Frequently Asked Questions

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Harding 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:  www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 501-279-5990 or email pt@harding.edu.

The program is a block curriculum program for three years which is comprised of eight consecutive semesters.

You may apply when the application date is posted on the Admissions and Application web page site for the beginning of a class year.  You apply through PTCAS, the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service.  You should be nearing the completion of your undergraduate degree with completion of most of the course prerequisites.  If you lack some prerequisites, you may still apply.  If you lack observation hours, you may still apply.  If you haven't yet taken the GRE, you may still apply.  However, it is important to note that if your application is incomplete, it may affect our ability to effectively evaluate your application packet.

Tuition is charged as a flat rate per semester that remains the same throughout the academic year. The per semester (eight semesters) Fall 2024 tuition is $13,530 which includes the cost of the mission practicum in the third year.  Students will also be responsible for the technology fee of $324 per semester and a graduation course fee. There will be additional costs of books, equipment, laptop, living expenses, and travel to clinical sites that are the students' responsibility.

The program requires an on-site interview prior to admission to the program.  All expenses related to travel for the interview are the student's responsibility.

Thirty-five (35) students will be accepted for admission into class entering the program each fall.

The Mission Practicum is a required course experience and occurs in the third year of the curriculum between the fall and spring semesters.  It is an international experience utilizing physical therapy skills in a mission setting.

The student is required set up one of the five of their clinical internships, and the Director of Clinical Education (DCE) will explain the procedure once the student begins the program.  The student is allowed to set up more than one experience with the approval of the DCE.

The student is required to complete five 8-week clinical internships and the student must complete an acute care, orthopedic and adult neuro-rehab internship to successfully complete the program.  The internships can be anywhere in the United States, but the student will be able to choose from a list of available sites.

The student will be responsible for any housing and food costs during the time of their internships.  In addition, the student will be required to meet the dress code of the site they are attending.

You can take the GRE at any time, but the sooner that you are able to take it, the better for the application process.

The impact that the GRE has on the application depends entirely on the strength of the applications we receive.  Anyone with  strong GRE score and strong grades will make for a strong application, thus greatly improving his/her chances of acceptance.  The sooner that you can complete your application portfolio, the better for  your status.

Harding's institution code is 6267. The departmental code is 0619.  You need to use both the institution and departmental codes to ensure that your scores are received.

No. Other measures of aptitude through testing may not be substituted for the GRE. The Graduate Record Examination General Test comprised of verbal, quantitative and analytical (writing) sections are required as part of the application process.

The Physical Therapy Program curriculum is rigorous, with a heavy study load. Successful completion will require the full attention of each student. Students are strongly discouraged from working while enrolled in the Program.  No accommodations will be made in the didactic schedule or in clinical rotations for students who choose to work.

Yes. If you are accepted into the Program before you complete the required coursework, your acceptance will be on provisional status until records of your coursework and/or graduation are received. No student will be allowed to matriculate into the Program if all prerequisite requirements are not met. Because of the various factors considered in selecting applicants, you are encouraged to complete the majority of prerequisites before applying.

It is recommended that applicants seek references from individuals who are well acquainted with them academically and/or professionally. A professional reference would be from persons who have supervised you in work or volunteer clinical experiences. Applicants should obtain references from both areas. The person writing the reference should be acquainted with the applicant for a significant period of time. A reference from a personal friend is usually not considered a good choice.

Each candidate for a Physical Therapy degree must secure credit in the approved courses of the Physical Therapy curriculum totaling 110 semester hours.  In securing this credit students must maintain a cumulative and per semester GPA in all professional course work of at least 3.0. and no grades less than "C" in any given course. A student who fails to attain a 3.0 GPA in any academic semester will be placed on academic probation and notified in writing by the Program Director of this status.

Financial aid may be available to most Harding students in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, veterans' and other programs. These funds are administered wholly or in part by the Office of Financial Aid Services. Requests for information and assistance should be directed to:

Mailing address:
Harding University
Physical Therapy
Box 12282
Searcy, AR 72149-5615

or call 501-279-4081

1-800-477-3243 (toll free)

finaidgrad@harding.edu

Each student will need to complete a FAFSA (www.studentaid.gov) to determine eligibility for Direct loans. This can be done prior to acceptance into the program. Prior to acceptance, you may begin your financial planning by going to: www.harding.edu/finaid. Once accepted into the Program, you will be given access to Harding's Pipeline where you will have direct access to your financial aid awards.

Federal aid is available to qualified applicants.  Federal financial aid (including Direct Unsubsidized and Grad Plus) can cover the entire cost associated with attendance in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

Applicants are encouraged to seek assistance from other sources (scholarships, grants, etc.). Information and application forms should be requested from clubs, organizations, foundations and agencies as soon as possible after applying for admission to the Program. Many libraries have resource information on other kinds of financial aid. Also, there are Internet sites that provide free scholarship searches (e.g. www.fastweb.com, www.wiredscholar.com and www.finaid.org).