Physical Therapy—Doctor of Physical Therapy
Degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy
Website: Physical Therapy
College/School: School of Rehabilitation Sciences
Program Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
Apply to UIW: Application for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program
Doctor of Physical Therapy
The Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program consists of 104 credit hours over 29 months (7 semesters) including 34 weeks of professional practice education. The entry-level DPT program uses problem-based learning (PBL), a rigorous, highly structured teaching methodology that places the student in a position of active responsibility for learning and mastering content. In small groups, the student learns by exploring clinical patient cases. Students work in groups of 7 or 8 with a tutor who facilitates discussion and asks guiding questions to ascertain that students are acquiring and integrating knowledge to the appropriate breadth and depth required of an entry-level physical therapist. The curriculum plan includes five main threads: Professional Reflection, Physical Therapy Reasoning, Patient/Client Management, Foundational Sciences, and Professional Topics. Professional Practice opportunities are integrated throughout the curriculum.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelors Degree - Applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited Institution with a minimum of 120 credit hours and have all the prerequisite courses listed below completed prior to orientation. Additionally, students who have not completed one semester of Medical Terminology will be required to take a six-week online course.
- Academic Excellence - The recommended minimum GPA is a 3.0 overall GPA and a 2.9 prerequisite GPA. Applicants must earn a C or higher in all prerequisite courses.
- Strong Test Scores - GRE score of 150 for each component (quantitative and verbal) is strongly recommended.
- Strong References - Three letters of recommendation, with at least one letter from a licensed physical therapist, are required.
- Observation Hours - 50 hours of observation in at least two different physical therapy settings that focus on different physical therapy specialties are recommended. (Example: neuromuscular, orthopedic, pediatric, geriatric, sports, etc.)
- Admission Interview - The DPT admissions committee reviews applications as they are received, and those deemed most competitive will be invited to an on-campus or virtual interview. Following the interview, the Admissions Committee will do a follow-up review of applicant files and offer the most qualified candidates.
All students must apply for admission to the entry-level DPT program using the PTCAS® online process between July 1 and January 15 of the previous year. After the review of all applications, applicants under consideration for admission will be invited for an interview at their own expense. Interviews are conducted during the Fall and Spring semesters prior to matriculation.
Completion of the following courses with a grade of “C” or above
Biology—2 semesters
Human Anatomy with lab—1 semester *
Human Physiology with lab—1 semester *
Chemistry with Lab—2 semesters
Medical Terminology—1 semester
Physics with Lab—2 semesters
Statistics—1 semester
Introduction to Psychology—1 semesters
* can be substituted by Human Anatomy and Physiology with Lab—2 semesters
Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree Plan
The Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program requires completion of 104 credit hours.
Year 1
Fall Semester
| DPT 5511 | Physical Therapy Reasoning 1 | 5 |
| DPT 5312 | Patient/Client Management 1 | 3 |
| DPT 5313 | Foundational Sciences 1 | 3 |
| DPT 5514 | Professional Topics 1 | 5 |
| DPT 5115 | Professional Critical Self-Reflection 1 | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Spring Semester
| DPT 5521 | Physical Therapy Reasoning 2 | 5 |
| DPT 5322 | Patient/Client Management 2 | 3 |
| DPT 5323 | Foundational Sciences 2 | 3 |
| DPT 5524 | Professional Topics 2 | 5 |
| DPT 5126 | Selected Topics: Interprofessional Education | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 17 |
Year 2
Summer Semester
| DPT 6511 | Physical Therapy Reasoning 3 | 5 |
| DPT 6312 | Patient/Client Management 3 | 3 |
| DPT 6313 | Foundational Sciences 3 | 3 |
| DPT 6514 | Professional Topics 3 | 5 |
| DPT 6115 | Professional Critical Self-Reflection 2 | 1 |
| DPT 6116 | Physical Therapy Interprofessional Education/Integrated Clinical Course | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18 |
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Year 3
Summer Semester
| DPT 7518 | Professional Practice Education 1 | 5 |
| DPT 7115 | Professional Critical Self-Reflection 3 | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
Fall Semester
| DPT 7628 | Professional Practice Education 2 | 6 |
| DPT 8618 | Professional Practice Education 3 | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Total Credit Hours: 104