Frequently Asked Questions
For additional questions, contact the Office of Admissions at 419-434-4732.
What is the cost of the program?
Our graduate programs are billed by the credit hour per term. The cost of each credit hour in the DPT program can be found on the
Graduate Charges website. There are a total of 108 credit hours in the Weekend PTA to DPT Bridge program - please
click here to view the program curriculum. There are university fees as well as occasional course fees in addition to the tuition.
Is there financial aid available? Scholarships?
There is financial aid available in the form of federal loans. There are no scholarships or grants available through Findlay for graduate students. Outside scholarships from companies and organizations can be accepted towards tuition. Findlay does offer graduate assistantship positions; however these would not be a good fit given this program requires students to continue their PTA work for a minimum of 40 hours each month while in didactic portion of the program. Findlay does work with companies who offer tuition remission benefits, which is an option for some students in this program. Learn more about graduate financial aid by
clicking here.
What is the length of program? How is the coursework and clinicals structured?
It begins in January with 2 years and 3 months of didactic coursework. At the conclusion of all didactic coursework in March of the third year, the students will begin their full-time clinical experiences. The three 10-week full time clinical experiences are scheduled consecutively and are completed in November of the third year of the program. Degree conferral is at the end of 3 years in December.
As a PTA, why should I choose Findlay's Weekend PTA to DPT Bridge Program over another DPT Program?
The University of Findlay's Weekend PTA to DPT Bridge Program was established in 1997 is the longest-established DPT program specifically designed to Bridge a PTA to a DPT. We know, understand, and embrace the PTA. We value the prior knowledge and work experiences the PTA brings to the classroom. We have the experience to assist you and support you in your career goal to bridge from a PTA to a DPT. Everyone else in your cohort will be a PTAs. Our students have found this to be invaluable. While other programs may require you to move to be near campus or attend for a week or more at a time, you can complete Findlay's program from anywhere in the country, with approximately six visits to campus in the fall, 12 visits between January and June, and minimal to no travel in the summer term. Furthermore, you can continue working as a PTA during the program. In fact, we require an average of 40 hours per month.
Are classes held year-round? What is the schedule like?
Classes during the didactic portion of the program are scheduled in four academic terms per year - Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. The Winter, Spring, and Fall terms are each approximately 12 weeks long and classes are typically held every other weekend, for a total of six class meetings per term. The Summer term is 10 weeks and classes include asynchronous online components and may include synchronous and in-person components. This results in approximately 18 class meetings per year in years one and two, and six meetings total in year three. This schedule is subject to change.
What days constitute "weekend," and what times of day are classes held?
Weekend classes are typically held on Fridays and Saturdays. Classes can be scheduled anytime between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., although the exact course schedule will vary by term. The schedule may dictate when students choose to travel to campus - if classes begin early on Friday morning or end in the evening on Saturday, this may extend the time students choose to stay in Findlay. Periodically students are required to attend on a Thursday. Currently, we do not hold courses on Sundays. This schedule is subject to change.
Are there online components to the coursework?
Yes. The online components are important and will occupy a considerable part of your time when you are not on campus. Fall, Winter, and Spring terms have online/distance components as well as on-campus weekends. The summer terms include asynchronous online components and may include synchronous and in-person components. This schedule is subject to change.
How much study time is required outside of the class meetings?
Dependent upon the individual student and course schedule, the student should plan to spend up to 20-25 hours per week or more studying outside of the scheduled class meetings, in order to be successful in the program.
Is it possible to complete the program from out of state?
Absolutely. We have had students commute from 43 different states for this program, including students from Florida, Texas, California, and Washington.
Where do students in the program stay while in Findlay for classes?
Students typically use one of two options. There are local hotels in town that provide a University of Findlay student discount. There is one in particular that provides a weekend student discount. Students will often find classmates to share a room to reduce the cost of accommodations. Students recently have also found affordable Airbnb homes in which to stay.
Can clinicals be done in a different state?
Yes. Clinical affiliations can be completed in any state in which we can obtain a contract. We have clinicals set up throughout the country, but if there is not one available within a reasonable driving distance of your home, we will work with you to set up new clinical affiliations near you. Clinicals cannot be completed within the same healthcare system you currently work as a PTA, or have recently worked as a PTA in the last 5 years.
How does the program handle bad weather for those traveling from out of state?
The program has a strict attendance policy. Students are expected to make appropriate and safe arrangements for travel considering weather conditions. In rare situations, when weather conditions or other true emergency situations make it impossible for a student to arrive at campus, we work with that student individually and in nearly all cases, consider it an unavoidable emergency absence. Generally, students can use technology to virtually visit campus when those unsafe, urgent conditions arise, or flights are cancelled. Non-emergent absences are not encouraged; however, the attendance policy does account for select life commitments outside of class time.
