The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program educates students to become competent, compassionate, and ethical practitioners in a variety of health care settings. Graduates will be highly dedicated professionals with excellent patient care, communication, critical thinking, patient education and advocacy, management and research skills.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is a three-year (nine consecutive semesters) professional doctoral curriculum designed to prepare entry-level therapists to practice in a variety of clinical settings. The professional curriculum is a full-time "lock-step" program. The program includes multiple clinical education experiences (internships) ranging from eight weeks to twelve weeks in duration. It also includes focused interprofessional education activities involving students from other professional disciplines as well as research training and activities.
Students who successfully complete the course of study will be granted the Doctor in Physical Therapy degree (DPT), enabling the graduate to take the national board examination leading to state licensure as a Physical Therapist.
The UCF Doctor of Physical Therapy program promotes lifelong learning and professional development, which is attained through active involvement in professional organizations such as the American Physical Therapy Association. UCF's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education.
Mission
The mission of the University of Central Florida's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is to cultivate excellence in physical therapist practice through comprehensive and focused doctoral education. The program fosters excellence through its dedication to foundational sciences, clinical skill proficiency, research and evidence-based practice, service and professional duty, and lifelong learning. The program is committed to the development of a diverse and inclusive healthcare community in order to optimize patient care in the dynamic healthcare environment.
Vision
The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the University of Central Florida will be distinguished for:
- Its breadth, depth, and collaborative approach to physical therapist education
- Clinical excellence and advancement of clinical practice
- Scholarly achievements and professional recognition of students, faculty, and clinical partners
- Dedication to the health and well-being of the Central Florida community
- Professional commitment and advocacy for the advancement of the practice of physical therapy
This program has potential ties to professional licensure or certification in the field. For more information on how this program may prepare you in that regard, please view the licensure disclosure for the Physical Therapy DPT program.
Program Prerequisites
Each prerequisite course must be completed with a minimum grade of "C". The overall GPA for all prerequisite courses must be a 3.00 or higher to be considered for admission. The program recommends all prerequisite courses be completed at the time of application. Candidates with all prerequisites completed at the time of application may be given preference over those still completing courses. No more than two prerequisite courses may be in progress the fall semester prior to the program's start and no more than one course may be in progress during the spring semester prior to the program's start. Courses older than ten years will not be accepted. Email ptinfo@ucf.edu to request a prerequisite review.
Anatomy and Physiology - Two courses with labs and a minimum of 8 credit hours is required. One of two options must be met:
Option 1: One semester of Human Physiology with lab and one semester of Anatomy with lab.
Option 2: Two semesters of Anatomy/Physiology combined courses with labs.
Biology / Biological Studies - Two courses and a minimum of 6 credit hours is required. Labs are not required. Must be courses for science majors.
Chemistry - Two courses with labs and a minimum of 8 credit hours is required. Introduction and survey courses are NOT accepted.
Physics - Two courses with labs and a minimum of 8 credit hours is required. General Physics and Physics with Calculus are both acceptable courses.
Psychology - One course (3 credit hours) is required. Any psychology course that is taken within the Psychology Department will meet this requirement.
Statistics - One course (3 credit hours) is required.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
114 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Year 1- Complete all of the following
Summer Term 1- Complete the following:
- PHT5003 - Foundations of Physical Therapy (2)
- PHT5125 - Clinical Kinesiology (2)
- PHT5125L - Clinical Kinesiology Lab (1)
- PHT6115C - Gross Anatomy/Neuroscience I (6)
- PHT6156C - Applied Human Physiology for Health Sciences (3)
Fall Term 1- Complete the following:
- PHT5240 - Physical Assessment (1)
- PHT5240L - Physical Assessment Lab (2)
- PHT5260 - Patient Care Skills (2)
- PHT5260L - Patient Care Skills Lab (2)
- PHT6118C - Gross Anatomy/Neuroscience II (6)
- PHT6153 - Physiologic Assessment in Physical Therapy Practice (2)
- PHT6606 - Research Methods in Physical Therapy (2)
Spring Term 1- Complete the following:
- PHT5218C - Therapeutic Modalities in Rehabilitation (3)
- PHT5241 - Therapeutic Exercises I (2)
- PHT5241L - Therapeutic Exercise Lab I (2)
- PHT6242 - Orthopedic Physical Therapy (3)
- PHT6242L - Orthopedic Physical Therapy Lab (1)
- PHT6306 - Pathology in Rehabilitation (2)
- PHT6356 - Pharmacology in Rehabilitation (2)
Year 2- Complete all of the following
