Entry-Level Dual-Degree
On Campus
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Visit the School of Health SciencesPhysical therapists do more than help people rehabilitate from injuries; they help clients young and old regain the flexibility, strength and endurance they need to live fuller, more active lives through enhanced movement. Our Entry-Level Dual-Degree program is one of only a few offered in the country where qualified applicants are admitted as first-year students.
If you want a career that will enable you to help people recuperate from surgery, painful injuries or life-altering health conditions, Quinnipiac’s early-assurance physical therapy program will put you on a clear path to your goal from day one. Our Dual-Degree BS in Health Sciences Studies / Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is one of only a few offered in the country where qualified applicants are admitted as first-year students.
Our undergraduate curriculum, which can be completed in 3 or 4 years, is specifically designed to prepare you for the graduate physical therapy program. You will study human movement and explore methods of maintaining healthy movement, preventing disability and assessment of movement.
Upon successful completion of your BS in Health Science Studies and after meeting specific program requirements, entry-level students are guaranteed admission to the accredited graduate DPT program, where you'll learn to work as part of a healthcare team that may include doctors, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists.
The health science studies major allows you to take specific courses in your choice of a concentration.
For students in the Entry-Level Dual-Degree BS in Health Science Studies/Doctor of Physical Therapy program, you will choose from a Minor in Human Movement or a Minor in Sports Medicine to best prepare you for your graduate studies in these minors.
Both the Minor in Human Movement and Minor in Sports Medicine require the following core courses:
Evidence-Based Practice
Introduction to Kinesiology
Clinical Physiology
Health Science Education
Nutrition
Biology of Aging
Experiential Learning
This minor explores movement across the lifespan, from pediatrics to geriatrics, with the intent to provide a foundational understanding of normal human movement. The curricular model focuses on developing the early thought processes and disciplinary content for many fields in the health profession related to movement. Through the scientific understanding of human anatomy, kinesiology and biomechanics, students advance toward exploring methods of maintaining healthy movement, preventing disability, and initiating an assessment of movement. The culmination of the minor involves the application of human movement in clinical practice, through research in motion analysis, or in the community through the promotion of healthy living.
Additional Courses
Required:
Intro to Movement Assessment
Biomechanics
Electives:
Advanced Kinesiology
Movement Across the Lifespan
Population Health
Function Neuroanatomy
Adaptive Movement
Healthcare Management
This minor explores movement from the perspective of athletic performance. The curricular model focuses on developing the early thought processes and disciplinary content for many fields in the health professions related to sports medicine and working with an active and/or athletic population (traditional sports, tactical athletes, performing artists, etc.).
Additional Courses
Required:
Emergency Management
Strength and Conditioning
Intro to Movement Assessment
Biomechanics
Electives:
Care and Prevention
Nutrition for Sports and Fitness
Clinical Pharmacology
Wellness and Sports Performance
As a health science studies undergraduate, you will have opportunities to participate in the Physical Therapy Club activities and earn observation hours at our pro-bono on-campus EQUIP Rehabilitation Clinic.
Below are some examples where our students have gained hands-on experience in Connecticut:
Amity Physical Therapy, Hamden
Cheshire Fitness Zone, Cheshire
Collette PT, Yalesville
Connecticut Orthopedic Specialists, Hamden and Branford
Orthopedic Specialty Group, Fairfield & Shelton
FYZICAL Spine, Sport and Balance, Wallingford
Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, Wallingford
Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Centers, New London
Quinnipiac Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, Hamden and North Haven
Rockwell Dance Center, Trumbull
STAR Physical Therapy, Hamden and Wallingford
Yale School of Medicine - Orthopedics, New Haven
Get a glimpse of a day in the life of real physical therapy and DPT students here at Quinnipiac University. See what it's like to attend classes, participate in community events and be a member of a vibrant community in our School of Health Sciences.
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Building upon your strong undergraduate foundations of math and science, along with variety of experience in movement science, human movement, or sports medicine, you will successfully transition to the graduate portion of study for your next three years to earn your Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. You'll learn in our state-of-the-art facilities, including our Human Anatomy Lab, Standardized Patient Assessment Center, Clinical Practice Labs, the EQUIP Pro Bono Clinic and Motion Analysis Laboratory, ensuring clinical reasoning and competency across all areas of clinical practice and research.
Our PT faculty members are experts in their field and will ensure that you receive the knowledge and hands-on training you’ll need at clinical sites across the state and throughout the country. Other distinctive, real-world experiences include participating in EQUIP, a student-run pro-bono rehabilitation clinic for local residents, and volunteering at Camp No Limits, a summer camp for children with limb loss held at Quinnipiac.
Examples of our graduate students’ internships and clinical placements:
Boston Children’s Hospital
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
Eduglobal Associates
EXOS
Hartford Healthcare
Hospital for Special Surgery
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
NYU Langone Health
Northwell Health
Professional Physical Therapy
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Yale New Haven Health
February 16, 2024
Ultimate pass rate on the PT Licensure exam 2024 (FSBPT)
Percentage of our graduates who are employed 6 months after graduation (2023 survey)
The media annual salary for physical therapists in 2022 was $97,720. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)
U.S. News and World Report ranked physical therapist the seventh-best job in the healthcare field. (2024)
| Graduation Year | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 95% |
| 2022 | 98.6% |
| 2021 | 93.1% |
| 2020 | 98.6% |
| 2019 | 92.2% |
2022-2023: 96.8%
2021-2022: 95.5%
| Graduation Year | First-time Pass Rate | Ultimate Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 98.4% | 100% |
| 2023 | 94.9% | 100% |
| 2022 | 90.9% | 98.9% |
| 2021 | 100% | 100% |
| 2020 | 94% | 100% |
2023-2024: 100%
2022-2023: 99.45%
2021-2022: 99.45%
2020-2021: 100%
| Graduation Year | Employment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 100% |
| 2022 | 100% |
| 2021 | 100% |
| 2020 | 94% |
| 2019 | 92% |
2022-2023: 100%
2021-2022: 100%
Quinnipiac follows NACE First-Destination Survey Standards and Protocols for the collection and dissemination of undergraduate student initial career outcome information six months after graduation. Learn more about the standards for statistics and reporting used by Quinnipiac.
Our undergraduate admissions counselors are here to answer any questions you may have and help you navigate the application process.
