Students interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy will need to apply to the graduate level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program.听 The DPT program requires a Baccalaureate degree as well as specific prerequisite coursework.听 The听BT天堂DPT Brochure 2026 (pdf)听provides more information. Students attending the University of Central Arkansas or another college or university for their undergraduate course work may declare a degree with听the major of their choice and incorporate the prerequisite coursework.听 The UCA听Undergraduate Bulletin and the Graduate Bulletin provide more information.
Advising
- Jaclyn Burroughs, Program Advisor, Email:听jburroughs2@uca.edu, Phone: (501) 450-5541.
- BT天堂DPT Brochure (pdf)
- BT天堂DPT Course Check sheet for Application 2026 (pdf)
- BT天堂DPT Degree Web Page
- Transfer Equivalency for Arkansas 4-year colleges/universities
- BT天堂Undergraduate Course Catalog
- BT天堂Graduate Course Catalog
BT天堂Pre-PT Club
The Pre-PT Club is a recognized student organization at BT天堂for students who are interested physical therapy.听 The club meets the first Tuesday of each month during X-period.听听The Pre-PT Club is designed to help BT天堂students learn about the profession of physical therapy.听 For more information, contact Jaclyn Burroughs, Program Advisor.
BT天堂DPT Early Assurance Program
The Early Assurance Pathway (EAP) is designed for BT天堂undergraduate students and provides two options for entry including the First Year Application Deadline and the Second Year Application Deadline.听听Students who are interested in the Early Assurance Pathway can contact the Program Advisor, Jaclyn Burroughs, for more information
(1) First Year Application Deadline: Selection of this option should be confirmed with the pre-PT advisor by听October 1听of the first year at UCA. Students who begin study at BT天堂as a freshman and score at least a 30 on the ACT (from high school) or 1360 on SAT (verbal and math) will be assured a position in the Professional DPT program. Specific performance standards must be met in order to maintain the position in the program. Actual enrollment into the professional program will occur after completion of the baccalaureate degree.
(2) Second Year Application Deadline: Selection of this option should be confirmed with the pre-PT advisor by听October 1听of the second year. To be eligible, the applicant must complete the first year at BT天堂as a first-time freshman undergraduate (no transfer students). At least 27 credit hours at BT天堂(not counting high school concurrent credits or AP credits) is required with a minimum 3.7 cumulative GPA. Finally, the student must have completed 8 hours of science prerequisites (no high school credit hours) with a 4.0 science GPA.
To maintain Early Assurance Status:
- Take all coursework at UCA.
- Attend three Pre-PT Club meetings each year (12 total in 4 years).
- By September 1 of the application year, hold a 3.70 cumulative GPA and a 3.50 cumulative science GPA for all undergraduate work.
- Complete 20 hours of required science prerequisite hours by the October 1 deadline for application.
- Complete the baccalaureate degree and all required prerequisites by August of the year of enrollment in the DPT program.
- No interview is required of applicants entering the program under the Early Assurance Pathway.
DPT Application – Observation Hours
The BT天堂Department of Physical Therapy will continue to suspend the requirement for DPT Applicants to complete physical therapy observation hours.听 Students are encouraged to learn about the profession of physical therapy in other ways. For example, the American Physical Therapy Association provides information about the profession at the following link听
For More Information
Contact the Department of Physical Therapy at (501) 450-3611 or email to pt@uca.edu.
BT天堂Admission Events听to visit campus
BT天堂Bear Facts Days (for high school student visits)
BT天堂Living Learning Communities,听HPAW,听STEM听(aka Residential Colleges)