FAQs

Information sessions can be accessed here. Family and friends are encouraged to attend.

The Charleston Southern University DPT Program encourages everyone to apply and supports an inclusive admissions criterion while we reserve the right to give preference to CSU graduates.

CSU is a private institution. We do not distinguish between in-state and out-of-state applicants.

Classes begin at the end of May.

The DPT program is 31 months, spanning eight consecutive semesters of full-time study.

According to the most recent data from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), approximately 400 applications are submitted annually to each physical therapy school.

PTCAS will be available starting in June, one year prior to anticipated enrollment.

Yes, we will have a rolling admissions cycle.

No, applicants are required to apply through PTCAS.

We accept a bachelor’s degree from any USDE regionally accredited institution, as long as you complete the specific course prerequisites. While the degree you choose will not affect your admissions process, some degrees encompass more prerequisites and better prepare you for PT school. These degrees include kinesiology, public health, biology, health science, and exercise science.

All applicants must earn a Baccalaureate degree, in any major/discipline, and complete prerequisites from an institution that is accredited by the US Department of Education (USDE). All prerequisite coursework must be awarded a letter or numeric grade and completed with a grade of “C” or higher. The following courses are required for matriculation into the DPT Program:

• General Biology I&II with lab; or,
  • General Biology I and upper-level Biology related course (≥ 200 level course)
  • All biology courses must include a lab component
• Human Anatomy and Physiology I&II, with lab; or,
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology with lab
• General Chemistry I&II with lab
• Physics I&II with lab
• Statistics
• Psychology
  • 1 course, beyond introductory level, that includes the study of behavioral, developmental, and/or abnormal psychology in adolescent and adulthood population.
• Medical Terminology or an approved self-study course

Candidates may apply before completing all the prerequisite courses but must have a reasonable chance of completing all the requirements by the time of enrollment in the DPT program.

Any completed prerequisites are recommended to be completed within 10 years prior to the application deadline.

When transcripts show a course that has been repeated, the most recent grade will be used to calculate GPA.

The Department of Physical Therapy accepts non-traditional credit (e.g., AP, IB, CLEP, DSST) toward prerequisite requirements for entry into the DPT program, consistent with CSU Transfer Credit Policy R-32 and Non-Traditional Credit Policy R-5. Medical Terminology may be completed through self-study or transfer credit. Applicants completing Medical Terminology through self-study should provide a certificate of completion.

No. To be considered, applicants must meet all minimum GPA requirements and submit a complete, verified application through PTCAS by the February 1 deadline.

There is no minimum to apply to the DPT Program. However, to be competitive, we recommend the following scores: verbal = 150, quantitative = 150, and analytical writing = 3.8. According to PTCAS, this is the most recent data for applicants accepted into a DPT program.

The GRE code for our school is 2904.

The highest score from each section will be used.

The GRE must be taken within five years of the application cycle opens.

No, it is recommended that you have an understanding of the physical therapy profession. This can be accomplished through observation, volunteer experience, and communication with other health care professionals. It is, also, recommended that you review the APTA website for any current topics/trends.

Yes. The highest qualifying applicants will be invited to participate in a formal interview.

The DPT program requires all students to produce research with faculty mentorship. Travel stipends are available for students that present their research at state or national meetings.

Students complete four full-time clinical education experiences totaling 32 weeks, across outpatient, inpatient, and specialized practice settings. The program maintains clinical affiliation agreements with more than 400 sites across the United States and in Italy. Many placements are available in the greater Charleston area, but students should expect that at least one full-time experience will require relocation or extended travel. Students are responsible for all costs associated with clinical placements, including housing, transportation, and meals.

If a student wishes to pursue a clinical placement at a facility not currently under agreement, the program is open to exploring new affiliations. Students should discuss feasibility with the Director of Clinical Education early, as establishing a new agreement requires contract review by both institutions and can take several months. New affiliations are not guaranteed. Students should not contact facilities directly on the program’s behalf.

Classes typically meet 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The best opportunities for working are during the weekends and over breaks.

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available, up to five per cohort. Students apply at the end of their first semester, and appointments span semesters two through six. Graduate assistants are selected by the Director of Research based on position availability and academic performance, and are assigned to a faculty mentor to support research and/or teaching activities. Assistantships provide tuition remission of three credit hours per semester, for a total of fifteen credit hours. A limited number of work-study positions are also available through the University Writing Center.

Yes. In addition to University-wide financial aid, the Department of Physical Therapy offers two program-specific scholarships. Both are awarded through nomination to students in their fifth semester, no application is required. Nominations may be submitted by program faculty, clinical instructors, or fellow students.

The Pratt Family Physical Therapy Scholarship:
$7,500, one awarded annually

Established by the Pratt family in honor of Pratt Physical Therapy in Ladson, South Carolina, this scholarship is awarded to a well-rounded DPT student who is a resident of the Tri-County area (Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties).

