FAQ
Why should I come to Ithaca College for physical therapy?
Ithaca College has a long history of excellent physical therapy education provided in a comprehensive liberal arts college in the Finger Lakes region of central New York. Students receive excellent preparation in the professional aspects of physical therapy while benefiting from a wide array of opportunities found across campus.
The U.S. News & World Report America's Best Colleges for 2011 has ranked Ithaca College in the top 15 of "Best Master's Universities by Region" for the 17th year in a row. Furthermore, the publication ranked Ithaca College #11 in the listing of "Great Schools, Great Prices," based on the quality of education at a reasonable cost.
See Program Highlights for more ...
What degrees will I get?
Students entering as freshman since the fall of 2009 have been able to fulfill the requirements for a DPT (doctor of physical therapy) degree in six years of study. A bachelor of science degree, in clinical health studies, is awarded after four years, and the DPT can be earned with two additional graduate years. Students who transfer into the program can complete the required professional Physical Therapy courses in three years once they have completed the other requirements for the B. S. Degree
For more details see the D.P.T. curriculum, and transfer opportunities.
Can I complete the DPT program in less than six years?
Yes. Students entering from high school with appropriate AP, IB, or other college transfer credits may be able to complete the DPT in as little as five years with freshman entry. There is no limitation on the number of AP or IB credits accepted for courses recognized as IC equivalents. Requests to accelerate are considered on a case by case basis and must be approved by the Department Chair.
See the Undergraduate Catalog for a list of courses.
Can I transfer into the physical therapy program?
Transfer students (internal and external) are encouraged, but opportunities may be limited and are competitive and based on available space. Students interested in transferring into the program should refer to the transfer opportunities page.
Will I be eligible for financial aid in my fifth and sixth years?
Although the College's merit-based programs (such as the President's, Dean's, and ALANA Scholarships) are awarded for four years. Need-based aid programs can continue in the graduate fifth and sixth years of the DPT program.
How long has Ithaca College had a physical therapy program?
Ithaca College started a four year B. S. degree program in 1945, at a time when most other institutions in the profession were offering only a certificate. The DPT program was approved in 2004.
Is the program accredited?
The IC PT program has been accredited since 1946, initially by the New York State Education Department and later by the Commission for Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, retroactive to 1959. The most recent accreditation review was successfully conducted in 2005-06.
What is the pass rate for IC graduates on the professional licensing exam?
Ithaca boasts one of the highest percentage of passing rates on the physical therapy licensing exam in the country. In recent years, well over 90 percent of our graduates have passed the exam on the first attempt! This is well above the state and national pass rates for other schools in the 75-88% range.
See exam pass rate comparison ...
How do I become licensed to practice physical therapy?
In order to be licensed to practice physical therapy, you must take a licensing exam. The laws governing practice vary from state to state. During your final graduate year, the Department of Physical Therapy will send you announcements and other materials to ensure your prompt application to take the licensing exam. You should take the exam in the state in which you plan to practice. Each state offers the exam at different times, although many states now offer the exam on computer, which allows the applicant to take it at a variety of locations and on virtually any day. Once you successfully complete the exam, you will be a licensed physical therapist (PT). More information can be obtained from the licensing board in your state.
What employment opportunities are there in physical therapy?
There are many diverse opportunities for a physical therapist to practice. Ithaca College graduates are held in high regard by employers throughout the country. For a comprehensive look at employment opportunities, check out the PT Employment page, and the American Physical Therapy Association (www.apta.org) web site.
Questions specific to Rochester Center:
When are students in Rochester?
- during the summer (10-week block from late May through early August) between the junior and senior year
- during the entire second graduate (sixth) year students will take three 10-week blocks of classes at the IC Rochester Center, and will have clinical affiliations coordinated from Rochester in the final spring and the concluding summer.
What is Rochester like? How far away is it?
Rochester, New York, is a medium size city of more than 230,000 and is located about 100 miles northwest of Ithaca (two hours via automobile). Located near the southern shore of Lake Ontario and along the banks of the Genesee River, the city is home to several large international corporations, such as Xerox and Eastman Kodak. Its educational institutions include the University of Rochester (of which the Eastman School of Music is part), Nazareth College, the Rochester Institute of Technology and St. John Fisher College.
Is the Ithaca facility on the U of R campus? What are the facilities like?
IC has recently come to a long term space sharing agreement with the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School.
See some pictures ...,
The CRCDS facility is located in Rochester on South Goodman St. and Highland Ave. and is about 1.5 miles from Strong Hospital and the U. of R. Medical School. IC renovated about 16,000 square feet of space to use for PT teaching and research activities and will share an additional 10,000 with the divinity school.
Although most of the time during the 10-week summer session will be spent in the anatomy lab at the U. of R. Medical Center, the academic portion of the final graduate year is primarily a mix between class and lab time spent in the Ithaca College/CRCDS facility. During both sessions in Rochester, students have complete access to all U. of R. facilities, including academic, computing, medical library, recreational, and student health.
What are some highlights of the coursework at the Rochester Center?
In addition to the IC faculty and facilities at the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School campus described above, students may benefit from outstanding facilities and learning opportunities at the University of Rochester Medical Center and Strong Memorial Hospital.
A special feature of the graduate year is the abundance of guest speakers, from Rochester's medical community, participating in lectures and clinical laboratories. These individuals participate in several courses with topics in medicine, surgery, neurology, orthopedics, and pediatrics.
Another unique aspect of the program in Rochester is the research component. Much of the research content is taught in small groups, allowing students and faculty to explore a special interest in depth. Students are thus exposed to the existing body of knowledge in their interest area with a faculty mentor guiding them into the research process.
Can I participate in any extracurricular activities on the Ithaca campus during the last year in Rochester?
The distance from Ithaca to Rochester is small enough to travel in about two hours, but large enough to preclude a daily commute. Arrangements have been made with the University of Rochester that permit Ithaca PT students to use the U of R facilities including: academic, computing, medical library, recreational, and student health.
IC PT graduate students and faculty are very active in community service projects in the Rochester area.
What will it cost to study and live in Rochester?
The extra sessions -- for clinical affiliations and summer sessions in Rochester -- as well as the second graduate year are charged at different rates. For instance, the 10-week summer session is charged at our summer session tuition rate.
As a result of student preferance, housing is NOT provided for either the summer session or the final graduate year in Rochester, but students readily find apartments to rent in the area. Typical monthly rents for one-bedroom apartments in the area range from $600 to $1200.
See our financial aid section for further information ...
For more information about institutional charges see Student Billing Services and Office of Student Financial Services