Summer Term 2- Complete the following:
- PHT5718 - Neurological Physical Therapy (3)
- PHT5718L - Neurological Physical Therapy Lab (1)
- PHT6219C - Pain Mechanisms and Treatment in Rehabilitation (2)
- PHT6245 - Therapeutic Exercise II (2)
- PHT6245L - Therapeutic Exercise II Lab (1)
- PHT7722C - Integrative Clinical Practice (2)
Fall Term 2- Complete the following:
- PHT6521 - Management of Physical Therapy Services (2)
- PHT6322C - Pediatric Physical Therapy (3)
- PHT6716C - Advanced Orthopedic Physical Therapy (2)
- PHT6805C - Clinical Education I (4)
- PHT7742C - Acute Care Physical Therapy (2)
- PHT6702C - Orthotics and Prosthetics in Rehabilitation (1)
Spring Term 2- Complete the following:
- PHT6374C - Geriatric Physical Therapy (2)
- PHT6381C - Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy (2)
- PHT6618 - Research Applications in Physical Therapy (2)
- PHT6719 - Advanced Neurological Physical Therapy (2)
- PHT6719L - Advanced Neurological Physical Therapy Lab (1)
- PHT7134C - Physical Therapy Integration (2)
- PHT7730C - Primary Care for the Physical Therapist (2)
Year 3- Complete all of the following
Summer Term 3- Complete the following:
- PHT7822C - Clinical Education II (6)
Fall Term 3- Complete the following:
- PHT7721C - Integrations in Orthopedic Physical Therapy (1)
- PHT7772C - Advanced Neurological Physical Therapy II (1)
- PHT7780C - Advanced Geriatric Physical Therapy (1)
- PHT7329C - Advanced Pediatric Physical Therapy (1)
- PHT7521 - Management of Physical Therapy Services II (2)
- PHT7823C - Clinical Education III (4)
- PHT6070C - Radiology/Imaging for Physical Therapy (3)
Spring Term 3- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- PHT7021 - Professional Practice in Physical Therapy (2)
- PHT7900 - Capstone Project in Physical Therapy (3)
- PHT7829C - Clinical Education IV (4)
PHT 7XXXC Elective Course- Complete 1 of the following
- Elective Course Options (student must select at least one of the following courses, pending availability). PHT 6958 Physical Therapy Study Abroad can fulfill the elective requirement and may be offered at any point in the DPT curriculum:
- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- PHT7778C - Advanced Manual Therapy (2)
- PHT7764C - Advanced Neurological Treatment (2)
- PHT7702C - Advanced Orthotics and Prosthetics (2)
- PHT7779C - Sports Physical Therapy (2)
- Earn at least 2 credits from the following types of courses: PHT 6958 - Study Abroad
Examinations
0 Total Credits
- All students are required to pass a Comprehensive Exam prior to graduation. For details about the Comprehensive Exam, please visit the DPT Student Handbook.
Grand Total Credits: 114
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
The program is designed to enable students to demonstrate in the classroom, and later in the clinic, that they have achieved levels of comprehension and competence expected of entry-level physical therapists. Thus, the curriculum not only involves the didactic and clinical components of professional education, but also co-curricular activities which include integrated patient experiences, interprofessional education activities, and a research curriculum.
Integrated patient experiences are authentic, brief encounters with patients and patient populations through activities that are typically embedded into several DPT courses. In alignment with this requirement, the UCF DPT Program requires full participation from enrolled students. These activities may be directly aligned with DPT courses and assigned a grade, while others may be more programmatic in nature, outside of traditional coursework. All activities are designed to assist student development and understanding of various patient care issues. This will include exposure to various clinical settings and populations that will assist students in becoming more effective and safe practitioners when they enter formal clinical education or upon graduation and eventual licensure.
Interprofessional education (IPE) is an educational model that aligns with professional standards in physical therapy education accreditation. This consists of students learning in collaborative team environments that include the involvement of students from differing professional disciplines. This co-curricular thread that is embedded into the UCF DPT Program and includes participation in a collaborative IPE curriculum with various partners including but not limited to: UCF College of Medicine, UCF College of Nursing, UCF School of Social Work, UCF Counselor Education, and the UF College of Pharmacy.
The research curriculum aligns with professional standards in physical therapy education accreditation, in which the program fosters the understanding of clinical research. Areas of competency include the ability to independently locate reputable information, interpret study findings, and implement research into clinical practice. Thus, students enrolled in the UCF DPT Program will take part in research throughout their curriculum. All students are required to work in small groups and complete a research project under the mentorship of a faculty member who serves as their research advisor. These projects culminate in a written manuscript, poster and oral research presentations at UCF. Students may also have the opportunity to present their research at state, regional, and national conferences. Many UCF DPT students have gone on to have their work published in peer reviewed journals.
Equipment Fee
Students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program pay a $90 equipment fee each semester that they are enrolled.
Admission Requirements
