Direct Entry Programs

There are a number of Direct Entry Programs here at Franklin Pierce University.

Direct Entry into Doctor of Physical Therapy

Franklin Pierce University offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) through its College of Health and Natural Sciences.

Special consideration is offered for undergraduates who enroll as freshmen or who are enrolled and meet specific requirements and who complete their bachelor’s degree at Franklin Pierce University. The level of consideration will depend upon the student’s qualifications and ability to satisfy the established criteria for either conditional acceptance or a guaranteed interview as described below.

Special consideration for direct admission into the FPU D.P.T. program is offered for undergraduates in three pathways:

Freshman P.T. Direct Entry: High School Seniors who meet specific requirements (see below) are guaranteed entrance into the FPU D.P.T. program upon satisfactory completion (see below) of the requirements for entrance into the D.P.T. program.
Current FPU Student P.T. Direct Entry: Current students who meet the established levels of academic success in the undergraduate courses (see below) can apply for D.P.T. Direct Entry in their first three years of undergraduate work. These students will have guaranteed entrance into the FPU D.P.T. program upon satisfactory completion (see below) of the requirements for entrance into the D.P.T. program.
Preferential FPU Application review for the current student into the FPU D.P.T. program: Students who have completed or will complete a bachelor’s degree before the start of the next D.P.T. class at Franklin Pierce University will be given preferential status in the application (see below)

Entrance into the D.P.T. Direct Entry Program

Freshman P.T. Direct Entry: Admission Requirements for High School Applicants
- Minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA), in academic courses only, of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (84/100)
- Equivalent of four years of math with a final grade of B+ (87/100) or higher in each class
- Equivalent of four years of science with a final grade of B+ (87/100) or higher in each class
Current FPU Student D.P.T. Direct Entry: Criteria to apply for entrance into the D.P.T. Direct Entry program after entering FPU;

Must be a currently enrolled FPU student at the time of application
Application must be completed before May 15 a year prior to expected entrance to D.P.T. program (ie: if expected entrance to D.P.T. is Fall of 2023; application deadline is May 15, 2022).

Progression Qualifications for D.P.T. Direct Entry program:

To successfully progress from undergraduate studies into the D.P.T. program by Direct Entry, students must meet the following qualifications. These qualifications will be evaluated annually by advisors. Students who do not maintain these pre-requisites will forfeit the guaranteed admission into the D.P.T. program.

Minimum grade of “B” in each of the following pre-requisite courses:
- Biology I
- Biology II
- Anatomy & Physiology I
- Anatomy & Physiology II
- Chemistry I
- Chemistry II
- Physics I
- Physics II
- Statistics (or Statistics for Behavioral Science)
- One course in Psychology at the 100-level or above
Achieved a minimum 3.2 CGPA and a prerequisite GPA of 3.2.
All applicants must apply to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program through the PTCAS online application process and can attend either campus.

Preferential FPU Application Review for current student into the FPU D.P.T. program:
Students who are current students at FPU and are not in the D.P.T. Direct Entry program will have preferential application review than transfer students if they meet entrance requirements and the following criteria:

Completed application in PTCAS before November 15th the year before expected entrance into the D.P.T. program
Recommendation from FPU advisor

Direct Entry into Master of Physician Assistant Studies 4+2 Program (N.H.)

The physician assistant (PA) profession is a competitive industry and you want to select a program that offers a path to success. The Franklin Pierce 4+2 Master of Physician Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S.) Direct Entry Program enables you to complete your studies through the master’s level in just six years.
You will complete a four-year Health Sciences undergraduate degree and enter into the 27-month M.P.A.S. program. Conditional acceptance is granted to qualified students during their senior year of high school. Guaranteed acceptance will be offered upon successful completion of all program requirements during undergraduate studies.

Requirements to be Considered for Admission into the Franklin Pierce University Master of Physician Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S.) Program

Requirements for high school applicants seeking admission to the M.P.A.S. Direct Entry Program include:

Minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA), in academic courses only, of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
Equivalent of four years of math with a final grade of B+ (87/100) or higher in each class
Equivalent of four years of science with a final grade of B+ (87/100) or higher in each class
Demonstrated leadership through community and school activities; related healthcare experience is highly desirable.