Department of Physical Therapy Service and Leadership Scholarship:
$1,000 each, two awarded annually

Established by the Department of Physical Therapy, this scholarship recognizes DPT students who demonstrate outstanding service and leadership within the community and the physical therapy profession.

Award amounts and availability are subject to annual review.

Graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized federal student loans.
Information regarding federal student aid, including the application
process, can be found at: www.studentaid.gov.

All applicants are required to disclose any previous felony or misdemeanor convictions. A criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from enrolling in our program. However, failure to disclose any past or pending changes may be grounds for immediate dismissal.

Several features set the CSU DPT program apart:

• A 31-month curriculum. Eight consecutive semesters of full-time study, with a December graduation that puts our graduates ahead of the spring cohort for the January NPTE and the job market.
• Professional formation woven throughout. Students develop as practitioners and as people, with intentional attention to professional behaviors, ethical reasoning, and lifelong learning across the full curriculum.
• A faculty-mentored research project. Every student completes original research with a faculty mentor, with the opportunity to present at state and national conferences.
• Four full-time clinical experiences totaling 32 weeks, drawn from a network of more than 400 affiliation agreements across the United States and in Italy.
• International service-learning. Students have the opportunity to participate in an annual mission trip to Costa Rica, delivering care and continuing education alongside faculty.
• Education grounded in Christian mission. The program prepares skilled practitioners who serve their patients, communities, and profession with compassion and humility.
• A dual-degree option.Students may apply to pursue the MBA alongside the DPT.
• Tuition below the national average for private institutions.
• A purpose-built facility.The Health Science building includes a 15,000-square-foot physical therapy wing.

The Doctor of Physical therapy Program at Charleston Southern University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 843-863-7186 or email jtankersley@csuniv.edu.

No. The DPT curriculum is lock-step, with courses sequenced across eight consecutive semesters, so all students complete the full program of study at Charleston Southern University. The program does not accept transfer credit from other institutions in place of required coursework.

Immunization Requirements

• The Department of Physical Therapy requires students to provide proof of the following immunizations prior to beginning clinical experiences at CSU. Each immunization must be dated and signed or stamped by a health care professional or office. Parental signatures are not acceptable.
  • Meningitis Vaccine: CSU recommends the meningitis vaccination for all students.
  • Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR): The student must provide documentation of 2 MMR vaccines given at least 28 days apart or a positive titer showing immunity (this can be from childhood). Students with two documented doses of MMR are not recommended to be serologically tested for immunity. However, if serological testing is completed and the student has a negative titer, the student will need to repeat the 2-shot series. You may be exempt from this requirement only if you are pregnant or trying to conceive, or you are allergic to eggs.
  • Tetanus-Diphtheria: The student must provide documentation of a single Tdap vaccination. If documentation of Tdap is not within the past 10 years, documentation of Tdap vaccine OR Td booster within 10 years is required to be uploaded.
  • Varicella (Chicken Pox): The student must provide evidence of varicella immunity in one of the following ways: 1) Documentation of 2 doses of varicella vaccine given at least 28 days apart (this can be from childhood) OR; 2) Laboratory evidence of immunity through a qualitative titer. PLEASE NOTE: If the student has a negative titer, the student will need to get 2 doses of varicella vaccine, 4 weeks apart and upload all documentation OR; 3) Verification of history of varicella or herpes zoster by a healthcare provider.
  • Hepatitis B: The student must provide documentation of 3 doses of vaccine.
  • TB Screening: All students are required to complete the Health Care Personnel Baseline Individual TB Risk Assessment Form annually.
    • If “Yes” is marked on any of the statements on the Health Care Personnel Baseline Individual TB Risk Assessment Form, the student should begin the process of completing a 2 step PPD and submit it to the DCE.
    • If the student has a history of positive PPDs, a clear chest x-ray will need to be completed before the start of the student’s first clinical experience and as required by clinical sites.
    • A negative Quantiferon TB Gold test will also be accepted in place of a 2-Step PPD.
    • Please note – many clinical sites require PPDs completed no more than 30 days before the rotation start date, so students may be required to complete additional PPD testing.
  • Annual Flu Shot: The student must provide documentation of the annual flu vaccination during the flu season (October 1- March 31, or dates defined by the CDC) while enrolled in DPT Program.
  • COVID-19:  The student must provide documentation of either one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine or two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
  • All students must also meet the SC State Law Immunization Requirements for health care workers per the health care industry standard: https://www2a.cdc.gov/vaccines/statevaccsApp/Administration.asp?statetmp=SC.

We do not consider refunds after the seat deposit deadline of January 15th.

Applications will follow the PTCAS cycle, opening each year in summer, and remain open until the date we publish for closing.

The seat deposit is applied to your student account when you matriculate into the program.

Students are eligible to register for the NPTE to gain a license to practice physical therapy after completing all graduation requirements for the DPT Program. December graduates will be eligible to take the NPTE in January.

Minimum prerequisite GPA ≥ 3.0/4.0

Preferred cumulative GPA ≥ 3.0/4.0