Physical Therapy, DPT
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program provides a comprehensive academic program to prepare students to work as physical therapists. The program is rich with opportunities to train alongside professionals in diverse environments.
Program Specific Admission Requirements
The Physical Therapy department at The University of Scranton participates in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as PTCAS. To learn more about the PTCAS application process, please visit the PTCAS website. Please submit all application documents through PTCAS. For general application requirements, please click here.
Admission is competitive and limited. To be eligible for admission to the DPT program, applicants must have an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.20 or higher, and a science GPA of 3.20 or higher (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) as calculated by the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). The following pre-requisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better:
- Biology with labs – 2 courses, 8 credits minimum
- General Chemistry with labs – 2 courses, 8 credits minimum
- General Physics with Labs – 2 courses, 8 credits minimum
- Anatomy and/or Physiology – 1 course, 3 credits minimum
- General Psychology – 1 course, 3 credits minimum
- Advanced Psychology (Childhood, Adolescence, Aging or Abnormal Psychology) – 1 course, 3 credits minimum
- Statistics – 1 course, 3 credits minimum
Each pre-requisite is independent of each other and courses cannot be applied to more than one pre-requisite. Advanced Placement credit can be used for the pre-requisites of Psychology and Statistics.
Applicants must submit documentation and verification of 30 hours of physical therapy patient contact experience by the time the application to the DPT program is submitted. All experiences must be supervised by a licensed physical therapist. Documentation and verification must be submitted through the PTCAS application process.
Students will be required to complete a Criminal Background Check, Child Abuse clearance and/or the FBI Fingerprint clearance prior to clinical experiences; and other clearances as requested by specific clinical sites.
Curriculum
The DPT curriculum is 111 credits and progresses from basic science courses to clinical application, and addresses the practice of physical therapy in all settings throughout the lifespan. Clinical experiences account for 24 credits and 34 weeks. Safety, ethics and evidence-based practice are common themes reoccurring throughout the curriculum.
During the three-year professional phase of the program, DPT students will have the opportunity to participate in multiple professional activities on the state, regional, and national levels. Students will complete a faculty-directed research project and submit the findings for presentation at a national scientific meeting.
For additional information on the curriculum, visit the Loading... Catalog.
Student Research
Beyond the Classroom
Assistantships
Graduate Assistants, who assist faculty in the delivery of course content, receive a stipend as well as tuition scholarships.
Service Experiences
Service trips enable the students to actively participate in cultural experiences while practicing patient treatment.
Clinical Education
Students are required to complete four internships. Sites are located throughout the US, with many being in PA, NJ and NY.
Leahy Hall
Leahy Hall is designed to offer the best simulation environments, laboratories, equipment and technology for our students.
Students Pumped Up About Programs in Senior Communities
The “Seniorcise” program, created by The University of Scranton’s Physical Therapy Department, has run at multiple Scranton-area senior residential communities for 20 years.
Graduate Education at Scranton
With over 30 programs The University of Scranton can help you to achieve your goals, personally and professionally. Find out what our students have to say about graduate education at Scranton.
Successful Graduates
Graduation Rate 2020
100%
Employment Rate 2019
100%
Accreditation
Meet the Department Chair
Renee Hakim, PT, PhD, NCS
Chair of Doctor of Physical Therapy Department Assistant Professor
B.S., The University of Scranton M.S., University of Pittsburgh Ph.D., Temple University
(570) 941-7499renee.hakim@scranton.edu
