Academic Calendar Overview

Seton Hill’s Physical Therapy Program takes 33 months to complete.  Each new cohort begins in a fall semester.

Year 1

Term 1 Fall: 16 weeks classroom 

Term 2 Spring: 16 weeks classroom, including 8 hours/week part-time clinical education

Term 3 Summer: 16 weeks (8 weeks classroom; 8 weeks full-time clinical education: 40 hours/week) 

Year 2 

Term 4 Fall: 16 weeks classroom, including 8 hours/week part time clinical education

Term 5 Spring: 16 weeks classroom 

Term 6 Summer: 8 weeks full-time clinical education: 40 hours/week

Year 3 

Term 7 Fall: 16 weeks classroom 

Term 8 Spring: 16 weeks (1 week classroom; 15 weeks full-time clinical education: 40 hours/week ) 

Total Program Credits: 130 (103 classroom, 27 clinical)

Summarized Course Descriptions by Year & Term

Year 1

Term 1 - Musculoskeletal System

Clinical Reasoning 1

Introduction to the clinical reasoning process involved with musculoskeletal rehabilitation including clinical and medical history, relevant medical tests, and musculoskeletal differential diagnosis.

Physical Therapy Foundational Science 1

A study of the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of the musculoskeletal system. 

Physical Therapy Skills 1

Introduction to patient management and the psychomotor skills necessary for musculoskeletal physical therapy. 

Professional Responsibilities 1

Introduction to the profession of physical therapy, the American Physical Therapy Association and physical therapy practice.  

Term 2 - Neuromuscular System

Clinical Reasoning 2

Introduction to the clinical reasoning process involved with neuromuscular rehabilitation including clinical and medical history, relevant medical tests, and neuromuscular differential diagnosis.

Physical Therapy Foundational Science 2

Presents the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of the neuromuscular system. 

Physical Therapy Skills 2

Patient management and psychomotor skills necessary for neuromuscular physical therapy.

Professional Responsibilities 2

Introduces teaching and learning as it applies to physical therapy practice. HIPPA and OSHA standard precautions will be covered. The course will also cover practice management and finance.

Clinical Education 1

Students will be placed in one clinical setting for 4 hours, 1 day/week for 15 consecutive weeks of clinical education experience in either an acute care setting, an outpatient facility or a skilled nursing facility.

Term 3 - Cardiopulmonary System

Clinical Reasoning 3

Presents the clinical reasoning process involved with cardiopulmonary rehabilitation including clinical and medical history, relevant medical tests, and cardiopulmonary differential diagnosis.

Physical Therapy Foundational Science 3

Presents the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of the cardiopulmonary system.

Physical Therapy Skills 3

Study of patient management and the psychomotor skills necessary for cardiopulmonary physical therapy. 

Professional Responsibilities 3

This course will present ethical dilemmas that will require students to formulate professionally appropriate responses.

Clinical Education 2

Students will be placed in one clinical setting for 8 hours/day (40 hours/week) for 8 consecutive weeks of clinical education experience in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. 

Year 2

Term 4 - Pediatrics

Clinical Reasoning 4

The clinical reasoning process involved with pediatric rehabilitation including clinical and medical history, relevant medical tests, and pediatric differential diagnosis.

Physical Therapy Foundational Science 4

Presents the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of the common pediatric conditions. 

Physical Therapy Skills 4

This course will introduce students to patient management and the psychomotor skills necessary for pediatric physical therapy. 

Professional Responsibilities 4

This course introduces the legal, ethical and reimbursement implications that exist while working with children. 

Clinical Education 3

Students will be placed in one clinical setting for 8 hours, 1 day/week for 15 consecutive weeks of clinical education experience in either an acute care setting, an outpatient facility or a skilled nursing facility.

Term 5 - Orthopedics

Clinical Reasoning 5

Presents the clinical reasoning process involved with orthopedic rehabilitation including clinical and medical history, relevant medical tests, and differential diagnosis involved in orthopedic conditions.

Physical Therapy Foundational Science 5

Advanced study of the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of the common orthopedic conditions with concentration on the spine and pelvis.

Physical Therapy Skills 5

This course will reinforce the musculoskeletal content presented in term 1 and progress to more advanced orthopedic, manual and sports content. 

Professional Responsibilities 5

This course focuses on completion and presentation of the capstone research project. Students will participate in service to the community with an opportunity to fulfill this requirement by participation in an international service-learning project. 

Term 6

Clinical Education 4

Students will be placed in one clinical setting for 8 hours/day (40 hours/week) for 8 consecutive weeks of clinical education experience in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. 

Year 3

Term 7 - Geriatrics

Clinical Reasoning 6

This course presents the clinical reasoning process involved with geriatric rehabilitation including clinical and medical history, relevant medical tests, and differential diagnosis.

Physical Therapy Foundational Science 6

A study of the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of common geriatric conditions. 

Physical Therapy Skills 6

This course introduces students to patient management and the psychomotor skills necessary for geriatric physical therapy. 

Professional Responsibilities 5

Introduces students to the legal, ethical and reimbursement implications that exist while working with older adults.

Term 8

Clinical Education 5

Students will be placed in one clinical setting for 8 hours/day (40 hours/week) for 15 consecutive weeks of clinical education experience in either an acute care setting, an outpatient facility or a skilled nursing facility.

Professional Responsibilities 7

Students will return to campus after their final clinical education course to participate in final professional preparation for the National Physical Therapy Examination and will also complete final clinical education paperwork.