attended Duquesne, about half of them as undergraduates. The university website reports health sciences tuition costs for the 2010-2011 school year as $29,531.

      Duquesne University

      600 Forbes Ave.

      Pittsburgh, PA 15282

      412-396-6000

      duq.edu

    Arcadia University

    • Located in the greater Philadelphia area, Arcadia University offers a 4 + 2 ½ program for completion of a bachelor’s degree and the DPT. The university website says that no particular bachelor’s degree is required, but suggests that students major in fields that allow them to complete all of the prerequisite courses for the DPT. According to the university's website, Arcadia enrolled more than 4,000 students in 2009, about half of whom were undergraduates. Estimated tuition and fees for the 2009-2010 school year totaled $31,260.

      Arcadia University

      450 S. Easton Road

      Glenside, PA 19038

      215-572-2900

      arcadia.edu

    Gannon University

    • Erie is home to Gannon University, which offers two options for students seeking both a bachelor’s degree and a DPT. The first is a 4 + 3, which offers a bachelor’s degree in one of nine fields: biology, business administration, chemistry, mathematics, nursing, psychology, science, sport and exercise science, and undecided health science. The second is an accelerated 3 + 3 program with a bachelor’s degree in either science or sport and exercise science. The university website reports a fall 2009 enrollment of just under 4,250 students, about 75 percent as undergraduates. Tuition for undergraduate students in Health Science programs amounted to $25,490 for the 2010-2011 school year.

      Gannon University

      109 University Square

      Erie, PA 16541-0001

      814-871-7000

      gannon.edu

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