PHYSICAL THERAPY
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All entry-level physical therapy programs offer only graduate level (master’s or doctorate degree) professional preparation. Because of this, students entering Gannon’s undergraduate physical therapy program intending to apply to graduate level professional programs should select a major field of study. The choice of a major will depend upon the student’s personal interest. Students may select any of the following majors available at Gannon: Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Mathematics, Psychology, Science, and Sport and Exercise Science. Gannon University offers a doctoral degree program in physical therapy. The curriculum is seven years in length with a 4+3 model. Graduates must complete a Baccalaureate degree and 3 years of professional preparation. While enrollment in Gannon’s undergraduate physical therapy program does not guarantee acceptance into the professional graduate program, 75 percent of the seats in each entering class at the graduate level are reserved for qualified Gannon graduates. Admission into the Pre-Physical Therapy Undergraduate program: The minimum requirements to be considered for acceptance to the undergraduate Physical Therapy program include: 1. Overall high school GPA of 3.0 or better. 2. SAT score of 1090 or higher or ACT score of 21 or higher 3. Completion of college prep biology and chemistry with labs and three years of college prep mathematics Acceptance into the Physical Therapy Graduate Program: The graduate program gives preference to qualified Gannon University undergraduate physical therapy applicants who meet the following criteria: 1. Maintain a minimum overall 3.0 GPA 2. Satisfy the prerequisite course GPA requirements of 3.0 with no more than four credits of repeat course work; grades of C- or below are not accepted. 3. Successful completion of an undergraduate degree from Gannon University. 4. Transferred to Gannon University and completed a minimum of 30 credits in the undergraduate physical therapy program at Gannon University. Early Acceptance Opportunity into the Graduate Program: 4 + 3 guaranteed acceptance: A guaranteed position in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program will be reserved for any freshman if the following criteria are met: 1. SAT total of 1130 or higher or ACT score of 23 or higher 2. GPA of 3.20 or higher on a 4.0 scale. 3. Must maintain a GPA of 3.20 or higher in Gannon undergraduate courses. 4. Must maintain a GPA of 3.20 or higher in prerequisite courses with no repeated courses 5. Overall GPA will be reviewed at the end of the Freshman, Sophomore and Junior year. Overall and pre-requisite GPA will be reviewed at the end of the Senior year. GPA’s are evaluated as reported by the Registrar’s Office. Students who do not meet the qualifications for 4 + 3 may request consideration into the 4 + 3 option at the end of the freshman year. Students must meet the following criteria to be considered for acceptance into the 4 + 3 guaranteed program at the end of the freshman year:
• Achieve a “B” or higher in at least one of the science prerequisite courses • Achieve a 3.2 or higher overall GPA at the end of the freshman year