Calvin News

Baylor University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences and Calvin University have announced a new partnership that will provide physical therapy education opportunities at Baylor for Calvin University students.

Through the agreement, two spots in each Baylor DPT cohort will be reserved for qualified Calvin University students who meet the program’s admissions requirements. The agreement was signed by Baylor and Calvin officials, including Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.; Robbins College Dean Jason Carter, Ph.D.; Department of Physical Therapy Chair Brian Young, PT, D.Sc.; Calvin University President Greg Elzinga, M.B.A.; Calvin Provost Noah Toly, Ph.D.; and Calvin Department of Kinesiology Co-Chair John Sparks, M.S.

Partnering on a shared vision

“Through this partnership, we are excited to both support and collaborate with a university that shares Baylor’s vision to prepare future health professions leaders through exceptional academics within a caring faith-oriented community,” Carter said. “This partnership will strengthen both Calvin and Baylor at a time when more collaboration within higher education is needed, and most importantly will benefit the students and the communities they will eventually serve as physical therapists.”

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Baylor is a two-year, hybrid graduate degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Launched in 2018, the program combines best practices in distance education, on-campus lab immersion sessions and clinical education experiences to prepare highly skilled physical therapists who understand and value the need for compassionate patient care.

Expanding opportunities for students

Calvin University students who desire to enroll in the Baylor DPT program must satisfy all general admission requirements for the program, in addition to providing a letter of recommendation from Calvin’s pre-health professions advisor. Calvin will submit completed application packets for prospective students to the Baylor DPT admissions manager, who will review to ensure that all admissions requirements have been met.

"This partnership with Baylor University represents an exciting opportunity for our students to advance their education in physical therapy while remaining grounded in the shared values of Christian faith and service,” said Dr. Adejoke Bolanle Ayoola, dean for the school of health at Calvin University. “By collaborating with Baylor's highly innovative DPT program, we provide Calvin students with a solid pathway to a graduate education that will equip them to make meaningful impacts in healthcare, benefitting their future clients and the communities they serve."

While this agreement reserves two spots per Baylor DPT cohort specifically for Calvin University students, any Calvin student who meets admissions requirements may submit an application to the Baylor DPT program for consideration outside of the agreement via the standard application process. 

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome Calvin University graduates into Baylor’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program for years to come,” Young said. “I have great respect for the quality health sciences education Calvin provides its undergraduate students, and I look forward to seeing these students thrive both in the Baylor DPT program and as future physical therapists.”

About Robbins College of Health and Human Services at Baylor University 

The Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University seeks to prepare leaders in health and quality of life through science, scholarship and innovation. Together, the departments housed within the Robbins College – Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Public Health; and a number of Army-Baylor graduate programs – promote a team-based approach to transformational education and research, establishing interdisciplinary research collaborations to advance solutions for improving quality of life for individuals, families and communities. For more information, visit the Robbins College website.

About Baylor University

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.

About Calvin University

Founded in 1876, Calvin University is a top-ranked, liberal arts institution that equips its 3,700 students from 48 U.S. states, 66 countries, and five Canadian provinces to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world. Calvin offers 100+ majors and programs, including a growing portfolio of graduate-level offerings. Calvin students engage in intensive internships, community-based service learning, and significant research that results in publishing and presenting alongside world-class faculty. The university’s 400-acre campus is in the vibrant city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Discover more at www.calvin.edu.