Progression Qualifications

To successfully progress from undergraduate studies into the M.P.A.S program, you must meet the following qualifications, which will be evaluated at the end of your junior year:

Successfully complete the following courses with a grade of “B+” or better:
Anatomy & Physiology I ( 4 credits with lab)
Anatomy & Physiology II (4 credits with lab)
Biology (8 credits with lab for AZ, 4 credits with lab for NH)
Chemistry I (4 credits with lab)
Chemistry II (4credits with lab)
Microbiology (4 credits with lab)
Statistics (3 credits)
Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry (4 credits with lab)
Psychology (AZ only)

Achieve a minimum CGPA of 3.5 and a Science GPA of 3.5.
Complete at least 20 hours of shadowing a physician assistant in a clinical setting.
Complete a minimum of 500 hours of direct patient care, including evidence of healthcare experience with populations from rural or underserved areas (can be paid or volunteer)
Leadership Skills for Healthcare Professions course taken during the last 2 undergraduate years.
PA pre-matriculation course.
Complete the CASPA application

If you fail to meet the progression standards for the M.P.A.S. Direct Entry pathway, you will be encouraged to apply for traditional entry during your senior year. Admission is competitive and is based on performance and space availability.

Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) -
Direct Entry Program Application Requirements

Completed Franklin Pierce University Graduate Admission application
Resume
Essay stating goals and objectives for applying to the MEPN program
Receipt of all official transcripts from colleges and/o universities previously attended
Achievement of minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) admission exam with a passing score of 80%
Interview with nursing faculty

Program Qualifications
To successfully progress from undergraduate studies into the MEPN program, you must meet the following qualifications, which will be evaluated at the end of your junior year.

Successfully complete the following courses with a letter grade of “B” or better:

Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits with lab)
Anatomy and Physiology II (4 credits with lab)
General Chemistry (4 credits with lab)
Microbiology (4 credits with lab)
Statistics (3 credits)
Human/Lifespan Development (3 credits)

If you fail to meet progression standards, you will be encouraged to apply for entry during your senior year. Admission is competitive and is based on performance and space availability.

St. George's University Pathway Program

Requirements to be Considered for Admission into the Franklin Pierce University and St. George’s University Doctor of Medicine (MD)
Franklin Pierce University accepts and prepares undergraduates for admission to the St. George’s University (SGU) School of Medicine or School of Veterinary Medicine. This combined degree program offers a pathway from your undergraduate study in Biology or Health Sciences to a Doctor of Medicine (MD).

Students admitted to the pathway program complete their undergraduate degree at Franklin Pierce University in four years, progressing into the 4-year MD program at SGU. St. George’s University is one of a few international universities recognized by the US Department of Education to administer student loans for qualified U.S. students.

Eligibility Criteria for the Franklin Pierce University/SGU Pathway Program

Students must complete the Franklin Pierce Application for Admission Addendum and the SGU Supplemental Application, requesting admission to this program.
Students must have a minimum high school CGPA of 3.5 with strong grades in science and math.
Students must submit two (2) letters of recommendation from advisors or instructors preferring at least one letter from a science teacher addressing the following characteristics:
- Commitment to learning: The student’s ability to identify resources of learning, utilizing these resources and their desire to continue to seek out knowledge and increase understanding.
- Interpersonal skills: The ability to work with a variety of their peers as well as with figures of authority.
- Responsibility: Fulfilling obligations in a self-directed environment.

Students meeting these standards will be selected for an admission interview.

Undergraduate Course Detail
If admitted to a combined degree program, you would begin your studies at Franklin Pierce University. You would select a major in Biology or Health Sciences. Your program of study must include completion of the following prerequisites for the MD program:

Biology (6-8 credits with labs)
General Chemistry (6-8 credits, with lab)
Organic Chemistry (6-8 credits, with lab)
General Physics (minimum 4 credits, with lab)
Math (minimum 3-4 credits)
College Writing (as required by the Franklin Pierce University general education requirements).

SGU strongly recommends courses in Biochemistry, Microbiology and Anatomy & Physiology as part of a student’s undergraduate program of study. Computer competency is also highly desired.

Requirements for advancement to the MD Program
To be eligible to progress into the combined program with St. George’s you must:

Earn an overall cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.5 for the MD program, 3.1 for the DVM program (cgpa) OF 3.4.
Earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 in your Biology or Health Sciences major.
Obtain a competitive score on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) within 5 points of the average MCAT score for entering students. The current average is approximately 498.
Students must submit a Dean’s Letter attesting to their character and preparation for medical school.
Students must complete an updated SGU Supplemental Application.
An offer of admission to the SGU School of Medicine will be made to qualified students who satisfy all respective admissions requirements after a promotion interview is conducted.

Secondary Pathway Program

For students who did not seek or did not achieve admission to this program at the time of University admission, Franklin Pierce University offers a secondary path to program admission. Students meeting the following criteria at the end of their junior year of study at Franklin Pierce University will be recommended for the combined program.

Biology or Health Science major
3.5 CGPA and 3.5 GPA in the major
Obtain two letters of recommendation from undergraduate faculty at Franklin Pierce
Complete the SGU Supplemental Application