Doctor of Physical Therapy General Admissions Requirements

The following documents must be received prior to admission and prior to consideration of an invited interview:

  1. North Georgia Graduate Admissions application and application fee.
  2. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES). Evaluations must include certification that the applicant has received a baccalaureate from a regionally-accredited institution and state a calculated cumulative GPA.
  3. Official scores on the Graduate Record Exam General Test (GRE). Only those scores that are less than six years old will be considered.
  4. Three completed DPT admissions reference forms documenting each of the ten generic abilities representing behavioral characteristics, which, in addition to professional knowledge and clinical skills, are required for success as a physical therapist.

At the invitation of the Physical Therapy Admissions Committee, personal interviews are conducted at North Georgia. If admitted to the program, students will need to submit the following documents prior to the first day of the term:

  1. DPT Immunization Certification form, in accordance with Board of Regents policy.
  2. Signed affidavit attesting to their ability to fulfill the Physical Therapy Department Essential Functions.

Students who have not submitted all of the above documentation prior to the first day of the term will not be allowed to attend until all documentation has been received. Students are responsible for all course material and for all announcements and assignments. The decision to permit students to make up work that is required in any missed class resides with the instructor.

Regular Admission

To qualify for regular admission, individuals must:

  1. Hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally-accredited, four-year institution with at least a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.8 (or a minimum grade point average of 3.4 in the last 40 semester hours attempted).
  2. Complete prerequisite science and statistics courses from a regionally-accredited, four-year institution with at least a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.8.
  3. Earn a combined score of 1,000 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the General Record Exam General Test (GRE), with a minimum score of at least 400 on each section, and a minimum score of at least 3.5 on the analytical writing section. Although most students meet these minimum requirements, students with a minimum combined score of 900 on the verbal and quantitative sections may be considered as long as a minimum score of at least 400 has been earned on each section.
  4. Complete all prerequisite courses:
    1. One academic year of the following:
    • General Chemistry with labs.
    • General Physics with labs.
    1. Life Sciences Sequence to include ONE of the following combinations:
    • Full academic year of general biology with labs (for biology majors) AND an advanced course in biology (not botany or ecology).
    • Full academic year of human anatomy & physiology (with labs) AND either one general biology course (not botany, ecology or environmental biology) OR one applied health science that has A&P as a prerequisite (e.g., exercise physiology, kinesiology, etc.).
    • One course in statistics.
    • Two courses in social sciences.
  5. Demonstrate evidence of appropriate interest in and knowledge of the profession (while no specific number of hours of exposure in a physical therapy treatment environment is required for admission, applicants are expected to be familiar with various settings in which physical therapy is practiced and to provide clear evidence of their commitment to physical therapy as a career choice). Satisfaction of this expectation will be determined through the professional judgment of admissions personnel.
  6. Meet all other program admission requirements.

Additional Information Regarding the Application Process

Admission to the graduate Physical Therapy Program requires an orderly progression through checkpoints and due dates by which certain requirements must be completed if the student is to be considered for admission. These requirements center about the admission standards of:

Beginning early fall semester each year, candidates selected by the Physical Therapy Admissions Committee from among submitted applications will be invited for a personal interview. Personal interviews are typically conducted in early October and mid January. All interviewed applicants will be further evaluated on the basis of probable academic success in the rigorous curriculum, demonstrated interpersonal abilities, adequacy of inquiry into the profession of Physical Therapy, extracurricular activities, communication skills, and demonstrated or potential leadership ability.

Final decisions regarding admission to North Georgia's graduate program in Physical Therapy will be made by the Department of Physical Therapy Admissions Committee.

Appeal of Graduate Admission

A candidate who was invited for an interview, but whose application is denied, has the right to appeal the decision. Appeals must be made in written form to the DPT Admissions Committee, Department of Physical Therapy, North Georgia College & State University, Dahlonega, GA 30597-1001. The letter should clearly state the grounds for appeal. Students whose appeal is accepted will be reconsidered for admission.

Up one level:

Doctor of Physical Therapy