BS (3 Options) + Physical Therapy (DPT), 6-Year

• Our fully-accredited program has a proven track record of success, with 100% of our graduates finding employment in the field of physical therapy within six months of graduation.
• Studies show that teamwork across clinical specialties improves patient outcomes. D'Youville's unique interdisciplinary education lab offers the opportunity for you to practice treating patients (played by actors) alongside a team of students from 7 other healthcare majors at D'Youville — all under the supervision of a skilled instructor.
• Learn from professionals who are vanguards in their fields. The vast majority (80%) of our clinical labs and lectures are taught by full-time clinical faculty – many hold advanced specialist certifications in their areas of practice.
• D'Youville has developed relationships with 300 clinical fieldwork sites in a wide array of settings, facilities, and treatment protocols. And as you conduct your fieldwork, you’ll be constantly supported by participating in the online discussion that runs concurrently with your clinical experiences.
• If you’re interested in how horses can be used as a treatment approach, D’Youville offers an elective course in hippotherapy and opportunities to volunteer through our Student Hippotherapy Club.

When you apply for admission at D’Youville, we’ll automatically consider you for our merit scholarships. Undergraduate scholarships can cover as much as 50% of your tuition, and there is no need to fill out a separate application!

Transfer students can qualify for scholarships, as well. Unlike other schools, maintaining your scholarship is easier at D'Youville, because we use realistic GPA requirements to determine your eligibility each year. 

Check out the chart below to see if you qualify:

Scholarship	SAT (M & EBRW)* or ACT⁺ / GPA	Tuition Scholarship	Room & Board Waiver	GPA Required to Retain
President's	88/1170 or 24	$13,000	$3,000	2.75
Founder's	83/1080 or 21	$10,000	$2,000	2.5
Dean's	80/980 or 19 Anyone with a 90 GPA can receive this award without test score consideration.	$8,000		2.25
Transfer	3.5+	$5,000		2.5
Transfer	3.25 - 3.49	$4,500		2.5
Transfer	3.0 - 3.24	$4,000		2.5
Transfer	2.75 - 2.99	$3,500		2.5
Dillon	93/1360 or 29	100% off	$3,000	2.75
Buffalo Say Yes	90/1080 or 21	100% off		2.75
Alumni Kinship		$300-$2,000		Must reapply each year. Only open to relatives of D'Youville alumni.

*Scores are based on the new SAT score format which went into effect in March 2016.
⁺D'Youville only requires that you submit the results from one test.

More information can be found on our scholarships page.

The BS in Biology option is ideal for students who love science or who are considering a career in research or teaching at the collegiate level. The comprehensive curriculum offered in the BS in Biology program allows you to establish a solid pre-medical education. The scientific and health-related knowledge and skills you'll learn will form a firm foundation for your physical therapy career.

If you envision yourself as a physical therapist working with athletes or other physically active people, the BS in Exercise in Sports Studies may be ideal for you. Not only can this pathway be completed in as few as 6 years with summer classes, but it also offers a wide range of exciting internship opportunities in a variety of clinical settings focused on athletics and physical fitness.

If you're interested in a career where you can put your entrepreneurial interests and business acumen to work in the field of physical therapy, you may want to consider the BS in Health Services Management. While this program provides the same kind of excellent preparation you'll need to succeed in our DPT program, it also offers you the opportunity to gain a solid foundation in business principles and the law as it pertains to both business and healthcare. You'll also have the opportunity to gain real-world experience through a variety of internship opportunities that will allow you to apply what you learn in the classroom to the business of healthcare, ideal for someone interested in running their own physical therapy practice, managing others' practices, or pursuing a career in healthcare management.

Freshman applicants accepted into any of the three sequential-degree BS + DPT programs must satisfy the following admission criteria:

Freshman Admission Criteria
1. Combined SAT scores of at least 1170 (Math and Verbal) or composite ACT score of 24, and
2. High school average of at least 85 percent or 2.85 on a four-point scale, and
3. Successful completion of two years of math and three years of science; physics is strongly recommended.

Transfer student applicants accepted into any of the three sequential-degree BS + DPT programs must satisfy the following admission criteria:

Transfer Student Admission Criteria
1. Satisfaction of all freshman admission criteria (above), and
2. Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 (after a minimum of 2 full-time semesters of study at college or university), and
3. Minimum GPA for any DPT prerequisite courses of 3.20.

Use the Online Course Equivalency database to see whether the courses you've taken at other institutions can be counted towards a degree at D'Youville.

Your role as a practicing physical therapist will be to help your patients regain strength and function, improve mobility, relieve their pain, and prevent or limit the scope or impact of physical disabilities on their lives and their health.

In clinical settings you’ll work with patients to assess their physical functions in the context of their medical history and social support. You’ll also test and measure their strength, range of motion, balance, coordination, posture, muscle performance, respiration, and motor function in order to establish baselines for therapy.

Finally, as a physical therapist you’ll also help your patients after they leave your care by prescribing therapeutic exercise in order to improve the quality of their lives.

The preparation you receive at D’Youville will qualify you to begin your professional career as a physical therapist in almost any healthcare setting. However, while many of our graduates enjoy fulfilling careers in general practice, many others choose to specialize in areas such as:

• Orthopedics: focusing on the treatment and correction of functional impairments or deformities of the musculoskeletal system
• Pediatrics: focusing on early intervention for babies and children who are functionally impaired from injuries or disease
• Sports medicine: focusing on athletic conditioning, preventing and treating athletic injuries, and increasing human athletic performance
• Geriatrics: focusing on healthcare issues of older adults
• Industrial settings: focusing on maintaining health and treating diseases and accidental injuries affecting people in the workplace
• Home care: focusing on using physical activity, exercise, and other treatments in order to assist with healing and relieving pain for those who are homebound with an injury or other physical disability

While many of our graduates go into clinical practice, others enter advanced academic programs in order to pursue careers in research and teaching in both private and public organizations. These students typically pursue post-professional degrees such as doctor of science (D.Sc.), doctor of education (EdD), or doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. If you choose to pursue this path you can rest assured that the rigorous academic, research, and clinical work you’ll complete in our entry-level professional DPT program will provide you with a solid foundation for advanced study and practice.

Physical therapists are in demand in nearly every healthcare setting and are poised to take on an even larger role as our population ages and awareness about the benefits of exercise and good health continues to increase. Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 34 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. For more information about the job outlook for physical therapists, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

• Benefit from the close relationships that D'Youville has developed over the years with over 300 clinical fieldwork sites in a wide array of settings, facilities, and treatment protocols.
• In select classes, our faculty practitioners bring patients to the classroom to maximize the development of the knowledge and skills you’ll need to succeed as a physical therapist.
• Through our unique interprofessional education labs, you’ll learn to better understand the roles of other members of the healthcare team and develop skills to work effectively to improve patient care.