Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Bachelor's: 117, excluding any prerequisite coursework
Required Courses:
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer I | Credit Hours | |
| PHTH 8101 | Introduction to Physical Therapy 1 | 1 |
| PHTH 8102 | Teaching, Learning, Group Dynamics 1 | 2 |
| PHTH 8103 | Clinical Examination and Intervention Skills I 1 | 2 |
| PHTH 8105 | Human Anatomy I 1 | 6 |
| PHTH 8587 | Pro Bono Clinical Practice 2 | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 11 | |
| Fall | ||
| PHTH 8107 | Functional Biomechanics | 3 |
| PHTH 8109 | Human Physiology and Pathology I | 3 |
| PHTH 8111 | Clinical Examination and Intervention Skills II | 3 |
| PHTH 8113 | Evidence Based Practice I | 2 |
| PHTH 8186 | Integrated Clinical Experience 1 | 1 |
| PHTH 8587 | Pro Bono Clinical Practice 2 | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHTH 8114 | Neuroscience | 3 |
| PHTH 8115 | Human Physiology and Pathology II | 3 |
| PHTH 8116 | Motor Control and Learning | 3 |
| PHTH 8118 | Clinical Examination and Intervention Skills III | 3 |
| PHTH 8121 | Clinical Electrophysiology and Biophysical Agents | 3 |
| PHTH 8286 | Integrated Clinical Experience 2 | 1 |
| PHTH 8587 | Pro Bono Clinical Practice 2 | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| PHTH 8123 | Development Across the Lifespan 1 | 2 |
| PHTH 8125 | Clinical Management of Musculoskeletal Conditions I 1 | 4 |
| PHTH 8127 | Clinical Management of Neuromuscular Conditions I 1 | 4 |
| PHTH 8386 | Integrated Clinical Experience 3 1 | 1 |
| PHTH 8587 | Pro Bono Clinical Practice 2 | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 11 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHTH 8129 | Psychosocial Aspects | 2 |
| PHTH 8131 | Clinical Management of Musculoskeletal Conditions II | 4 |
| PHTH 8133 | Clinical Management of Neuromuscular Conditions II | 4 |
| PHTH 8135 | Clinical Management of Cardiopulmonary Conditions | 3 |
| PHTH 8136 | Bioethics | 2 |
| PHTH 8137 | Evidence Based Practice II | 2 |
| PHTH 8486 | Integrated Clinical Experience 4 | 1 |
| PHTH 8587 | Pro Bono Clinical Practice 2 | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHTH 8138 | Management and Healthcare Systems | 2 |
| PHTH 8139 | Medical Diagnostics | 2 |
| PHTH 8141 | Clinical Management of Musculoskeletal Conditions III | 4 |
| PHTH 8143 | Management of the Medically Complex Patient | 3 |
| PHTH 8145 | Pharmacotherapeutics | 2 |
| PHTH 8146 | Clinical Management of Pediatrics | 2 |
| PHTH 8586 | Integrated Clinical Experience 5 | 1 |
| PHTH 8587 | Pro Bono Clinical Practice 2 | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| PHTH 9287 | Clinical Experience 1 3 | 8 |
| Credit Hours | 8 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHTH 8147 | Clinical Pain Sciences | 1 |
| PHTH 8148 | Assistive Technologies | 2 |
| PHTH 8151 | Evidence Based Practice III | 2 |
| PHTH 8160 | Special Topics - Integrated Learning Experience | 1 |
| PHTH 8587 | Pro Bono Clinical Practice 2 | 0 |
| PHTH 9288 | Clinical Experience 2 4 | 4 |
| Select two from the following: | 3 | |
PHTH 8150 | Elective - Special Topics | |
PHTH 8152 | Elective - Musculoskeletal | |
PHTH 8153 | Elective - Vestibular | |
PHTH 8154 | Elective - Clinical Simulation | |
PHTH 8155 | Elective - Pediatrics | |
PHTH 8156 | Elective - Geriatrics | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| HRPR 5001 | Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions 5 | 0 |
| PHTH 9288 | Clinical Experience 2 6 | 4 |
| PHTH 9388 | Clinical Experience 3 7 | 8 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 117 | |
- 1
Courses are taken for 12 weeks, spanning the Summer I and II terms.
- 2
This zero-credit elective can be taken during any term throughout the DPT program; it may also be repeated.
- 3
PHTH 9287 is taken for 12 weeks, spanning the Summer I term ending Year 2 and the Summer II term beginning Year 3.
- 4
Six weeks of clinical education (PHTH 9288) follows ten weeks of the coursework identified above.
- 5
This common College Core course is required of all incoming graduate students in the College of Public Health. It is available completely online and designed such that students can complete the modules at their own pace over the course of their degree program.
- 6
Begun in the Fall term of Year 3, PHTH 9288 extends into the Spring term for six additional weeks.
- 7
Immediately following conclusion of PHTH 9288, PHTH 9388 is taken for the remaining 12 weeks of the Spring term.
Minimum Grade for All Required Courses: B-
Culminating Events:
Clinical Experiences:
Three full-time clinical experiences are required over the course of the degree program. Additionally, beginning in the Fall term of Year 1 and throughout Year 2, five part-time clinical experiences allow students to practice and apply current didactic skills with a variety of patient populations.
The full-time clinical experiences include:
- PHTH 9287 Clinical Experience 1, taken for 8 credits over 12 weeks in the Summer term between Years 2 and 3.
- PHTH 9288 Clinical Experience 2, taken for 8 credits over 12 weeks beginning in the Fall term of Year 3 and extending into the Spring term of that same academic year.
- PHTH 9388 Clinical Experience 3, taken for 8 credits over 12 weeks immediately following completion of PHTH 9288 Clinical Experience 2.
Practice Project and Comprehensive Patient Evaluation:
Several didactic and psychomotor assessments are offered throughout the curriculum to ensure student preparedness and clinical readiness. In the Fall term of Year 3, each student participates in a mentored evidence-based practice project and completes a comprehensive practical evaluation.