Wisconsin Lutheran College

Programme overview

This partnership between Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU) enables students to finish a WLC bachelor’s (biology or sport and exercise science) and a D.P.T. at RFU in six years instead of the more typical seven or eight. Students complete three years of undergraduate coursework at WLC (with the option to take the traditional four years) before moving to RFU for the final three years of the professional doctorate. The arrangement removes the GRE requirement common to many D.P.T. programs, though admission to RFU remains competitive and is not guaranteed as a direct-entry offer.

What you'll study

At WLC you complete the undergraduate curriculum for either biology or sport and exercise science to prepare for advanced clinical training. RFU’s D.P.T. curriculum delivers an in-depth, broad view of physical therapy with an emphasis on evidence-based clinical judgment and interprofessional health-care education. RFU also emphasizes culturally sensitive care and provides clinical placements in the Chicago area. RFU reports a two-year average NPTE ultimate pass rate of 100% for the Classes of 2020 and 2021, and a two-year average employment rate of 100% for the Classes of 2019 and 2020 among those who passed the NPTE and sought employment.

Entry requirements

A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 is required to participate in the dual-degree pathway. The partnership waives the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) requirement for RFU applications; however, the program does not guarantee direct entry to RFU and admission to the D.P.T. program is competitive.

Career prospects

The pathway prepares graduates for licensure and practice as physical therapists. Nationally, Forbes has listed physical therapy among the ten “happiest jobs,” and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects growth in the profession—estimating 40,400 new physical therapy positions over the next ten years, a rate described as much faster than average (about 17% growth).

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The accelerated schedule can reduce total time in school by one to two years, which may lower overall tuition costs and enable earlier entry into paid clinical roles and the workforce. Prospective students should consult WLC and RFU financial aid offices for specific scholarship, grant and loan options applicable to each portion of the pathway.