St. Catherine University offers a limited number of undergraduate students a dual-degree program leading to the Doctor of Physical Therapy. This program is available only to specific majors and contingent on students meeting the DPT admission requirements.

Qualifying students will complete their undergraduate major in three years. In their fourth year, while still enrolled as undergraduates, students will begin taking DPT courses to earn their Bachelor's degree. In their fifth and 6th year, students will complete the DPT program while enrolled as graduate students.

Early Admission Program  (Apply during Senior Year in High School)

Apply on/or before February 15 of senior year. Applications received after February 16 will be considered on a space-available basis. Students will receive admission decisions by April 1 of their senior year.

ACT score of 24

High school cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better on a 4.0 scale

Declare a major in one of the following: 

• B.S. in Applied Science in Biology (Pre-PT)

• B.S. in Exercise Science (Pre-PT)

• B.S. in Psychology (Pre-PT)

• B.S. Public Health: Health Sciences (Pre-PT)

​Recommended Observation/Volunteer Hours: Eight hours of observation/and or volunteering in a physical therapy setting.

Early admission: Pre-PT students who have met all admission and application criteria and have met with their DPT advisor at least once in their first year will be given priority when they apply in their junior year, before other Dual-Degree PT applicants are considered. 

Early Admission students must meet all admission criteria and submit an additional application via PTCAS (see the dual degree process). 

3+3 Admissions Requirements (Required for all students)

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Junior status at St. Catherine University (minimum of 60 credits)

• Applicants must have at least two years of college experience before applying for admission. This does not include AP, CIS, PSEO, OR IB credit. ​

If you do not have at least two years of college course experience, you need to petition the DPT department before applying for the dual degree:

Your email to the recipient should include:

• Obtain a letter of support from a faculty member in their program of study that speaks to their ability to handle graduate-level coursework and their professionalism to enter a doctoral program.

• Applicants must write a letter explaining why they believe they are ready to enter a graduate program, given the academic rigor of the program and the interpersonal and communication skills required of a pre-professional.

• Schedule a short follow-up meeting with the co-chairs of admissions

If their petition is approved, then they may apply for the dual degree program. 

• Declared a major in one of the following:

  • B.S in Applied Science in Biology (Pre-PT)

  • B.S. in Applied Science in Exercise Science (Pre-PT)

  • B.S. in Applied Science in Psychology (Pre-PT)

  • B.S. in Public Health: Health Sciences (Pre-PT)

• Grade expectations

  • An undergraduate cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.4 or higher on a 4.0 scale

    • Applicants who have a cumulative grade point average below 3.4 should submit an explanatory statement with their application for consideration

    • The cumulative GPA is calculated using credits from all college institutions, not just transfer credits.

  • Successful completion of all prerequisite coursework with a prereq GPA of 3.4 or better

    • There is no limit on the number of course repeats a student can have, but be wary that repeats may affect the prerequisite GPA. 

    • Minimum of a C grade for all pre-requisite courses

    • No more than 3 prerequisites must be outstanding when a student applies to the DPT program

• Prerequisite Course Requirement - Depending on your major, your pre-reqs for the PT program will appear differently on your degree evaluation. Please see the list of prerequisites underneath the curriculum section.

• Recommended Course

  • Medical Terminology (IPE 1030 or IPE 1020) is recommended for all pre-DPT majors

​To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following application requirements: 

• Apply by clicking on this link. Applications open in (insert date) before their junior year. The application is due December 1st of a student’s junior or senior year. 

• If a student is accepted into the dual-degree program, they will begin the following fall of their senior year. Example: If a student applies by December 1st, 2026, they will start the program in Fall 2027 and take a year's worth of graduate classes, provided they are accepted.

• Students need to submit their final fall transcripts to PTCAS by January 1st.  Spring transcripts must be submitted before the DPT Program begins. The DPT Admission Committee will complete the review process after fall grades are posted and verified by the student. 

• No GRE Required

• Clinical Experience - 40 hours of conversation (PT verified)

• Video Interview - Applicants will participate in a video-based interview

  • The Kira Talent platform requires applicants to complete 2 video-recorded responses to prompts (similar to a face-to-face interview). For the video prompts, applicants receive the prompt, have 30 seconds to prepare their answer, and then 90 seconds to record their response. 

• Two Written - Timed PTCAS Essays

  • For the written essays, applicants are given the prompt and have 5 minutes to complete their essay. The whole process, including setup, takes about 30-40 minutes.   

• Two Letters of Recommendation

  • Two references must be completed. One must be an academic reference (professor or academic adviser), and one must be a professional reference (PT or supervisor). Links to an online form will be sent through PTCAS after the applicant enters the reference’s contact information.

• Transcripts

  • All transcripts must be submitted to PTCAS. Please submit from every post-secondary institution attended, even if courses are recorded on another transcript, and regardless of the number of credits earned.

  • Dual-degree applicants must request that all official transcripts be sent directly from every post-secondary institution attended to PTCAS, including their official St. Kate’s transcript.  PLEASE NOTE: Requesting transcripts is the responsibility of the dual degree applicant. St. Kate’s cannot forward any transcripts to PTCAS.

