Pre-Physical Therapy
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 Program 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 sixth year, students will complete the DPT Program while enrolled as graduate students.
If students wish to apply to other PT programs, beyond St. Kate’s, they should not complete the dual degree program. Instead, students should complete a Bachelor’s Degree in a standard major and complete the necessary PT prerequisite courses for the school of their interest. Students should contact the schools of interest to learn about their specific admission requirements.
There are two options for starting the dual degree program at St. Kate's:
- Applying via the Early Admission Program (EAP) in high school
- Declaring one of the DPT Dual Degree majors while enrolled at St. Kate’s.
Both options require students to apply for the dual degree program by their junior year. Please see the next tab for more information about the application process and curriculum for both options.
Early Admission for High School Seniors
Apply on/or before February 15 of senior year of high school. 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. Applicants must meet the following requirements for consideration:
- ACT score of 24 or greater
- 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 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)
- Recommended: Eight hours of observation/and or volunteering in a physical therapy setting
- All additional requirements noted in the "Admissions Requirements (All Applicants)" section below
Early admission Pre-PT students who have met all admission and application criteria and have met with their DPT advisor (Dr. Hugo Klaers, PT, DPT, OCS) at least once by the end of their first year will be given priority when they apply in their junior year, before other Dual-Degree Pre-PT applicants are considered. Dr. Klaers can be reached at hrklaers@stkate.edu
Admissions Requirements (All Applicants)
To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following academic 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.
- Student who have not been enrolled at St. Catherine University for at least two years should reach out to the admissions co-chair (Dr. Hugo Klaers, PT, DPT, OCS) at hrklaers@stkate.edu to petition to apply for admission to the dual degree DPT 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 with a cumulative GPA 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 accepted at St. Kate's
- 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 grade of C for all pre-requisite courses
- No more than 3 prerequisite courses may be outstanding (e.g. ungraded or incomplete) when a student applies to the DPT program
- An undergraduate cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.4 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- 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 tab on this page
- 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:
- Submit your PTCAS Application
- Applications open on June 15th before a student's junior year
- Applications are due December 1st of a student’s junior or senior year
- The DPT Admission Committee will complete the review process after fall grades are posted
- Students will hear back by the end of December or the beginning of January if they are accepted into the program
- If students are accepted, they will begin their first year of graduate classes (the dual degree year) the following fall
- For 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.
- No GRE required
- Clinical Experience - 40 hours of observation (PT verified). At a minimum, one setting is required for the clinical experience, but students are encouraged to observe/shadow in a variety of settings to gain exposure to different PT practices. Completing more than 40 hours across 2 or more settings will not increase the likelhood of admission into the program
- Video Interview - Applicants will participate in a video-based interview
- The Kira Talent platform requires applicants to complete two video-recorded responses to prompts (similar to a face-to-face interview).
- Applicants receive the prompt, have a few seconds to prepare their answer, and then two minutes in which to record their response to the prompt
- Two Timed PTCAS Essays
- For the written essays, applicants are given a prompt and 10 minutes to complete their essays
- The whole process, including setup, takes about 30-40 minutes on average
- Possible Prompts for both tasks:
- Healthcare and PT Understanding
- Leadership Qualities
- Stress Management
- Diversity
- Situational Judgement
- Ethical Considerations
- Conflict Resolution
- Service Experiences
- Two References
- One must be an academic reference (professor or academic advisor)
- One must be a professional reference (PT or supervisor)
- The online recommendation form will be sent through PTCAS after the applicant enters the reference’s contact information in the application
- Student should enter contact information for recommendations prior to submitting their final application to avoid delays
- 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 all official transcripts be sent directly from every post-secondary institution attended to PTCAS, including their official St. Kate’s transcript.
- PLEASE NOTE: St. Kate’s cannot forward any transcripts to PTCAS. Requesting transcripts is the responsibility of the applicant.
- 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 University.
- 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.
St. Catherine University Application Checklist & Scoring
Before starting the PT program, students must complete 85 credits and ALL requirements noted here: all DPT prerequisites, liberal arts core requirements, and major coursework in the field of study. The curricula below includes 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 the 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 sixth years.
