Mar 29, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Departments for ENHP

Combined BS/DPT Program
Combined BS/MSPO Program

Combined Bachelor of Science in Health Science and Doctor of Physical Therapy

The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences offers a combined Bachelor of Science in Health Science/Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Graduates are prepared to meet the intellectual, social, cultural, and economic challenges of our changing healthcare system. A Bachelor of Science degree is a requirement for entry into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program received re-accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in 2013. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program has been approved by the Department of Higher Education, State of Connecticut.


Advising

Students enrolled in the undergraduate program are assigned faculty advisors in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences.

The department participates in first-year dialogue groups to assist new students in adjusting to academic and campus life. Students meet in small groups regularly with faculty advisors to discuss educational goals, curricular and extracurricular options, and career opportunities. The relationship developed between advisors and advisees helps to ensure students’ academic success at the University.


Facilities

The on-campus facilities of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences are located in Charles A. Dana Hall, which is part of the new Integrated Science, Engineering, and Technology complex. The program has three physical therapy clinical skills teaching laboratories and several dedicated research laboratories for conducting both faculty and faculty-mentored research activities. These research spaces include a human performance research lab for the study of all aspects of human movement as they relate to biomechanical principles; Human Balance Control Laboratory for the teaching and research of the principles of and understanding of balance control and balance responses; a Disabilities and Educational Laboratory to assess outcome measures and questionnaires/interviews and houses a variety of equipment that allow for the secure quantitative and qualitative data analysis, video capture, and video editing. Additionally, this also houses an interface pressure mapping system for pressure measurements in wheelchairs and beds; a Pediatric Balance Laboratory used to study development of upright control in typical infants and in children with moderate to severe motor impairment; a Prosthetic and Orthotic Neurotronic Laboratory for research on the integration of computerized electronics into orthoses (braces) and prosthetics (functional replacement) for clinical practice; the Clinical Simulation Resource Center utilizes life-sized high fidelity manikins to implement clinical practice scenarios in a safe, supportive, non-threatening learning environment.     

Select Physical Therapy is an outpatient practice located in Health Services at the Sports Center. Select offers a wide range of physical therapy sports medicine and work health services and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of patient’s lives. The clinic takes pride in outstanding customer service, excellent patient care and strong outcomes. Complimentary injury assessment is offered. Students in the physical therapy program are linked to the clinic through their integrated or full-time clinical experiences.

Off-Campus Clinical Facilities

Clinical education settings for the physical therapy program are selected on the basis of their ability to provide supervision by professional staff, to offer services to diverse client populations, and compatibility with the University’s and the program’s mission and philosophy. The department currently has contracts with approximately 300 facilities in the Greater Hartford area and selected sites throughout the United States. Practice settings include healthcare, educational, and community (public and private) agencies.

Admission to the Program

Before being considered for entrance into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, all students must complete an appropriate Bachelor of Science degree.

Highly qualified students will enter the University and enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. At the end of Semester 7, (Fall of the Senior year) students will be reviewed by the admissions committee to ensure that they have completed the prerequisites and achieved a 3.2 in the Sciences and a 3.2 GPA overall (conditionally accepted, pending completion of the Bachelor degree with fulfilling all required GPA’s). Those students who have not obtained the pre-requisite GPA’s will be able to complete the Bachelor of Health Science degree but will NOT move directly into the DPT program and must apply as a post baccalaureate student.

In order to assure the acquisition of the required GPA’s, the program has implemented yearly overall and science GPA’s. If the overall and science GPA’s are not attained, a student will lose their automatic entry into the DPT program and must apply as a post-baccalaureate student. All required courses must be passed with a C or better. Science courses can be retaken only once. Students taking a single course more than twice, or repeating more than 3 courses to achieve the required grade/ GPA, will lose their automatic entry into the DPT program and must apply as a post baccalaureate student.

The undergraduate program for the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences consists of eight semesters of foundational science course work with biological and social sciences, general education requirements, liberal arts education in the humanities, and a health science core of courses. Students are also required to complete a series of four pre-physical therapy seminar courses. These seminars facilitate the mentoring of students in the profession of physical therapy. Several options for minors are also available within the program.

A fast-track program of study is available for those students who wish to expedite their undergraduate program. This program consists of six academic semesters, with two full-time summer sessions. Limited options for minors are also available within this plan of study.

