University of Dayton, Ohio

Doctor of Physical Therapy

The University of Dayton's Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program will prepare you to be a knowledgeable, service-oriented, self-assured, adaptable, reflective practitioner. Our faculty and graduates contribute to society and the physical therapy profession through practice, teaching, administration and research. The need for highly trained physical therapists continues to rise, and the DPT program will put you at the front of the curve.

Money Magazine has named physical therapy one of the "Best Jobs in America,” with PT ranked 4th out of 100. The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics predicts employment of physical therapists to increase 27% by 2016, much faster than the national average for all occupations. CNN Money has rated physical therapy 4 out of 10 under “Fastest Growing Jobs” and lists PT as 7th on their list of the “Top 50 Best Jobs in America.” Likewise, AOL.com notes that PT is “One of the Best Jobs in Hard Times,” and the Chicago Tribune reported that physical therapists have one of the highest job-satisfaction levels in the country (second only to clergy).

What's Coming Up?

Earn your doctorate in physical therapy!

The American Physical Therapy Association has called on schools to raise the educational standards for practitioners, who will be expected to have doctorate degrees by 2020. The University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program enrolls 35 students per year. Regarding program outcomes, the ultimate pass rate for the National Physical Therapy Exam at UD is 97%, and the first time pass rate is 84%. The graduation rate for the UD DPT program is 97%, and the employment rate is 100%.

The DPT program offers students the opportunity to earn a doctorate in physical therapy. Download the program brochure (pdf) >>

Program Requirements

• The program is delivered over three years in eight consecutive semesters.
• Students take 86 weeks of classes, including 38 weeks of four, full-time clinical rotations and a research capstone course leading to a professional presentation and/or publishable manuscript.
• A total of 80 hours of observation is required from at least two distinctly different physical therapy patient care settings. A minimum of 20 observation hours must be in an inpatient setting.

Much of the DPT curriculum is delivered through problem-based learning, which emphasizes professional decision-making and the use of critical analysis in problem solving.

Candidates for the program are required to have a bachelor's degree. Commonly, this degree is in pre-physical therapy or other related fields, such as exercise science, exercise physiology, biology, psychology, dietetics or chemistry.



Learn more about the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program >>

See what courses you will take, when.

The three-year DPT curriculum comprises 117 credits, including classroom, laboratory and clinical experiences.

View the course sequence for each year and term below, or download the full curriculum (pdf) >>

• Year 1 Sequence
• Year 2 Sequence
• Year 3 Sequence 

Year 1 Sequence

Fall Semester

Core Module I: Basic Science (16 weeks)

• DPT 815 Human Gross Anatomy
• DPT 840 Clinical Science
• DPT 805 Functional Physiology I: Intro to Pathophysiology
• DPT 820 Movement Science
• DPT 810 Professional Seminar I: Health Care

Spring Semester (11 weeks)

Core Module I: Basic Science (16 weeks)

• DPT 841 Clinical Science II: Intro to Medical Diagnostics
• DPT 806 Functional Physiology II: Exercise Physiology
• DPT 846 Maturation Science I
• DPT 818 Neuroscience
• DPT 825 Pharmacy Therapeutics
• DPT 811 Professional Seminar II: Clinical Practice

General Medicine I (6 weeks)

• DPT 961 Clinical Pathology
• DPT 971 Clinical Skills Lab
• DPT 981 Clinical Issues Seminar
• DPT 842 Clinical Science III: Modalities I
• DPT 991 Research I

Summer Term I

General Medicine II (6 weeks)

• DPT 962 Clinical Pathology
• DPT 972 Clinical Skills Lab
• DPT 982 Clinical Issues Seminar
• DPT 843 Clinical Science IV: Modalities II
• DPT 847 Maturation Science II

Summer Term II

Clinical Module I: General Medicine (6 weeks)

• DPT 951 Clinical Rotation I: General Medicine

Back to top >> 

Year 2 Sequence

Fall Semester

Neurology I (10 weeks)

• DPT 963 Clinical Pathology
• DPT 973 Clinical Skills Lab
• DPT 983 Clinical Issues Seminar
• DPT 992 Research II

Neurology II (6 weeks)

• DPT 964 Clinical Pathology
• DPT 974 Clinical Skills Lab
• DPT 984 Clinical Issues Seminar
• DPT 992 Research II (continued)

Spring Semester

• DPT 952 Clinical Rotation II: Neurology (8 weeks)

Orthopedics (9 weeks)

• DPT 965 Clinical Pathology
• DPT 975 Clinical Skills Lab
• DPT 985 Clinical Issues
• DPT 993 Research III

Summer Term I

Clinical Module III: Orthopedics (12 weeks)

• DPT 953 Clinical Rotation III: Orthopedics

Summer Term II

Clinical Module III: Orthopedics (12 weeks, continued)

