Demands for physical therapists and occupational therapists will continue to grow over the next 10-15 years. Forbes listed them as one of the top 10 careers in demand. An earned doctoral degree is quickly becoming the required degree to work in these fields.
Acceptance into doctoral degree programs is extremely competitive. The College of Saint Elizabeth has an affiliation agreement with Methodist University that guarantees admittance into their Doctor of Physical Therapy and Doctor of Occupational Therapy programs for two qualified CSE students per program every year. This is a 4+3 program where students earn a B.S. in Biology from the College of Saint Elizabeth and then attend Methodist University for three additional years to earn the DPT or OTD degree.
Visit www.methodist.edu/dpt or www.methodist.edu/otd for a complete description of their three-year DPT and OTD programs.
Preset Freshmen and Sophomore Pathways
To ensure that students begin and remain on track in terms of graduation and degree requirements, and to maximize student opportunities to add minors or second majors, and therefore increase their options after graduation, the College has designed the Preset Freshmen and Sophomore Pathways.
This curricular sequencing model, which outlines all the courses taken in the first two years, will allow students to complete 75% to 90% of their General Education requirements during just their freshman and sophomore years, as well as all foundational gateway and milestone courses, both in their intended major, and in other complementary majors and minors that they may want to consider.
Students will then be able to focus their junior and senior years almost entirely on their major, as well as on potential minors or second majors.
Simply put, this curricular sequencing model allows students to get the most out of their undergraduate education at CSE.
First Year
Fall Semester (14-18 Credits)
| Element I Core Classes | 6 |
| Pre-Major Gateway Class | 1-4 |
| Preset General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Outside General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Developmental Math (if needed) | 0-1.5 |
| EOF or CAPs (if needed) | P/F |
Spring Semester (14-18 Credits)
| Element I Core Classes | 6 |
| Pre-Major Gateway Class | 1-4 |
| Preset General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Outside General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Developmental Math (if needed) | 0-1.5 |
Second Year
Fall Semester (14-18 Credits)
| Element I or II Core Classes | 4-8 |
| Pre-Major Milestone Class | 1-4 |
| Preset General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Outside General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Developmental Math (if needed) | 0-1.5 |
| EOF or CAPs (if needed) | P/F |
Spring Semester (14-18 Credits)
| Element II or III Core Classes | 4-8 |
| Pre-Major Milestone Class | 1-4 |
| Preset General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Outside General Education Elective | 1-4 |
| Developmental Math (if needed) | 0-1.5 |
| EOF or CAPs (if needed) | P/F |
Recommended Course Sequence
In fulfilling the requirements for the B.S. in Biology as stated below, the student automatically fulfills the prerequisites for acceptance into Physical Therapy by Methodist University.
The typical four-year course of study for students interested in Physical Therapy is as follows:
First Year
Fall Semester (First Semester) (18 Credits)
Spring Semester (Second Semester) (18 Credits)
Second Year
Fall Semester (First Semester) (16 Credits)
| BIO209 | Microbiology | 4 |
| CHEM211 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
CSE
| CSE200-level General Education | 4 |
| | |
| MATH119 | Elementary Statistics | 4 |
| or | |
CSE
| CSE200-level General Education | 4 |
Spring Semester (Second Semester) (16 Credits)
| BIO251 | Cellular Biology | 4 |
| CHEM213 | Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
CSE
| CSE200-level General Education | 4 |
| | |
CSE
| CSE 200-level General Education | 4 |
| or | |
| CSE300 | Faith,Spirituality & Ethics I | 4 |
Third Year
Fall Semester (First Semester) (16 Credits)
| BIO121 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
BIO
| BIO300/400 | 4 |
| CHEM325 | Biochemistry II | 4 |
| | |
CSE
| CSE 200-level General Education | 4 |
| or | |
| CSE300 | Faith,Spirituality & Ethics I | 4 |
BIO300/400, CHEM325: Prerequisites apply.
CSE200-Level/CSE300 if not yet taken.
Spring Semester (Second Semester) (16 Credits)
| BIO123 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO303 | Genetics | 4 |
| | |
| CSE300 | Faith,Spirituality & Ethics I | 4 |
| or | |
| CSE400 | Essentials Capstone | 4 |
| CHEM323 | Biochemistry I | 3 |
| or | |
| Free Elective | 4 |
Fourth Year
Fall Semester (First Semester) (16-17 Credits)
BIO
| BIO300/400 | 4 |
| BIO431 | Senior Seminar | 1 |
| PHYS149 | General Physics I | 4 |
| CSE400 | Essentials Capstone | 4 |
| and-or | |
| Free Elective | 3-4 |
Spring Semester (Second Semester) (16 Credits)
BIO
| BIO300/400 | 4 |
| PHYS153 | General Physics II | 4 |
| PSY100 | Introduction to Psychology | 4 |
| CSE400 | Essentials Capstone | 4 |
| and-or | |
| Free Elective | 4 |
BIO300/400, CSE400: Prerequisites apply.
CSE400: If not yet taken.
NOTE: Two courses in Psychology required as free electives.