Combined Bachelor of Science in Health Science and Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics

The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences offers a unique five year combined Bachelor of Science in Health /Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics (B.S./M.S.P.O.) with partner support from Hanger Orthopedics, Inc.. Graduates are prepared to meet the intellectual, social, cultural, and economic challenges of our changing healthcare system. The currently accredited Prosthetics and Orthotics program is a five-year program that has been approved by the State of Connecticut Department of Higher Education and accredited by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education in 2014.

Advising

Students enrolled in the combined Bachelor of Science in Health Science/Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics are assigned faculty advisors in the Prosthetics and Orthotics program. The program participates in first-year and transfer dialogue groups to assist new students in adjusting to academic and campus life. Students meet regularly in small groups, with faculty advisors to discuss educational goals, curricular and extracurricular options, and career opportunities. The relationship developed between advisors and advisees helps to ensure students’ academic success at the University.

Transfer Students

The program in prosthetics and orthotics welcomes applications from students who have attended other colleges and universities. Applicants who have completed 30 or more credits are not required to submit admissions test scores. Prospective transfer students may apply for admission to the undergraduate program through the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences prior to the start of their sophomore year. Transfer students accepted by the University are not guaranteed direct entry into the MSPO program. Prospective transfer students are subject to all criteria and requirements for elevation into the MSPO program.

Facilities

The on-campus facilities of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences are located in Charles A. Dana Hall, which is part of the new Integrated Science, Engineering, and Technology complex. The department has two physical therapy clinical skills teaching laboratories and one dedicated clinical teaching lab for prosthetics and orthotics. There are several dedicated research laboratories for conducting both faculty research and faculty-mentored student research activities. These research spaces include a human performance research laboratory for the study of all aspects of human movement as they relate to biomechanical principles; Human Balance Control Laboratory for the teaching and research of the principles of and understanding of balance control and balance responses; a Disabilities and Educational Laboratory to assess outcome measures and questionnaires/interviews and houses a variety of equipment that allow for the secure quantitative and qualitative data analysis, video capture, and video editing. Additionally, this also houses an interface pressure mapping system for pressure measurements in wheelchairs and beds; a Pediatric Balance Laboratory used to study development of upright control in typical infants and in children with moderate to severe motor impairment; a Prosthetic and Orthotic Neurotronic Laboratory for research on the integration of computerized electronics into orthoses (braces) and prosthetics (functional replacement) for clinical practice; the Clinical Simulation Resource Center utilizes life-sized high fidelity manikins to implement clinical practice scenarios in a safe, supportive, non-threatening learning environment.

Several private-practice facilities are located in the vicinity, with providers that include adjunct University faculty and faculty from the prosthetic and orthotic community. Students in the Prosthetics and Orthotics program are linked to the clinic through various professional opportunities for clinical experiences. In addition, these clinics serve as a site for integrated student internships.

Off-Campus Clinical Facilities

The Hanger Clinic facility in Cromwell, Conn., consists of state-of-the-art educational lecture facilities as well as a full-service fabrication facility for comprehensive custom fabrication of all prosthetic and orthotic designs. These facilities are used by University of Hartford students in the program for all master’s-level specialty courses.

Integrated internships for the Prosthetics and Orthotics program are selected on the basis of each facility’s ability to provide supervision by certified professional staff, to offer services to diverse client populations, and compatibility with the University’s and program’s mission and philosophy. The program currently has numerous local facilities in the Greater Hartford area. Practice settings include hospital-based inpatient, emergency orthotic management, educational, and outpatient community facilities.

Admission to the Program

Highly qualified students enter the University and enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program offered by the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. Prior to elevation into the Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics program, students are reviewed by the admissions committee to ensure that they have completed the prerequisites and achieved a 3.2 GPA overall. All prerequisite courses must be passed with a 2.0 or better. Transfer courses will be considered as a component of the student’s GPA prior to elevation into the MSPO program. Students must also display ethical personal and professional qualities needed to fulfill the role of a prosthetist/orthotist.

The undergraduate program for the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences consists of eight semesters of foundational science course work with biological and social sciences, general education requirements, and liberal arts education in the humanities. Several options for minors are also available within the program.

Programs

    Undergraduate Program(s) & Major(s)

    Courses

    Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Departments for ENHP