• DPT 953 Clinical Rotation III: Orthopedics (continued)

Back to top >> 

Year 3 Sequence

Fall Semester

Orthopedics II (6 weeks)

• DPT 966 Clinical Pathology
• DPT 976 Clinical Skills Lab
• DPT 986 Clinical Issues Seminar
• DPT 910 Professional Seminar III: Leadership & Management
• DPT 994 Research IV

• DPT 967 Clinical Pathology
• DPT 977 Clinical Skills Lab
• DPT 987 Clinical Issues Seminar
• DPT 940 Clinical Science V: Current Technology
• DPT 911 Professional Seminar IV: Business & Marketing

Program Comprehensive Exams

Spring Semester

Advanced Therapy II (5 weeks)

• DPT 988 Contemporary Clinical Practice Electives

Core Module IV:  Contact Clinical (12 weeks)

• DPT 954 Clinical Rotation IV: Contract Clinical

Summation Module (1 week)

• DPT 912 Professional Seminar V: Professional Development
• DPT 995 Research V

Back to top >>

Hear what former graduates have to say!

We have what you need to succeed!

Handouts

• Doctor of Physical Therapy Handbook 2012-2013 (pdf) >>

Forms

• Prerequisite worksheet (pdf) >>
• Clinical observation verification form (pdf) >>

Find out what it takes to join the program!

Admissions Process

Fall 2014 Applicants

The DPT program will begin accepting applications for the Fall 2014 incoming class during July 2013.  Please check back for important information regarding the application process and deadlines. 

Applicants are encouraged to apply early as applications are reviewed in the order that they are received.

It is expected that some applicants may have outstanding coursework at the time of application. However, plans for completing prerequisites prior to the beginning of the DPT program must be clearly indicated on the prerequisite worksheet.

Prerequisite Course Requirements

Science Prerequisites

• Full sequence of Human Anatomy and Physiology with labs
• Full sequence of General Biology with labs
• Full sequence of General Chemistry with labs
• Full sequence of General Physics with labs
• Exercise Physiology with lab

General Prerequisites

• General/Introductory Psychology
• Human Development
• Statistics
• Research Methods
• Oral Communication
• Medical Terminology (not required for Pre-PT/AT majors)

Academic Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA across all schools attended
• Minimum 3.0 GPA for all prerequisite science courses
• Minimum 3.0 GPA for all general prerequisite courses
• Grade of C or better in all prerequisite courses 
• Minimum of 64 semester credits
• Minimum of four or more prerequisite science courses with labs

You must retake any prerequisite courses in which you earned a grade of C- or lower.

You must have completed all science courses within the past ten years. Science coursework completed prior will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and online courses may only be used to fulfill general prerequisites. Advanced Placement (AP) Credit will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. CLEP, online, and AP credit must be indicated on a college transcript for consideration.

Apply to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program!

Choosing a university is an important step to your overall academic career. It's important to make sure that the institutions to which you apply have the programs and resources that meet your personal and academic needs.

We believe that the School of Education & Allied Professions offers some of the best academic and student-services programs. Our students are some of the most accomplished and motivated students anywhere. Explore the university for yourself. Use the links below to learn more about what it takes to be a Flyer.

Application Requirements

Applicants to the DPT program should submit the following information in addition to the online application:

• Official academic records of all previously attended colleges or universities must be submitted directly from the colleges or universities to the Office of Graduate Admissions Processing. Hand-carried transcripts, official copies marked Issued to Student, and unofficial copies are not acceptable.
• Three letters of recommendation are required. One letter must be from a licensed physical therapist. Other letters may be from professors or employers. 
• Official GRE results
• Prerequisite worksheet (pdf)
• Essay (see below)
• Clinical observation verification form (pdf). Eighty hours of observation under a licensed physical therapist in at least two distinctly different physical therapy patient care settings, with a minimum of 20 hours in an inpatient setting, are required.

Essay Instructions

Please provide a typed response that addresses the following content points:

• Autobiographical sketch
• Discussion of work and/or volunteer (other than clinical observation) experiences
• Report of clinical observations by institution, including a description of select observed activities or circumstances of importance
• Impression of the physical therapy profession
• Statement of personal and/or professional goals and ambitions, if accepted into the profession of physical therapy
• Reasons for applying to the University of Dayton
• Other pertinent information

Type your name at the top of each sheet in your response. The response should be double-spaced in 12-point font with one-inch margins. Responses should be a minimum of two pages and a maximum of eight pages.

DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY AS THE PERSONAL STATEMENT ON THE ONLINE APPLICATION. Rather, please submit your responses via e-mail to gradadmission@udayton.edu or mail your responses to the following address:

Office of Graduate Admissions Processing
University of Dayton
300 College Park
Dayton, Ohio 45469-1670