Program Description: The physical therapy curriculum is a two-year program (including summers) with five months of full-time internships spaced throughout the two-year period.
The program's mission is to prepare students to become physical therapist clinician generalists who are able to practice in a wide variety of settings, to participate in delivery of primary care and interdisciplinary health care services, and to respond effectively to the special needs of rural and under served populations.
No thesis is required, but all students are expected to complete a major project before graduation.
Learning experiences include laboratory and clinical assignments, service learning projects in community agencies, and traditional basic science courses.
Attention Applicants:
The Physical Therapy Department is implementing a new application process for the Fall 2010 admission term. Applicants interested in admission for Fall 2010 will need to apply through the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Physical Therapy Central Application Service (PTCAS) (www.ptcas.org).
Applicants will also need to complete Western Carolina University's Graduate School application in "Apply Yourself" (the on-line application process), pay the application fee, and send an official copy of Graduate Record Examination scores.
You can find the application form here:
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Application for Enrollment (online)
If you have questions about the on-line application process, please refer to the 2010 Guidelines for Applying to the Physical Therapy Program, or you can contact:
Graduate School and Research
110 Cordelia Camp Building
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC 28723-9022
Telephone: 828-227-7398 or 1-800-369-9854 (within the USA only)
Application deadline is February 1. All application materials must be submitted to PTCAS by that date. Only applications received by that date will be considered in the initial review of applications. Applications received after February 1 will be considered only if the class is not filled from the initial applicant pool.
Application Requirements
All application materials will be submitted through PTCAS. So that you can plan ahead, applications must include:
- Official college/university transcripts from all previous coursework
- Listing of prerequisite courses
- Three letters of recommendation completed according to PTCAS guidelines.
- An essay written on a topic specified each year by the Admissions Committee
- Demonstration by the applicant that s/he has chosen a career in physical therapy with thoughtful consideration and with a realistic understanding of the scope of physical therapy practice. Volunteer or paid experience with a physical therapist in at least two different clinical settings is strongly recommended.
What We Expect from Applicants
Although the process will change somewhat for the 2009-2010 admissions cycle because of using the centralized application service (PTCAS), the overall expectations will remain the same. To give you an idea of what we expect from our applicants, please read about our application review process (PDF) and our summary of applicant qualifications (PDF).
We require an official copy of scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations submitted by the Educational Testing Service. Average GRE scores for students accepted into the physical therapy program: 450-517 (Verbal) and 557-595 (Quantitative).
Information for International Applicants
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Citizens of other countries, whose degrees are not from U.S. institutions, must have their transcripts and full course descriptions translated into English and evaluated by a recognized credential evaluation service such as World Education Services.
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International applicants from countries where English is not the primary language must submit a minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and provide a statement of financial responsibility.
Number of Graduate Faculty: 7
Number of Students: Up to 32/year
Location of Course Offerings: Most courses are taught in Cullowhee. Clinical laboratory assignments throughout the two years are scheduled in clinical facilities located throughout western North Carolina. Internships are scheduled in clinical facilities throughout the United States.
Graduate Program:
Karen Lunnen, Ed.D.
Department Head
Department of Physical Therapy
828-227-2191
Todd Watson, D.P.T.
Admissions Committee Chair
Department of Physical Therapy
828-227-7070
twatson@email.wcu.edu
Departmental Website: Physical Therapy - M.P.T.