Doctor of Physical Therapy

 

Overview

Move toward a fulfilling career in the unique Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at Indiana Wesleyan University. Our DPT program is dedicated to the development of autonomous practitioners, motivated through faith, who can effect change toward healthy outcomes for the individual, and the local, regional, national and global community through service, leadership, advocacy and exemplary, evidence-based clinical practice. The PT field is projected to grow 22% through 2028, which means high demand for PTs and for the developed clinical skills you’ll gain through this program.

As with all Health Sciences programs at IWU, the DPT program will be congruent with the Mission and Vision of the College of Arts & Sciences and Indiana Wesleyan University, enabling students to find an overriding purpose for their lives, equips them to make life decisions based on this purpose, and empowers them to develop this purpose into world-changing leadership.



Apply Now through PTCAS


Important Application Dates

  • PTCAS Application portal opens - June 15
  • Final Application deadline - March 1

Interview Dates

  • February 2nd, 2024
 

What Makes the IWU DPT Program Unique?

Student Outcomes have been determined through a coordinated, Christ-centered lens that encompasses the mission and vision of the University, the School of Health Sciences, the Department of Physical Therapy and the ethical principles delineated by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Therefore, upon completion of the DPT program, the graduate will demonstrate proficiency in the following areas:

  1. Servant leadership and advocacy – Graduates of the DPT program will be adept at advocating for their patients’ needs and the profession’s behalf through servant leadership within their community, the profession and the interprofessional healthcare team. 
  2. Integrity and moral character – Graduates of the DPT program will reflect a Christ-likeness in their relationships with patients, families, colleagues, students, research participants, other healthcare providers and the public with pervasive veracity of moral character.
  3. Trustworthy, compassionate, and respectful care - Graduates of the DPT program will provide holistic care to patients and others that incorporate cultural, spiritual and individual differences with effective and sensitive verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills.
  4. Evidence-based, innovative practice with sound, reflective professional judgements- Graduates of the DPT program will provide exemplary clinical practice based on responsible, life-long assimilation of professional standards and evidence, expertise, patient values, and resources. Graduates will work collaboratively within an interprofessional team for optimal patient outcomes and health.
  5. Scholarship and research – Graduates of the DPT program will advance the body of knowledge for best clinical practice through collaborative research and critical analysis of current evidence.
  6. Global perspective – Graduates of the DPT program will embrace global initiatives that address healthcare needs of worldwide communities, and advocate and serve on their behalf. 
  7. Responsible practice management – Graduates of the DPT program will execute their professional duty, while being fiscally responsible stewards to benefit patients and society.

Due to our strength as the largest private University in the state of Indiana, IWU has access to classroom and lab resources that are unrivaled in our region.  At Indiana Wesleyan University, students learn in unique state-of-the-art facilities and lab spaces, including a well-equipped sensory-based pediatric lab, and an anatomy and neuroanatomy cadaver lab outfitted with media-based technologies.  Our human motion and musculoskeletal labs include XSensor® pressure mapping technology utilized for assessing and managing seating systems and a Dynavision2® machine to evaluate and treat visual motor integration.  Additionally, we have an entire three-bedroom “ADL House” offering students hands-on, realistic opportunities to develop assessment and training skills in environmental modifications, functional mobility and transfers, adaptive equipment, and improving skills to perform activities of daily living.  We have the only lab in an OT educational program in Indiana with a Bertec® computerized dynamic posturography machine for evaluating and addressing balance and mobility issues.  Finally, we have a state-of-the-art human motion capture laboratory utilizing 14 interconnected high-speed cameras which produces three-dimensional models of human movement patterns.

The DPT program is privileged to be part of the School of Health Sciences at Indiana Wesleyan University. As the largest private University in the state of Indiana as well as the largest institution in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), IWU’s classroom and laboratory resources are outstanding.  DPT students will learn in unique state-of-the-art facilities and lab spaces, including an anatomy cadaver lab outfitted with media-based technologies. Along with OTD students, our students will utilize human motion and musculoskeletal labs include XSensor® pressure mapping technology utilized for assessing and managing seating systems and a Dynavision2® machine to evaluate and treat visual motor integration. The state-of-the-art human motion capture laboratory with 14 interconnected high-speed cameras to produces three-dimensional models of human movement patterns.will be used in coursework and research.  Further, we have one of a very few Bertec® computerized dynamic posturography systems in Indiana for evaluating and addressing balance and mobility issues.  Finally, we have an entire three-bedroom “ADL House” offering students hands-on, realistic opportunities to develop assessment and training skills in environmental modifications, functional mobility and transfers, adaptive equipment, and improving skills to facilitate patient performance of activities of daily living. 

