Students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 as required by the College for all graduate programs. Students falling below an overall GPA of 3.0 will be given one semester to raise his/her GPA. If the student fails to increase his/her overall GPA to a 3.0, he/she will be disenrolled from the program.
Additional DPT Program Standards
DPT students complete Professional Behaviors self assessment one time per year as a means to appraise their professional progress. Faculty set aside time to evaluate and meet with students to discuss the student’s Professional Behaviors to facilitate feedback and provide professional mentoring. Students are expected to demonstrate professional growth throughout the DPT program. A student who achieves acceptable academic standing but does not demonstrate acceptable professional behaviors may not be allowed to continue in the program, may not be allowed to participate in clinical internships, and/or may be dismissed from the DPT program. Participation in clinical internships will be at the discretion of the faculty and the program director.
Integrative Project for the DPT Program
During each clinical internship, students are expected to complete a clinical education project. The purpose of the project is to link didactic curricular themes with clinical education in a way that is relevant to clinical experiences and needs. Specific topics and formats are to be negotiated and decided between students, clinical instructors, and clinics in order to meet the educational needs of the student and clinical/community needs of the facility. The clinical education project during the 3rd internship will be the Integrative Project of the DPT program. This clinical education project will show synthesis of learning from the previous internships and courses to demonstrate integration of program outcomes. Specifics will be found in the student clinical education handbook.
Physical Therapy Program Graduation Requirement
Graduation requirements follow the College of Mount St. Joseph requirements for graduate students, outlined in the Graduate Catalog. This includes the maintenance of a 3.0/4.0 GPA in all graduate coursework. Additionally, DPT students are required to successfully complete the 114-115 credits identified in the curriculum plan, four clinical internships, and demonstrate appropriate professional behaviors.