Physical Therapy, Doctor of

(100 credits) 

The purpose of the doctor of physical therapy degree is to educate competent health care providers who are skillfully able to effectively examine, evaluate, diagnose, and provide appropriate interventions for clients with primary, secondary, and tertiary physical impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities across the lifespan. The physical therapist has in-depth knowledge of cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, and neuromuscular disorders. Physical therapists function as point-of-entry providers of physical rehabilitation and rehabilitation services. Students are accepted into a full-time cohort model once a year starting with the first summer term. Students enroll in courses in a predetermined sequence as outlined in the program of study. The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program requires 100 post-baccalaureate graduate credit hours. There are a total of 29 credit hours of clinical, which excludes the hours for advanced human anatomy taken during the first summer term. Some of the clinical hours are practice hours with simulations and volunteers, while the core of the clinical hours are spent with physical therapy preceptors providing supervised client care. The didactic and theory credit hours equates to 71 credit hours. The program also includes credit hours for a culminating scholarly project.