Where should I take the prerequisite courses?
The prerequisite courses and labs must be taken at regionally accredited institutions, and the course content must match our prerequisites. Please note that if the courses were taken as part of the BSPTA from PIMA or the BSHS at Professional Skills institute, those courses will meet the corresponding pre-requisite even though they are from a non-regionally accredited university. You should utilize Transferology to select appropriate prerequisite courses, or review past coursework to determine whether it will be accepted.
Please click here to access our Transferology Guide that provides step by step instructions on using this tool. If you have coursework that you believe matches our pre-requisites, please contact
[email protected] to inquire about course substitution.
How do you calculate cumulative and prerequisite GPA for admission?
Students who apply must have a 3.0 overall GPA (considering all college courses taken) and a minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0 to be considered for acceptance. Students who have been accepted over the years have had anywhere from a 3.0 GPA to a 4.0 GPA. The average entering GPA and Science GPA are around 3.4/ 3.5 on a yearly basis. Any courses with a grade below a "C" will not transfer but will be included in the cumulative grade point average. Thus if a student earned a C- or lower in one of the prerequisites, that course will need to be repeated. If a student has a cumulative GPA of between a 2.95 and 3.0, they may request that the last 64 hours of post-secondary work be considered in order to be eligible for application to the program.
What if the school I attended for my PTA program was not regionally accredited?
In order for us to recognize a PTA degree, the PTA program must be CAPTE accredited. As long as the PTA program is CAPTE accredited, the regional accreditation status of the school is not important.
Do you accept online prerequisite coursework, labs, and bachelor's degrees?
Yes - if the following criteria are met. Bachelor's degrees must be from a regionally accredited institution. Bachelor’s degrees from nationally accredited schools are not acceptable, with the exception of the BSPTA program from Pima Medical Institute which can be accepted. Prerequisite courses and labs must be taken at regionally accredited institutions, and the course content must match our prerequisite. You should utilize Transferology to select appropriate prerequisite courses, or review past coursework to determine whether it will be accepted. Please
click here to access our Transferology Guide that provides step by step instructions on using this tool.
Is there a time limit for prerequisites taken in the past?
There is no time limit requirement in place for any of our prerequisites. Prerequisite courses can have been taken any number of years ago, with no requirement to retake a course.
How do I know if my prerequisites meet the requirement for admission?
We use a free, online system called Transferology to share information about how courses transfer into Findlay from other schools.
Click here for a list of our prerequisites. Transferology can evaluate courses you have taken in the past, or help you select courses to take in the future to meet our requirements. Please
click here to access our Transferology Guide that provides step by step instructions on using this tool. If any of your courses appear not to meet our prerequisites on Transferology, please use the “Request More Information” button and note the course(s) you have questions about.
Where is the nearest airport?
- Toledo’s airport is about 50 minutes from campus. This is a smaller airport with limited flight options.
- Detroit is the next closest airport to campus, at about 1 hour and 30 minutes away, and is likely the best option for a direct flight.
- Dayton’s airport is about 1 hour and 40 minutes from campus. It has more flight options than Toledo, but less than Detroit or Columbus.
- Columbus’s airport is about 1 hour and 45 minutes from campus. Columbus Airport is the one with the most concerns of hitting rush hour traffic.
- Cleveland’s airport is about 2 hours from campus.
- Travel from airports in Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, and Dayton is generally a bit less complicated.
Where should I get a bachelor’s degree?
The University of Findlay requires all Bachelor’s degrees to be from regionally accredited institutions. There are two non-regionally accredited Bachelor's degrees are accepted for the DPT Program. These two degrees include the BSPTA program from Pima Medical Institute, and the BSHS from Professional Skills Institute in Ohio. If you are planning to earn a bachelor’s degree, please contact
[email protected] to ensure your degree will be accepted at the University of Findlay.
Is a GRE test score required?
Yes, the program requires a GRE score report that is current within five years as of the application date. There is no minimum score requirement. An official score report must be submitted with the student application in PTCAS. The program does not provide exceptions to this requirement.
Am I able to work as a PTA while taking classes?
Yes. In fact, the program requires that you work an average of 40 hours per month as a PTA. When choosing to enter this program, students must realize that the DPT Program is rigorous and requires you to be a full-time student. We highly recommend against working full-time during the program, but realize that some must in order to receive health care insurance. We recommend looking into alternatives to full time employment such as bargaining for benefits with less than 40 hours per week, looking into federally supported benefits as well as the Health Insurance Marketplace, also known as the Health Insurance Exchange. All full-time students (9 credit hours for graduate and 12 credit hours for undergraduate), and health professions students without regard to course load*, are required to enroll in the
student health insurance plan unless proof of comparable coverage is furnished.