The mission of Ithaca's physical therapy department is to prepare graduates to meet the challenges facing the profession in today's rapidly changing health care system.

We achieve this mission through a high quality program that is evidenced in part by the following:

• Performance of our graduates on the National Physical Therapy Licensing Exam (see sidebar at right)
• The extensive teaching experience and stability of the faculty; the 19 full-time faculty have an average of 13 years' teaching experience and average 12 years at IC
• The academic profile of our incoming students; PT majors typically rank in the top 20 percent of their high school class
• Our students obtain a strong liberal arts background that fosters intellectual growth: the first three years focus primarily on basic science and liberal arts courses and the opportunity to explore other disciplines through a minor
• Intense and varied professional clinical education experiences on and off campus

Clinical Doctorate (D. P. T.)

The doctor of physical therapy program is designed for freshman entry and completion of all requirements for a D. P. T. in six years of study. However, students entering as freshman with appropriate AP and Transfer credits may request to complete the DPT program in as little as five years. Transfer students are also accepted and can complete the professional component of the curriculum in as little as three years. Accepted students are guaranteed eligibility for the graduate portion of the DPT curriculum and additional application is not needed provided academic requirements have been met.

Study Abroad and Extracurricular Activities

Throughout the undergraduate years in Ithaca, opportunities exist for students to fulfill minors or concentrations in other fields of study, as well as to study abroad. Our students are also active in campus activities, including intercollegiate and intramural athletics, theater and music performances, campus employment, a wide array of campus clubs and organizations, and off-campus volunteer and outreach activities.

Clinical Education Opportunities

We affiliate with over a thousand clinical sites throughout the country for required hands-on educational experiences. Clinical opportunities in Ithaca include "grand rounds" elective courses with faculty in the Ithaca campus OT/PT clinic, and at Longview, a  residence for senior citizens adjacent to campus.

The Rochester Component

A long time feature of the physical therapy program is our dual-campus arrangement. Students spend one undergraduate summer and the entire final graduate year at our Rochester Center benefiting from the seven full-time IC faculty and outstanding facilities recently renovated by Ithaca College. Additional learning and research opportunities are provided through the resources and staff of the Rochester area health care community, the University of Rochester Medical Center, and Strong Memorial Hospital.

Employers Love IC PT Grads!

Read more in ... Careers in Physical Therapy