 

 

Questions?

Don't hesitate to  call 765-677-2572 or email us  physical.therapy@indwes.edu with any questions and/or if interested in receiving email updates regarding program progress.      


Accreditation

Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org, 312-263-0456. Other accreditations and associations of Indiana Wesleyan University are available at www.indwes.edu/about/iwu-profile/accreditation.

Effective April 27, 2021, Indiana Wesleyan University DPT program has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 765-677-3698 or email physical.therapy@indwes.edu.

Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT;www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website.


Complaints outside due process from external stakeholders may be made  here by following the page to the Complaint Form link. Retaliation is prohibited following complaint submission. All submission resolutions are overseen by the associate provost in collaboration with the program director and/or dean of the School of Health Sciences as appropriate.

Tuition & Financial Aid

 

 Cost of Attendance

 

DPT Program Spring  Trimester

DPT Program Summer Trimester

DPT Program Fall Trimester

Total Cost of Program Academic Year

Total Cost of Program (3-year program cost, May 2024 cohort)

Tuition

$11,288

$11,288

$11,288

$33,864

 $101,592.00

Student Life Fee

$90 $90 $180

$540

Books and Supplies

$4,000.00

Parking Fee

 

 

$60.00

$120.00

Background Check

$135.60

Graduation Fee

$150.00

Total

$106,537.60

Payment for each term is due by April 30th for Summer, August 15th for Fall, and December 15th for Spring. Course textbooks, parking fees and fees for background checks and immunizations required to start the program are not included in the costs listed above.

Costs may change if you withdraw from the program and restart in a future program at a later date.


Financial Aid

For information about financial aid, call  765-677-2116, visit our  financial aid webpage, or email   finaid@indwes.edu.

Published tuition and fees are subject to change.

Financial Aid Office
4201 S. Washington St.
Marion, IN 46953
866-468-6498
765-677-2116
Fax: 765-677-2809




Accreditation

Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org, 312-263-0456. Other accreditations and associations of Indiana Wesleyan University are available at www.indwes.edu/about/iwu-profile/accreditation.

Effective April 27, 2021, Indiana Wesleyan University DPT program has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 765-677-3698 or email physical.therapy@indwes.edu.

Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT;www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website.


Complaints outside due process from external stakeholders may be made  here by following the page to the Complaint Form link. Retaliation is prohibited following complaint submission. All submission resolutions are overseen by the associate provost in collaboration with the program director and/or dean of the School of Health Sciences as appropriate.

Courses

Year One

Year 1, Trimester 1 SUMMER

DPT-701,DPT-702,DPT-721,DPT-741,DPT-761

Total 14 credit hours

Year 1, Trimester 2 FALL

DPT-703,DPT-711,DPT-722,DPT-742,DPT-762

Total 12 credit hours

Year 1, Trimester 3 SPRING

DPT-704,DPT-712,DPT-723,DPT-731,DPT-743,DPT-763

Total 16 credit hours

Total for Year One 42 credit hours


Year Two

Year 2, Trimester 4 SUMMER

DPT-751,DPT-713,DPT-724,DPT-732,DPT-744,DPT-771

Total 17 credit hours

Year 2, Trimester 5 FALL

DPT-705,DPT-714,DPT-725,DPT-733,DPT-745,DPT-764

Total 16 credit hours

Year 2, Trimester 6 SPRING

DPT-752,DPT-753,DPT-726,DPT-734,DPT-746,DPT-765

Total 15 credit hours

Total Credits for Year Two 48 credit hours


Year Three

Year 3, Trimester 7 SUMMER

DPT-747,DPT-727,DPT-735,DPT-895,DPT-866

Total 13 credit hours

Year 3, Trimester 8 FALL

DPT-748,DPT-881,DPT-882

Total 12 credit hours

Year 3, Trimester 9 SPRING

DPT-849,DPT-883

Total 9 credit hours

Total Credits for Year Three 34 credit hours

Total Overall Credits: 124 Credit Hours




Accreditation

Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org, 312-263-0456. Other accreditations and associations of Indiana Wesleyan University are available at www.indwes.edu/about/iwu-profile/accreditation.