• Any supporting explanatory statements, if applicable.

• Essential Functions and Technical Standards

  • A practicing physical therapist must be physically, cognitively, emotionally, and mentally capable to meet the rigorous demands of clinical practice. The Description of Essential Functions and Technical Standards defines the essential functions and technical standards that PT students must meet in order to successfully progress through the program. All students must be capable of meeting these requirements or similar with or without reasonable accommodation.

  • All prospective students are encouraged to review this document before applying to the DPT program. All admitted students are required to read and sign this document before beginning their DPT program at St. Catherine.

• Background Check

  • Minnesota State Law requires that any person who provides services that involve direct patient contact with patients and residents at a healthcare facility licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health have a background study conducted by the state.

Before starting the OTD program, students must complete 85 credits. this includes all DPT prerequisites, liberal arts core requirements, and coursework in the major field of study. The curricula listed below indicates the undergraduate coursework a student must complete by the end of their junior year.

Students who are admitted into the DPT program will take graduate level coursework in their senior year, which will count towards their undergraduate and graduate program requirements.

Students will be awarded their Bachelor's Degree at the end of their senior year after completing their year of graduate classes.

Students are encouraged to work with Academic Advising and the Financial Aid Office when planning for their senior year to ensure their eligibility for financial aid. 

After completing their Bacehlor's degree, students will complete any remaining graduate level courses to earn their Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. See the end of this section for the list of courses taken in the fifth and s year.

Students not admitted to the graduate program or who become ineligible to apply will instead complete a Bachelor's Degrees in their respective majors: B.A. or B.S. in Biology, B.A. in Psychology, B.S. in Exercise Science, or B.S. in Public Health: Health Sciences.

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Biology

This dual degree major is only available in the College for Women. 

Students who do not gain entry into the DPT program after their junior year complete the remaining course requirements for the B.A. in Biology or B.S. in Biology.

Required Prerequisite Courses (pre-DPT)

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Select one of the following:		8
PHYS 1080 & PHYS 1090	Physics for the Health Sciences I with Lab and Physics for the Health Sciences II with Lab
PHYS 1110 & PHYS 1120	Introductory Physics I with Lab and Introductory Physics II with Lab
PSYC 1001	General Psychology with Lab	4
or PSYC 1000	General Psychology
PSYC 2025	Lifespan Developmental Psychology	4
or PSYC 3010	Understanding Psychological Disorders
40 hours clinical experience (in at least two settings)
Total Credits		16

 Biology Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BIOL 1710 & BIOL 1720	Foundations of Biology: Diversity and Evolution with Lab and Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology with Lab 1	8
BIOL 2720	Sophomore Seminar	2
BIOL 2810	Genetics with Lab	4
BIOL 3120 & BIOL 3140	Human and Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy with Lab and Human and Comparative Animal Physiology with Lab 1	8
BIOL 4860W	Senior Seminar	4
Select one of the following:		4
3000 or 4000 level BIOL Course
EXSS 3350	Kinesiology and Biomechanics with Lab
CHEM 1110 & CHEM 1120	General Chemistry I with Lab and General Chemistry II with Lab 1	8
Select one of the following Statistics courses: 1		4
ECON 1090	Statistical Analysis for Decision Making
HLTH 1090	Biostatistics
PSYC 1090	Statistical Methods in Psychology
STAT 1090	Statistical Analysis
Total Credits		42

¹

Also meets prerequisite requirement for DPT program.

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Exercise and Sport Science

This dual-degree major is only available in the College for Women.

Students who do not gain entry into the DPT program after their junior year complete the remaining course requirements for the B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science

Required Prerequisite Courses (pre-DPT)

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BIOL 1710 & BIOL 1720	Foundations of Biology: Diversity and Evolution with Lab and Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology with Lab	8
BIOL 2610 & BIOL 2620	Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab and Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab	8
CHEM 1110 & CHEM 1120	General Chemistry I with Lab and General Chemistry II with Lab	8
Select one of the following:		8
PHYS 1080 & PHYS 1090	Physics for the Health Sciences I with Lab and Physics for the Health Sciences II with Lab
PHYS 1110 & PHYS 1120	Introductory Physics I with Lab and Introductory Physics II with Lab
PSYC 1001	General Psychology with Lab	4
or PSYC 1000	General Psychology
PSYC 2025	Lifespan Developmental Psychology	4
or PSYC 3010	Understanding Psychological Disorders
Select one of the following:		4
ECON 1080	Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences
ECON 1090	Statistical Analysis for Decision Making
HLTH 1090	Biostatistics
PSYC 1090	Statistical Methods in Psychology
STAT 1089	Statistical Analysis with Corequisite
STAT 1090	Statistical Analysis
40 hours clinical experience (in at least two settings)
Total Credits		44

 Exercise Science Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
EXSS 2660	Introduction to Exercise and Sport Science	4
EXSS 2800W	Introduction to Research Methods in Exercise Science	4
EXSS 3200	Health Behavior Psychology	4
EXSS 3350	Kinesiology and Biomechanics with Lab	4
EXSS 3450	Exercise Physiology with Lab	4
EXSS 3615	Motor Learning and Motor Control	4
EXSS 3750	Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries	2
Total Credits		26

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Psychology

This dual-degree major is only available in the College for Women.

