Curriculum

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum consists of 109 credits of coursework over eight consecutive semesters beginning in the fall of Year I and concluding in the spring of Year III, including intense study in the foundational, behavioral, and clinical sciences. Students learn to manage patients and clients with musculoskeletal, neuromotor, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary dysfunction. The curriculum also guides students' exploration of the legal/ethical aspects of patient care as well as issues of communication, health promotion, policy, and practice management. Through participation in research courses and integration of evidence-based practice throughout the management courses, graduates become critical consumers of research and evidence-based practitioners.

The curriculum also features extensive hands-on experience, including continuous work with “standardized patients” who help students practice integrating principles of professional practice with knowledge from the foundational behavioral and clinical sciences. The DPT program includes 34 weeks of full-time clinical education experience in local, national, and international locations.

Program of Study