Overview
The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
St. Catherine University offers a unique graduate experience that fosters the development of critical-thinking, decision-making, and ethical leadership skills.
For one of the fastest-growing areas of health care, the Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) program excels in preparing physical therapists (PTs) with the skills to lead and influence the profession. Classroom and clinic come together at St. Catherine University, with students treating a variety of movement-related conditions across the lifespan, including children, adults, and geriatric clients.
The 33-month, year-round program prepares students to be general PT practitioners, helping people rehabilitate from injury, prevent recurrence, and maintain fitness and health. The innovative curriculum breaks free from more traditional approaches by integrating basic sciences and professional practice in a way that is clinically relevant and meaningful.
Students have clinical experiences from the start of the program, working with clinical faculty in groups of three, at hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, acute care, and outpatient orthopedic clinics. Opportunities are also available in unique settings such as pediatric clinics, school systems, and facilities providing experience in women's health, aquatics, and wellness practices.
Clinical experiences mirror course work, so students can discuss their observations and questions about patient treatment not only with clinicians but also with faculty and fellow students in the classroom. Courses are offered one at a time, ranging in length from three to seven weeks. Each touches on four threads -- medical/behavioral sciences; practice environment; examination, evaluation, and diagnosis; and plan of care, intervention, and outcome.
Lectures, laboratory sessions, tutorials, small-group work, and self-directed study are used throughout the curriculum, and students build on their knowledge from a strong educational foundation and ongoing clinical education experiences.
In the spirit of Catholic Social Teaching, students contribute to the university's "good neighbor" mission in several ways. Each month, D.P.T. students participate in a Native American foot clinic aimed at helping the disproportionate number of people with diabetes in the local Native American population. Plus, students have deep immersion experience in service learning locally, nationally, or abroad, in which they serve and explore the health needs of an economically impoverished community. This experience culminates in presentations by each student to their peers and all faculty members. Lastly, students create a personal action plan for civic and community engagement in their communities back home.
St. Catherine has established a long and respected reputation among potential employers in Minnesota's health-care field. The job market remains strong both statewide and nationally for those with a D.P.T. The three-year (2006 to 2008) average employment rate for St. Catherine D.P.T. graduates is 99 percent.
Two Metropolitan Campuses
St. Catherine University has two campuses in the Twin Cities. The one in St. Paul, which sits on 110 wooded acres, is 5 miles from the downtown area and 7 miles from Minneapolis. Located in the heart of the city, the Minneapolis campus is in proximity to many major health-care facilities.
According to "Money" magazine, the Twin Cities region is one of the best places to live based on overall quality of life, and a recent Gallup poll rated Minneapolis one of the safest large cities in the United States. Home to 2.7 million people, the Twin Cities are among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country.
While the Twin Cities can serve as an extended laboratory for learning, there are plenty of opportunities for fun, including hundreds of lakes and waterways, parks, and trails; shopping in the funky stores on Hennepin and Grand avenues or the Mall of America; several sporting events, from baseball to football to basketball to hockey; and some of the Midwest's finest museums.
A New Name and a Long Tradition
To more accurately reflect its comprehensive nature, the College of St. Catherine became St. Catherine University in June 2009. Founded in 1905, St. Catherine University offers the broadest range of academic programs and degrees among Minnesota's private colleges and universities. A dynamic university for women and men, with an innovative college for women at its heart, St. Catherine educates all students to lead and influence -- to make a difference in their communities, their families, their homes, their houses of worship, their workplaces, and the world. Steeped in the Catholic tradition, the school fosters an open, welcoming environment for students of all religions and beliefs -- a place they can call home.
