Physical Therapy Program Admissions

Our Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy uses the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS), an online application service.

View Physical Therapy Program Admission Requirements

Upon receipt and audit of the application materials, the applications will be promptly reviewed by the Physical Therapy Program Admissions Committee. The most qualified applicants will then be invited for an interview with the admissions committee. The interview is a very important part of the application process. Interviewed applicants will be assessed on traits such as professional motivation, knowledge of the Physical Therapy profession, academic performance trends, interpersonal skills, diversity of life and professional experiences, integrity, and orientation to health care provider role.

The Admissions Committee uses a point system to rank applicant qualifications. The PTCAS application will require students to select a site or select either location with a preference of one location over the other. The procedure for admittance by location is as follows:

1. All students will be evaluated using the same admission criteria and assigned a point total.
2. Students will be ranked in the order of point totals.
3. Students will be offered positions in the program in order of point totals.
4. Students who indicate that they wish to be considered for only one site will be granted a position at that site if a position is available when their ranked position on the application list is reached. They will not be offered a position at the other site, even if positions at the other location remain available.
5. Students who indicate a preference for one location (select either, prefer Mt. Pleasant or either, prefer Houghton) will be placed at that location if a position is available when the admissions committee reaches their ranked position on the list of applicants. If an applicant's name is reached and their preferred location has no seats available, but seats are available at the other location they will be offered the option of taking a seat at the other location. If the student accepts the seat, that will be their campus of record. Applicants may decline the non-preferred seat location and request to remain on the application list. However, if an open position is declined the student loses their position on the list and moves to the bottom of their ranking.

We provide students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational programs, activities or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in class activities or meet course requirements are requested to indicate their needs in writing at the time they are offered admission into the program. Students who apply for admission to the Physical Therapy Program will be evaluated individually for their capability to perform in the role of a Physical Therapist as described by the American Academy of Physical Therapy.

Candidates will be notified regarding their admission status during the spring semester. Those accepting an invitation to join the program will begin their studies in May.