Loras College undergraduates pursuing a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy soon will be able to continue their physical therapy graduate studies at St. Ambrose University under a new partnership between the two Iowa colleges.
Through the fast-track program to be offered by Davenport-based St. Ambrose and Dubuque-based Loras students will be able to complete a bachelors and a doctor of physical therapy degree in accelerated time – five and a half years – thanks to a 3+2.5-year articulation agreement.
In addition to an accelerated doctoral completion deadline, the agreement guarantees the top five Loras student interviews with St. Ambrose’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program as part of the application process.
The St. Ambrose Physical Therapy Department consists of a DPT program and an Orthopedic Residency program. The DPT program provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver high-quality physical therapy services and includes training in clinical decision-making and evidence-based practice, and skills to care for medically complex patients. The DPT students learn in a person-centered and inter-professional environment with the seven other healthcare programs in the College of Health and Human Service including Kinesiology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant, Public Health, Social Work and Speech and Language Pathology.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for physical therapists is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations at 18% through 2029 because of aging baby boomers, St. Ambrose reported in a news release. St. Ambrose DPT students meet this healthcare workforce demand with an ultimate licensure pass rate of 100% and 100% job placement rate within one year.
St. Ambrose Provost Paul Koch, Ph.D., said, “We are eager to provide this opportunity to Loras College students as we continue to build our partnership to ensure enhanced access through multiple pathways for students. We remain committed to serving the healthcare needs of the region, including rural healthcare, through programs such as this.”
Loras College Provost Donna Heald, Ph.D., said “We are delighted that Loras College students will have the opportunity to pursue the DPT degree on an accelerated timeline at St. Ambrose University. Physical therapy is an area of interest for a significant number of our students, and we know that many will appreciate the tuition savings and ability to become a licensed physical therapist in five and a half years instead of the standard seven years.”
Loras faculty are developing degree plans so students entering Loras can complete their general education requirements, major requirements, and prerequisite courses for the DPT program in their first three years as a Duhawk. Loras College students who have completed the application requirements and achieved an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher will be eligible to apply in their junior year for admission to St. Ambrose’s DPT program.
If accepted into the DPT program, students will transition to St. Ambrose University in their fourth year and will be awarded a bachelor’s degree from Loras after the successful completion of their first year of courses at St. Ambrose. Students who successfully complete all requirements will be awarded the DPT degree from St. Ambrose University at the conclusion of two and a half years.
The first cohort of Loras students may apply for admission to the 3+2.5 DPT program at St. Ambrose University for the fall 2024.
