The partnership between Rockhurst University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City is designed to offer exceptional UMKC students automatic acceptance into the following Rockhurst programs within Saint Luke's College of Nursing and Health Sciences:
- Post Bachelor’s Leveling in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP)
- Doctor of Occupational Therapy
- Doctor of Physical Therapy
Post-Bachelor's Leveling in SLP
Students in psychology, education or other programs at UMKC with outstanding academic qualifications may be pre-admitted into the post-bachelor’s leveling program in SLP at Rockhurst if they meet certain criteria.
The post-bachelor’s leveling program is for students who are currently completing a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than SLP and wish to pursue a Master of Science degree in SLP. This leveling program allows admitted students to complete the necessary prerequisite coursework to begin graduate studies in speech-language pathology. Students accepted into the leveling program are provisionally admitted to the Master of Science in SLP program.
Post-Bachelor’s Leveling Program Requirements
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and a GPA of 3.5 in the major
- Letter of intent submitted to the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders office by June 1 at the end of their junior year with a copy of their official transcript
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree at UMKC prior to beginning the leveling program
- Completed SLP application for admission by September 1 of their senior year
- Maintain a 3.5 GPA each semester in SLP leveling courses and maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA through the end of their leveling year
- An interview before beginning the leveling program
Post-Bachelor’s Leveling Program Coursework:
Fall = 12 credit hours
- Language Development
- Anatomy & Physiology of Speech & Hearing Mechanisms
- Transcription Phonetics
- Speech & Hearing Science
Spring = 13 credit hours
- Neural Bases of Communication
- Introduction to Audiology
- Clinical Management: Pediatrics
- Clinical Management: Adults
- Clinical Observation
Prerequisite courses in biological, physical, and behavioral sciences and statistics are required by ASHA for application for certification. These requirements must be completed before starting the graduate courses in the Rockhurst SLP program. Rockhurst offers the prerequisite courses needed to meet these requirements.
Requirements for Continuing into the Master of Science Program
Students who maintain a 3.5 GPA throughout their leveling program and demonstrate the appropriate professional behaviors and essential functions of the discipline may matriculate directly into the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program. Students must submit a complete application and meet the same requirements as all other applicants.
Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Two students at UMKC with outstanding academic qualifications will be pre-admitted into the occupational therapy program at Rockhurst. Students who do not meet the requirements for pre-admission will be reviewed under Rockhurst’s standard admission process. Students will begin the occupational therapy program upon completion of their bachelor’s degree.
Doctor of Occupational Therapy Requirements
- Earn semester GPA of at least 3.5 and cumulative GPA from all coursework of at least 3.5
- Cumulative science grade point average FROM ALL COURSEWORK of at least 3.5
- Completed occupational therapy application for admission through OTCAS, before Sept. 1 of their senior year
- Interview before beginning the program
- Maintain a 3.5 GPA each semester and maintain a 3.5 science and cumulative GPA through the end of their senior year
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Two students at UMKC with outstanding academic qualifications will be pre-admitted into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Rockhurst University. Students who do not meet the requirements for pre-admission will be reviewed under Rockhurst’s standard admission process. Students will begin the occupational therapy program upon completion of their bachelor’s degree.
Doctor of Physical Therapy Requirements
- Complete an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City prior to the desired summer of admission
- Earn a 3.5 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in all pre-requisite and all science pre-requisite courses as needed for admission into the Rockhurst University physical therapy program
- Notify the Rockhurst University Department of Physical Therapy Education of plans to apply to the program no later than October 1 of the year preceding the desired summer of admission
- Submit a completed application to PTCAS no later than September 1 of the year preceding the desired summer of admission
- Receive three favorable letters of recommendation as part of the PTCAS application
- Complete all pre-requisites and have grades submitted to PTCAS no later than December 25 of the year preceding the desired summer of admission to allow adequate time for PTCAS to verify transcripts
- Successfully complete a personal interview