Male physiotherapist helping a male patient with movement exercises at a clinic

Pre-Physical Therapy Program

Pre-Physical Therapy 3+3 Degree Program Overview

Start your undergraduate studies in pre-physical therapy at Franciscan University of Steubenville, then pursue your doctorate in physical therapy at Walsh University, a Catholic university located in North Canton, Ohio. You’ll be prepared to succeed as a faith-filled, professional physical therapist.

3+3 Program

Earn your doctor of physical therapy degree in as little as six years. Through this cooperative program, you will take three years of pre-physical therapy coursework at Franciscan University toward your bachelor’s degree in biology. You may then qualify to receive automatic acceptance for admission into the three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Walsh University.

Explore More of the Pre-Physical Therapy Program

Here are just a few other ways Franciscan’s pre-physical therapy program stands out from the rest:

Financial aid and scholarships: From need-based grants to scholarships specifically for incoming students to loans and work opportunities, there are many options available to make your Franciscan pre-physical therapy major affordable. Learn more about college costs and tuition at Franciscan.
Faculty mentoring: With a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, you’ll develop mentoring relationships with dedicated and inspiring Catholic university professors. These experts, scholars, authors, and researchers are committed to helping you reach your educational, personal, and professional goals.
Applied learning: From research to study abroad to internships in Ohio and across the country, you’ll gain a true understanding of pre-physical therapy through practical experience. Bring textbook and classroom learning to life through field experiences, too.
Catholic faith in action: Participate in medical mission trips, shadowing physicians, observing surgeries, and assisting in bringing much-needed care into poverty-stricken regions. Prepare to defend the culture of life in the greater medical and scientific community through a strong ethical foundation built on Catholic teaching.

What Can You Do as a Physical Therapist?

Physical therapy careers are in reach when you major in pre-physical therapy at Franciscan University in Ohio. Graduates of the Catholic-focused pre-physical therapy degree program work in physical therapy treatment settings.

Academic Catalog

View the Pre-Physical Therapy Program on the Undergraduate Catalog

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Alumni Profiles

Beyond the Classroom

Franciscan Institute for Science and Health

The Franciscan Institute for Science and Health (FISH) is an initiative of Franciscan University of Steubenville with a mission to provide real-world experience and hands-on training to every Franciscan undergraduate science and engineering students.

Franciscan Institute for World Health

FIWH provides and coordinates global health-focused educational trainings and experiences for committed and dedicated undergraduates with a secondary goal of fostering lifelong compassion and career connection to serve the unmet health needs of the neglected people of the world.

Research Driven Opportunities

Not only will you work on faculty-led biology research on the Franciscan campus in Ohio, you’ll also gain hands-on experience assisting with trailblazing medical research nationwide — from the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C., to AVM Biotechnology in Seattle, Washington. You’ll have opportunities to present research at national meetings and to publish peer-reviewed scientific articles.

Austrian Semester Abroad

Grow, develop, and be formed into a more mature pre-physical therapy student by spending a semester in Franciscan’s Austrian program. You’ll expand your pre-physical major in unbelievable ways by traveling to places such as Rome and the holy sites of Christendom, and through courses taught at a 14th-century monastery that also serves as your home.

Programs Related to Pre-Physical Therapy

Still undecided? You might also be interested in these other undergraduate degree programs at Franciscan that are similar to the Pre-Physical Therapy 3+3 Degree Program.