Doctor of Physical Therapy

Hanover College Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Hanover College is excited to offer a distinctive Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program located in the tri-state region of Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Our DPT program is dedicated to developing health care professionals committed to service, who appreciate the benefits of interprofessional teams, and who use innovation to advance the well-being of others.

The Hanover College DPT program is an accelerated two-year hybrid education model that combines online learning, onsite lab immersions, and integrated clinical education experiences. Students access our online virtual classroom for face-to-face live class sessions. This unique evidence-based curriculum is based on high-quality, engaging coursework developed by Hanover College DPT faculty, with threads of service, innovation, interprofessional education, and telehealth, woven throughout to prepare students for the future of physical therapy practice.

Our expert DPT faculty collaborate with board-certified specialists and master clinicians to progress and refine student's critical thinking and hands-on patient management skills.

Classroom and lab experiences prepare students for integrated, high-quality clinical experiences and the opportunity to enter residency programs. Hanover DPT graduates will be market-ready physical therapists who value and understand the unique blend of evidence-informed decision-making and mindfulness to meet patients' needs in today's clinical environment.

A Welcome Message from Dr. Kerry Volansky, Program Director

Contact Info:
Kerry Volansky PT, DSc, EdD, MBA, OCS
Program Director
Hanover Email: volansky@hanover.edu

Program Mission

The mission of Hanover College's DPT Program is to empower students to live purposeful lives with a personal commitment to academic excellence, a quest for life-long inquiry, the promotion of innovation, and meaningful service to improve the health of society.

Hanover DPT Anatomy Experience

A unique feature of the Hanover DPT program is the opportunity to practice in a state-of-the-art, newly expanded anatomy laboratory in the Hanover College Science Center. Recent renovations include facilities for full body dissection, spaces for review of prosected body parts, and areas for student engagement. A multi-modal approach for hands-on, active learning includes human cadavers, technology via 3D printed models, clay models, and media enhanced virtual anatomy. Video monitors are mounted throughout the lab for a good vantage point from any location. Synchronous and asynchronous instruction complement the anatomy lab experience in the first two semesters in the DPT program

Lab Immersions

Hanover campus: Feel connected to the campus community and culture. Explore Hanover's picturesque 650 plus acre campus on the bluffs overlooking the Ohio River for orientation, anatomy experiences, graduation, and the capstone course.

The Refinery Event Center: Labs will take place at this unique event venue located 15 minutes from downtown Louisville and 15 minutes from the airport, in the water tower district of Jeffersonville, Indiana. The space features free parking, close proximity to restaurants and night life, as well as access to affordable local accommodations.

Preparation for Professional Licensure

The program has determined that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in all states, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands secondary to its accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, based on the following:

CAPTE accreditation of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program satisfies state educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thus, students graduating from CAPTE-accredited physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education programs are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, refer to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy website at www.fsbpt.org.

National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE)

Graduates of Hanover DPT Program are eligible to sit for the NPTE immediately following graduation.

Below is the U.S. Dept of Education (USDE) regulation which allows students to sit for the licensure exam immediately upon graduation. Further, because of this regulation, initial accreditation status is no longer required to sit for the exam. Additionally, if initial accreditation is not granted, cohort numbers two and three may complete the program and take the exam during the reconsideration and appeals processes. If initial accreditation is not achieved following these processes, a fourth cohort will be refunded the seat deposit prior to the start of classes. Candidacy is synonymous with pre-accreditation.

From USDE Federal Register page 58924 602.23(f)(2) Effective July 01, 2020: "All credits and degrees earned and issued by an institution or program holding pre-accreditation from a nationally recognized agency are considered by the Secretary to be from an accredited institution or program."

Program Complaints

Any member of the Hanover College community has the right to file a complaint or grievance against the DPT Program without fear of retaliation. Complaints may be reported here.

Program Accreditation

Graduation from a Doctorate of Physical Therapy education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.

Effective 4/27/21, Hanover College has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706- 3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 812-866-7030 or email: dpt@hanover.edu. Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.
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