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Health and Exercise Science + Physical Therapy (3+3)

Health and Exercise Science + Physical Therapy (3+3)

This accelerated 6-year program — a respected leader in physical therapy education for more than 75 years — combines a Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science with a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Meet the challenges of today's health-care system

You'll benefit from a problem-based, self-directed approach to learning, using case studies to integrate basic science and clinical knowledge and skills in conjunction with psychosocial, ethical and behavioral aspects of patient care.

In small group tutorials, students work closely with individual faculty to explore information and develop clinical insights and professional behaviors. Professional practice is a fundamental component of the curriculum accomplished through integrated clinical experiences and full-time clinical internships. Our graduates practice in a variety of healthcare settings with individuals of all ages. They're known for their excellent clinical skills, leadership and confidence.

Learn more about the Health and Exercise Science Program.

Program Requirements

Students in the 3+3 Health and Exercise Science and DPT program will complete two degrees in their six years at Simmons: a Bachelors of Science in Health and Exercise Science after the fourth year and a Doctorate of Physical Therapy after the sixth year. As such, students have two undergraduate homes, both within the School of Sciences and Health Professions (SSHP). For their undergraduate education, students are members of the Health and Exercise Science program, which is housed in the Biology Department. For their graduate work, students progress to the Physical Therapy program. All majors are required to have Basic Life Support and First Aid Certifications by March 1 of the senior year.

The suggested sequence is:

First Year

BIOL113	General Biology	4
CHEM111	Principles of General Chemistry	4
CHEM112	Principles of Organic Chemistry	4

BIOL 113, CHEM 111, CHEM 113, and CHEM 112 include labs.

BIOL 113, and STAT 118 or STAT 227 or STAT 239: prereq. for BIOL 246

CHEM 111, CHEM 112: prereq. for BIOL 231

*Students may complete BIOL 113 to fulfill the Introductory Biology requirement.

*Students may complete CHEM 111 or CHEM 113 to fulfill General Chemistry requirement.

First or Sophomore Year

STAT118	Introductory Statistics	4
	OR
STAT227	Intermediate Statistics: Design & Analysis	4
	OR
STAT239	Regression Models	4
PSYC101	Introduction to Psychological Science	4
NUTR112	Introduction to Nutrition Science	4
EXSC100	Introduction to Exercise Science	2
EXSC110	Form and Function in Resistance Exercise	2

EXSC 100 and EXSC 110: Required for Class of 2023+.

Sophomore Year

BIOL231	Anatomy and Physiology I	4
BIOL232	Anatomy and Physiology II	4
BIOL246	Foundations of Exercise and Health	4

All courses include labs

Junior Year

BIOL332	Exercise Physiology	4
PHYS110	Introductory Physics I	4
PHYS111	Introductory Physics II	4
EXSC361	Exercise Assessment & Prescription	4
PSYC232	Health Psychology	4

PT Observation Hours: 30 hours of observation of a licensed physical therapist must be documented by May 1. See the DPT Handbook for details.

BIOL 332, PHYS 110, EXSC 361 include labs

BIOL 332: prereq. for EXSC 361

First Aid Certification offered during EXSC 361 lab at cost.

Fourth Year (First Year DPT Program)

If you progress into the DPT program, to earn the BS in Health and Exercise Science, you can apply the courses in the first year of the DPT program to fulfilling the BS in Health and Exercise Science requirements. The DPT program is 99 credits (including the combined undergraduate 4th Year/Year 1 in the graduate program). The graduate DPT program involves a full-time commitment over a three year period, including summers, beginning in the summer following the third year. Graduation is in May of the fourth (BS degree) and sixth (DPT degree) years. The program affiliates with approximately 300 institutions across the country, offering students a wide variety of clinical settings in which to participate in the practice of physical therapy.

DPT612	Professional Seminar	1
DPT672	Frameworks of Physical Therapy: Musculoskeletal I	7
DPT613	Professional Seminar	1
DPT673	Frameworks of Physical Therapy: Musculos keletal II	7
DPT621	Human Anatomy	7
DPT622	Movement Science I	3
DPT652	Evidence Based Practice I	2

DPT 612 and DPT 672: Serves as a replacement for BIOL 370 (Fall)
DPT 613 and DPT 673: Serves as a replacement for BIOL 370 (Spring)
DPT 621 and DPT 622: Serves as a replacement for BIOL 362
DPT 652: Serves as a replacement for 2nd EXSC elective (1st met by PHYS 110)

Information for Transfer Students

You can apply to Simmons as an undergraduate transfer student and be considered for admission to the professional phase of the DPT program. You must complete five of the nine required prerequisite science courses at Simmons, and you must have a 3.25 GPA across the 9 science courses in order to be considered for matriculation into the profession program. Additionally, you will need to meet all the requirements for an undergraduate degree from Simmons as well as the requirement for healthcare experience before matriculation into the professional program.

Our Faculty

Justin Jones

Professor of Practice and Chair of the Physical Therapy Department

Justin Beebe

Professor and Director of the DPT Program

Amitabh Dashottar

Associate Professor

Joanne Rivard (Malerba)

Associate Professor of Practice

Tim Hanway

Assistant Professor of Practice and Internship Coordinator for the Health & Exercise Science Program

Ling Xin

Assistant Professor

Spotlight on Exercise Science + Physical Therapy (3+3) Students and Alums

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Amanda Michel ’23, ’25DPT in action in the PT lab at Simmons

PT Student Embraces Disability-Centric Approach

Bringing a distinctive methodology to her profession, Amanda Michel ’23, ’25DPT has already made headlines, gracing the cover story of American Physical Therapy Association magazine (July 2024). We spoke with her about disability-informed research, her love of dance, and the supportive atmosphere of Simmons.

Lauren Stenmon wearing a Simmons softball uniform, holding a softball and glove

3+3 Exercise Science/PT Student Shares the Gift of Sports

In honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Simmons Shark Lauren Stenmon ’28 ’30DPT shares how she balances the intense studies of her accelerated degree program with her athletics schedule.

The Passionate Leaders Scholars, Fall 2024 Cohort

Celebrating the 2024-25 Passionate Leaders Scholars

Six Simmons undergraduate scholars from different disciplines have been selected to join the 2024-2025 Passionate Leaders Project cohort.

Amoli Vad ’28 standing in a flower garden

Student in Health and Exercise Science and Physical Therapy Accelerated 3+3 Program Publishes Paper in Peer-Reviewed Journal

Amoli Vad ’28 has published her first paper in a peer-reviewed journal. We spoke with Vad about what inspired her research and why she chose the 3+3 accelerated program at Simmons.

Alternative Spring Break Leaders: Molly Blackwell ’20, Sabrina Khalif ’21 & Kat Reidl ’20

Molly Blackwell ’20, ’22DPT Makes Positive Impact Through Alternative Spring Break

We caught up with Molly about her many experiences with Alternative Spring Break and the lessons she's learned from visiting these communities.