Physical Therapy (DPT)
Physical Therapy (DPT)
Helping Everyone Move Forward
Physical therapists transform society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience. The Physical Therapy Program at Seton Hill is dedicated to helping you move forward in this rapidly growing field. As a Seton Hill Physical Therapy Program student, you will enjoy an academic experience - designed by educators and physical therapists - that includes in-depth hands-on clinical practice. At Seton Hill, we educate students to become clinically competent physical therapists who care for the whole patient, and uphold the profession’s core values of accountability, altruism, compassion, excellence, professional duty and social responsibility.
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Why Choose Seton Hill’s DPT Program?
Integrated Classroom & Clinical Experience
The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Seton Hill University is a 33-month program that integrates clinical experience with classroom learning, service learning and professional development.
Topic-Based Study
You will graduate from Seton Hill with the confidence that comes from knowing you are prepared for success in any type of physical therapy setting. For every topic you study - for example, injuries to the shoulder, or Parkinson’s Disease - you will delve into the specifics of:
- Clinical Reasoning
- Medical and clinical histories, interviewing patients, identifying risks, interpreting relevant tests, diagnosis
- Foundational Science
- Anatomy, physiology & pathophysiology
- Physical Therapy Skills
- Hands-on techniques employed by physical therapists
- Professional Responsibilities
- Ethical, legal & professional considerations & requirements
Through this method of study, you will create a comprehensive knowledge base and skill set. Plus, you will learn how to identify patterns and connections, think on your feet, and make sound, patient-centered clinical decisions.
Enhanced Clinical Experiences
At Seton Hill, you will participate in frequent clinical education experiences, beginning in your second term. This gives you the unique opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills as you learn them in a variety of supported clinical settings, including:
- Hospitals
- Skilled Nursing Facilities
- Rehabilitation Centers
- Outpatient Clinics
- Pediatrics
- Women’s Health
- Sports
Exceptional Facilities & Technology
An Apple Distinguished School, Seton Hill prepares faculty to incorporate the latest technological advances into classroom clinical environments. Small class sizes allow for individualized instruction with state-of-the-art equipment in facilities like the Boyle Health Sciences Center and the Wukich School of Nursing. Doctor of Physical Therapy Program students are provided with a MacBook Air laptop.
Professors with Practical Experience
Physical Therapy faculty are licensed physical therapists and clinical researchers with advanced degrees in the sciences, education and rehabilitation. They have dedicated their professional careers to the education of students in physical therapy.
A Community of Students & Faculty Dedicated to the Health Sciences
Seton Hill is nationally recognized for the strength of its natural and health sciences programs, and for its history of supporting women in the sciences. Here, you will become part of a supportive community that fosters interprofessional collaboration among healthcare providers.
Peer Mentoring, Professional Development & Service Learning
Your learning and professional development will be bolstered by three levels of service activities embedded in the DPT Program at Seton Hill. You will serve:
- The physical therapy profession through participation in professional organizations.
- Your fellow students by serving as an academic mentor after you have progressed in your studies
- The community through service learning trips in the U.S. or abroad.
Strong Career Opportunities
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 22% from 2018 to 2028 - much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual salary for physical therapists in 2019 was close to $90,000. A recent salary survey by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) reported a median starting salary of $67,000 for therapists with 0-3 years experience.
Becoming Licensed
To practice as a physical therapist in the US, you must earn a physical therapist degree from a CAPTE- accredited physical therapist education program and pass a state licensure exam. If the program is granted candidacy for accreditation in the summer of 2021, the first cohort will be eligible to take the licensure examination during the summer of 2024.
Accreditation Status
Effective July 13th, 2021, The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Seton Hill University has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org). If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 724-552-4450 or email ktoth@setonhill.edu.
Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.
Ready to Get Started? 
The Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Seton Hill University plans to participate in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as PTCAS, in the 2021-2022 admissions cycle. Applicants applying to the program for the 2022 entering class will apply online using the PTCAS application beginning on July 31, 2021. To learn more about PTCAS, visit www.ptcas.org.
Get the Information You Need to Move Forward.
To contact the Office of Graduate Admissions, fill out the online Request for Information form. Ready to apply? Apply online now for free! You may also call Graduate Admissions at (724) 838-4208 or email us at gadmit@setonhill.edu.