**Students not admitted to the graduate program or who choose not to complete a dual degree program will 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.**
Courses Required for Admission to the PT Program:
| Area | Requirement | Semester Credits | SCU Courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | General Biology I | 3-4 | BIOL 1710 |
| Biology | General Biology II | 3-4 | BIOL 1720 |
| Biology | Human Anatomy w/Lab | 4 | BIOL 2610, BIOL 2400 |
| Biology | Human Physiology w/Lab | 4 | BIOL 2620, BIOL 2410 |
| Chemistry | General Chemistry | 8 | CHEM 1110, 1120 |
| Physics | Physics Sequence | 8 | PHYS 1080, PHYS 1090 |
| Psychology | Psychology Courses | 6-8 | PSYC 1000, PSYC 2020, PSYC 3010 |
| Mathematics | Statistics | 3-4 | STAT 1090, PSYC 1090, HLTH 1090, ECON 1090 |
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)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS 1080 & PHYS 1090 | Physics for the Health Sciences I with Lab and Physics for the Health Sciences II with Lab | 8 |
| PSYC 1001/1000 | General Psychology with Lab | 4 |
| PSYC 2025/2020 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 4 |
| or PSYC 3010 | Understanding Psychological Disorders | |
| Total Credits | 16 | |
Biology Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 1110 & CHEM 1120 | General Chemistry I with Lab and General Chemistry II with Lab 1 | 8 |
| STAT/HLTH/ECON/PSYC 1090 | Statistical Analysis 1 | 4 |
| 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 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
3000 or 4000 level BIOL Course | ||
| Kinesiology and Biomechanics with Lab | ||
| BIOL 4860W | Senior Seminar | 4 |
| Total Credits | 42 | |
- 1
Also meets prerequisite requirement for DPT program.
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)
| 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 |
| PHYS 1080 & PHYS 1090 | Physics for the Health Sciences I with Lab and Physics for the Health Sciences II with Lab | 8 |
| PSYC 1001/1000 | General Psychology with Lab | 4 |
| PSYC 2025/2020 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 4 |
| or PSYC 3010 | Understanding Psychological Disorders | |
| STAT/ECON/HLTH/PSYC 1090 | Statistical Analysis | 4 |
| Total Credits | 44 | |
Exercise Science Courses
| 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 | |
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)
| 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 |
| PHYS 1080 & PHYS 1090 | Physics for the Health Sciences I with Lab and Physics for the Health Sciences II with Lab | 8 |
| Total Credits | 32 | |
Psychology Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 1001/1000 | General Psychology with Lab 1 | 4 |
| PSYC 1090 | Statistical Methods in Psychology 1 | 4 |
| PSYC 2025/2020 | 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.
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)
| 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 |
| PHYS 1080 & PHYS 1090 | Physics for the Health Sciences I with Lab and Physics for the Health Sciences II with Lab | 8 |
| PSYC 1001/1000 | General Psychology with Lab | 4 |
| PSYC 2025/2020 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 4 |
| or PSYC 3010 | Understanding Psychological Disorders | |
| STAT/HLTH/ECON/PSYC 1090 | Statistical Analysis | 4 |
| Total Credits | 44 | |
Public Health: Health Sciences Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health: Health Sciences Courses | ||
| HLTH 2050 | Foundations in Public Health | 4 |
| HLTH 3150 | Epidemiology | 4 |
| HLTH 3210 | Health Communications | 3 |
| HLTH 3350 | Environmental Health | 4 |
| HLTH 4700 | Practicum Preparation | 2 |
| HLTH 4754 | Practicum | 4 |
| HLTH 4800W | Senior Seminar in Public Health | 4 |
| MGMT 3850 | Healthcare Policy | 4 |
| or ECON 3250 | Healthcare Economics | |
| Total Credits | 29 | |
Graduate Courses Taken During Senior Year
| 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 5053 | Transitional Care I | 3 |
| Total Credits | 31 | |
Graduate Courses Taken After Completion of Bachelor's Degree
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DPT 5054 | Transitional Care II | 4 |
| DPT 5070 | Clinical Education I | 6 |
| DPT 5100 | Community Engaged Learning I | 1 |
| DPT 6000 | Acute Care II | 6 |
| DPT 6015 | Rehabilitation II | 6 |
| DPT 6025 | Transitional Care III | 5 |
| DPT 6100 | Community Engaged Learning II | 1 |
| 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 7146 | Advanced Clinical Practice | 6 |
| DPT 7145 | Clinical Education III | 7 |
| DPT 7155 | Clinical Education IV | 7 |
| DPT 7200 | Physical Therapy Capstone | 3 |
| DPT 8120 | Research Project III | 2 |
| Total Credits | 87 | |