Students who do not gain entry into the DPT program after their junior year complete the remaining course requirements for the B.A. in Psychology.

Required Prerequisite Courses (pre-DPT)

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BIOL 1710 & BIOL 1720	Foundations of Biology: Diversity and Evolution with Lab and Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology with Lab	8
BIOL 2610 & BIOL 2620	Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab and Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab	8
CHEM 1110 & CHEM 1120	General Chemistry I with Lab and General Chemistry II with Lab	8
MATH 1090	Precalculus	4
or MATH 1130	Calculus I
Select one of the following:		8
PHYS 1080 & PHYS 1090	Physics for the Health Sciences I with Lab and Physics for the Health Sciences II with Lab
PHYS 1110 & PHYS 1120	Introductory Physics I with Lab and Introductory Physics II with Lab
40 hours clinical experience (in at least two settings)
Total Credits		36

Psychology Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
PSYC 1001	General Psychology with Lab 1	4
or PSYC 1000	General Psychology
PSYC 1090	Statistical Methods in Psychology 1	4
PSYC 2025	Lifespan Developmental Psychology 1	4
PSYC 3000	Research Methods in Psychology	4
PSYC 3010	Understanding Psychological Disorders	4
PSYC 4220W	History and Systems	4
3000 or 4000 level PSYC Elective		4
Total Credits		28

¹

Also meets prerequisite requirement for the DPT program.

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Public Health: Health Sciences

This dual-degree major is only available in the College for Women.

Students who do not gain entry into the DPT program after their junior year complete the remaining course requirements for the B.S. in Public Health: Health Sciences.

Required Prerequisite Courses (pre-DPT)

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BIOL 1710 & BIOL 1720	Foundations of Biology: Diversity and Evolution with Lab and Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology with Lab	8
CHEM 1110 & CHEM 1120	General Chemistry I with Lab and General Chemistry II with Lab	8
Select one of the following:		8
PHYS 1080 & PHYS 1090	Physics for the Health Sciences I with Lab and Physics for the Health Sciences II with Lab
PHYS 1110 & PHYS 1120	Introductory Physics I with Lab and Introductory Physics II with Lab
PSYC 1001	General Psychology with Lab	4
or PSYC 1000	General Psychology
PSYC 2025	Lifespan Developmental Psychology	4
or PSYC 3010	Understanding Psychological Disorders
Select one of the following:		4
ECON 1080	Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences
ECON 1090	Statistical Analysis for Decision Making
HLTH 1090	Biostatistics
PSYC 1090	Statistical Methods in Psychology
STAT 1089	Statistical Analysis with Corequisite
STAT 1090	Statistical Analysis
40 hours clinical experience (in at least two settings)
Total Credits		36

Public Health: Health Sciences Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Public Health: Health Sciences Courses
HLTH 2050	Foundations in Public Health	4
HLTH 3150	Epidemiology	4
HLTH 3250	Global Health	4
or HLTH 3210	Health Communications
HLTH 3350	Environmental Health	4
HLTH 4700	Practicum Preparation	2
HLTH 4754	Practicum	4
HLTH 4800W	Senior Seminar in Public Health	4
BIOL 2610 & BIOL 2620	Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab and Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab 1	8
MGMT 3850	Healthcare Policy	4
or ECON 3250	Healthcare Economics
Total Credits		38

¹

Also meets prerequisite requirement for the DPT program.

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Graduate Courses Taken During Senior Year

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
DPT 5000	Introduction to Physical Therapist Practice	3
DPT 5010	Outpatient Physical Therapy I	6
DPT 5025	Acute Care I	6
DPT 5035	Outpatient Physical Therapy II	7
DPT 5040	Rehabilitation I	6
DPT 5055	Transitional Care I	7
Total Credits		35

Graduate Courses Taken After Completion of Bachelor's Degree

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
DPT 5070	Clinical Education I	6
DPT 6000	Acute Care II	6
DPT 6015	Rehabilitation II	6
DPT 6025	Transitional Care III	5
DPT 6030	Rehabilitation III	4
DPT 6040	Outpatient Physical Therapy III	7
DPT 6055	Clinical Education II	7
DPT 6060	Pediatrics	6
DPT 7000	Research Project Credits I	2
DPT 7100	Complex Medical and Trauma Care	5
DPT 7040	Research Project Credits II	2
DPT 7126	Advanced Clinical Practice I	4
DPT 7136	Advanced Clinical Practice II	4
DPT 7145	Clinical Education III	7
DPT 7155	Clinical Education IV	7
DPT 7165	Ethics and Leadership Summit	3
DPT 8000	Research Project Credits III	2
Total Credits		83