http://www.sju.edu
Driven by its intentional growth strategy, Saint Joseph's University now offers dozens of new academic programs in health and science, including the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. These accredited established programs came to the University with the integration of University of the Sciences into Saint Joseph's that was completed on June 1, 2022. The Saint Joseph's DPT program brings together this time-tested, best-in-class curriculum developed by expert faculty, with more robust clinical experiences, opportunities for research, and an expanded network of alumni and employers in the Philadelphia region and across the globe.
This page is intended for college graduates ONLY. High school students should visit the sju.edu website for information about applying to the guaranteed freshman-entry program. Do not apply using PTCAS.
Saint Joseph's University's accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy program prepares you to become a skilled practitioner with a wealth of clinical experience. By the time you graduate, you'll be ready to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), an exam you'll need to pass if you're seeking to become a licensed physical therapist.
Work with Patients From Year 1
Our program values early and often exposure to the clinic and to patients enabling our students to immediately apply classroom knowledge, starting in year one. You'll have the opportunity to work in our unique, University-sponsored pro-bono clinics that serve the Philadelphia community in the fall of your first year.
In those clinics, you'll work with experienced, licensed physical therapists and will benefit from a peer mentor system, with students serving as mentors to those who are earlier in their education, creating a collaborative environment for clinical learning.
Early exposure to patient care also occurs in our integrated clinical experiences, or ICEs. Throughout the program, patient participants are either brought into the classroom for hands-on learning, or students may leave campus to experience patient care in a variety of settings in Philadelphia.
Full-time Clinical Experiences and Mentorships
In your second and third years of their program, you'll gain experience through mentored clinical teaching in our clinical education program. These are full-time clinicals under the supervision of licensed physical therapists in which students learn and apply their skills and decision making.
Our program has over 350 practice sites for full-time clinical education in a variety of settings such as:
Unmatched Curriculum and Expert Faculty
As a DPT student at Saint Joseph's, you'll learn to assess and treat the body as a series of integrated systems through a curriculum built on the movement system framework. Endorsed by the American Physical Therapy Association, this curriculum is among the first developed at any institution in the country adopting this framework, which assesses how all systems in the body interact (i.e. neuro, skeletal, vestibular, muscular, etc.).
Talented and accomplished faculty are essential to our program's success. A variety of areas of expertise are represented by our faculty such as:
Moreover, our faculty is actively engaged in generating new ideas and treatment solutions to advance the profession of physical therapy. They bring this expertise into the classroom and partner with students on research projects to help build the next generation of physical therapy professionals.
Proven OutcomesOur condensed two and a half year curriculum allows you to enter the field faster, and our students typically receive several job offers before graduation. Because you'll graduate in December instead of the typical May date for other PT programs, you???ll have a head start on board exams, additional certifications, advanced training opportunities and the job market.
The two-year ultimate pass rate on the national licensure examination for the D.P.T. classes of 2020-2021 was 94.7% and the first-time pass rate for the D.P.T. class of 2021 was 81.8%.
Saint Joseph's University offers two campus locations in the city of Philadelphia that we fondly refer to as ???Hawk Hill??? (located at 5600 City Avenue) and ???University City??? (600 South 43rd Street) Both campus locations have state-of-the-art classroom and laboratory facilities that service students in the DPT program, though the majority of the coursework will be conducted at the University City campus.
Our two locations offer the best of both a city and suburban student experience including academics and campus life. Each location brings complementary facility highlights: from state-of-the-art laboratories and brand-new recreation facilities in University City to a world-class arboretum and Division I athletics arena on Hawk Hill.
Group interviews are conducted from September through March. Those interviewed will have the opportunity to tour campus and interact with current PT students.
Deposit deadlines are communicated in the official letter of acceptance. Deadlines may range from 2-6 weeks from receipt of acceptance letter.