Briar Cliff University Announces Competitive Tuition Rates for Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Briar Cliff University Announces Competitive Tuition Rates for Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

August 6, 2024

Briar Cliff University is pleased to announce a significant update to its Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, reinforcing a commitment to accessibility and affordability while maintaining high educational standards.

Starting with the cohort admitted for matriculation in June 2025, tuition and fees for the program will be set at the beginning of each application cycle. This change ensures that students face no surprises regarding tuition and fees. More importantly, the Briar Cliff Board of Trustees has approved a significant reduction in tuition and fees for the cohort starting in June of 2025 to $11k per term, or $99k for the entire program. This rate is the lowest since the DPT program's inception in 2015, and positions BCU's DPT program as one of the most cost-effective options in the region.

"In response to valuable stakeholder feedback, our program conducted an extensive analysis of program, state, regional, and national admissions and student debt data," said Dr. Pat Cross, Director and Professor of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Briar Cliff University. "This analysis led to a presentation to the Board of Trustees in June, advocating for a revised tuition and fee structure aligned with the University's Franciscan values."

The DPT program at BCU includes a traditional, on-campus DPT program with small cohort sizes at a maximum of 32 students per cohort. It includes interprofessional courses, specialty electives, community-based service-learning, scholarly project experiences, and hands-on training in a nationally recognized student-run clinic, the Briar Cliff Clinic. The clinic provides free physical therapy rehab services to uninsured or underinsured and community-based outreach to underserved groups and populations.

"Despite the reduction in tuition, the quality of our educational offerings remains intact," adds Cross. "Our commitment to providing a high-quality education that is also affordable is unwavering and changes reflect our dedication to our students' financial well-being and our mission to produce highly skilled and compassionate physical therapists."

In 2023, Briar Cliff University's Doctor of Physical Therapy program received full accreditation for a 10-year term from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), with no compliance report required. This achievement highlights the exceptional quality and standards of the program.