Effective April 27, 2021, Indiana Wesleyan University DPT program has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 765-677-3698 or email physical.therapy@indwes.edu.

Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT;www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website.


Complaints outside due process from external stakeholders may be made  here by following the page to the Complaint Form link. Retaliation is prohibited following complaint submission. All submission resolutions are overseen by the associate provost in collaboration with the program director and/or dean of the School of Health Sciences as appropriate.

Requirements

Below are the lists of requirements for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Click on each link to expand the requirements. If you have any questions about the admissions process, feel free to contact one of our admissions representatives at 765-677-2572 or email physical.therapy@indwes.edu.

 

Admission Requirements

  • An earned undergraduate baccalaureate degree of any kind from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale documented with official transcripts. The degree need not be completed at the time of application but must be completed prior to program enrollment.
  • Completion of the following prerequisite coursework from an accredited institution with a grade of “C” or better before the start of DPT coursework:
    • Sciences: Science GPA must be >3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Courses may not be > 5 years old. :
      • Anatomy and Physiology– one semester each or a combined two-semester series. 
      • Physics- two semesters with a laboratory component. 
      • Chemistry- two semesters with a laboratory component.
      • Biology- one semester with a laboratory component.
    • Humanities and Social Sciences: one course in each of the following areas:
      • Psychology
      • Sociology
    • Statistics: one course
  • Completion of at least 60 verifiable clinical observation hours completed with a licensed physical therapist.
    • At least 20 hours each are required to take place in an in-patient setting.
  • Two Letters of Recommendation, one from:
    • A professor who is qualified to assess your academic performance.
    • A licensed physical therapist.
  • Interview component 

Graduation Requirements

  • All credits required in the program of study with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
  • Minimum grade in each course of “B-“ or higher or a “pass” in pass/fail courses.
  • Successful completion of all Clinical Education courses to include site assessment documentation.
  • Payment of all program tuition and fees is required to receive a diploma.

 




Accreditation

Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org, 312-263-0456. Other accreditations and associations of Indiana Wesleyan University are available at www.indwes.edu/about/iwu-profile/accreditation.

Effective April 27, 2021, Indiana Wesleyan University DPT program has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 765-677-3698 or email physical.therapy@indwes.edu.

Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT;www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website.


Complaints outside due process from external stakeholders may be made  here by following the page to the Complaint Form link. Retaliation is prohibited following complaint submission. All submission resolutions are overseen by the associate provost in collaboration with the program director and/or dean of the School of Health Sciences as appropriate.

Start Dates

Below are the program locations, upcoming dates, and meeting times for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. This list is updated regularly as new classes are added.

Classes begin May 2024




Accreditation

Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org, 312-263-0456. Other accreditations and associations of Indiana Wesleyan University are available at www.indwes.edu/about/iwu-profile/accreditation.

Effective April 27, 2021, Indiana Wesleyan University DPT program has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 765-677-3698 or email physical.therapy@indwes.edu.

Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT;www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website.


Complaints outside due process from external stakeholders may be made  here by following the page to the Complaint Form link. Retaliation is prohibited following complaint submission. All submission resolutions are overseen by the associate provost in collaboration with the program director and/or dean of the School of Health Sciences as appropriate.

Staff


stover-headshot.jpg

Dominique Stover

Administrative Assistant

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Jared Young

Program Assistant & LMS Coordinator OTD/DPT


Faculty


alexis cross - PT; DPT

Assistant Professor; Clinical Education Director
alexis.cross@indwes.edu

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brittney millspaugh storms - PT; DPT; MBA; NCS

Associate Professor; Anatomist
britt.storms@indwes.edu

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carly ritter - PT, DPT, OCS

Assistant Professor; Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist
carly.ritter@indwes.edu

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connie crump - PT; DPT

Assistant Professor
connie.crump@indwes.edu

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haley juber - PT, DPT

Assistant Professor
haley.juber@indwes.edu

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paul sung - PT, PhD, DHSC

Professor
paul.sung@indwes.edu

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phillip palmer - PT, Ph.D.

Professor
phil.palmer@indwes.edu

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phyllis rowland - PT, PhD, PCS, C/NDT

Assistant Professor
phyllis.rowland@indwes.edu

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priya pockyarath - PT; DPT; OMPT

Assistant Professor
priya.pockyarath@indwes.edu

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robert friberg - PT; Ph.D.; M.Ed.; L.P.C.; CFMT

Professor and DPT Program Director
robert.friberg@indwes.edu

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