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Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Requirements

Find degree requirements for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program as well as information on Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences, below.

Accreditation:

Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.

Effective October 25, 2022, the University of the Cumberlands Physical Therapy Program has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org). If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 606.539.4251 or email vicki.lafay@ucumberlands.edu. Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

For additional accreditation information, please click here. 

COURSEWORK

These courses comprise a 24 month program and the 115 total credits of coursework to be completed for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. 

Semester one – 20 credit hours total

DPT 710 Professional Formation 1 1 credit hour 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 741  Physical Therapy Fundamentals  4 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 713 Evidence Informed Practice 1 1 credit hour 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 712 Communication for Healthcare Professionals  1 credit hour 2nd Bi-Term
DPT 742 Introduction to Patient Examination 4 credit hours  2nd Bi-Term
DPT 718 Integrated Case Studies 1 1 credit hour  2nd Bi-Term
DPT 750 Applied Human Anatomy 5 credit hours Main Term
DPT 730 Physiology for Physical Therapists 3 credit hours Main Term 

Semester two – 25 credit hours total

DPT 743 Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Practice 1 4 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 734 Principles of Exercise and Health Promotion 1 3 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 735 Clinical Biomechanics 3 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 744 Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Practice 2 4 credit hours 2nd Bi-Term
DPT 737 Pharmacology for Physical Therapists 3 credit hours 2nd Bi-Term
DPT 736 Biophysical Agents 3 credit hours 2nd Bi-Term
DPT 740 Clinical Neuroscience 4 credit hours Main Term 
DPT 719 Integrated Case Studies 2 1 credit hour  Main Term

Semester three – 23 credit hours total

DPT 820 Psychosocial Considerations in Healthcare 2 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 843 Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Practice 3 4 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 811 Evidence Informed Practice 2 1 credit hour 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 834 Principles of Exercise and Health Promotion 2 3 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 823 Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Assistive Technologies  2 credit hours 2nd Bi-Term
DPT 818 Integrated Case Studies 3 1 credit hour  2nd Bi-Term
DPT 810 Professional Formation 2  1 credit hour  2nd Bi-Term
DPT 841 Acute Care, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy Practice  4 credit hours Main Term
DPT 851 Neurological Physical Therapy Practice  5 credit hours Main Term

Semester four – 19 credit hours total

DPT 832 Physical Therapy Practice Across the Lifespan 2 3 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 842 Physical Therapy Practice Across the Lifespan 1 4 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 844 Musculoskeletal Practice 4  4 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 821 Ethics in Healthcare 2 credit hours 2nd Bi-Term
DPT 880  Full-Time Clinical Education Experience 1 4 credit hours 2nd Bi-Term
DPT 812 Evidence Informed Practice 3 1 credit hour Main Term
DPT 813 Clinical Imaging in Physical Therapy 1 credit hour  Main Term

Semester five – 16 credit hours total

DPT 950 Management of Patients with Complex Conditions and Primary Care 5 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 930 Integumentary Physical Therapy 3 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 931 Management and Leadership in Physical Therapy  3 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 918 Integrated Case Studies 4 1 credit hours 1st Bi-Term 
DPT 980 Full-Time Clinical Education Experience 2 4 credit hours Main Term

Semester six – 12 credit hours total

DPT 990  Terminal Full-Time Clinical Education Experience  8 credit hours Main Term
DPT 932 Professional Formation 3  3 credit hours Main Term
DPT 914 Evidence Informed Practice 4 1 credit hour Main Term

 

Clinical Education

Full-Time Clinical Experiences

Clinical Education is a critical component of the DPT curriculum, providing students opportunity to practically apply classroom instruction and to develop their clinical and patient care skills under the supervision of licensed physical therapist practitioners. Our DPT students participate in a clinical education curriculum that includes both integrated and full-time clinical experiences that offers both breadth and depth to their clinical learning. 

Full-Time Clinical Experiences

In the second year of the DPT program, students complete three clinical experiences in clinical sites around the country. These clinical experiences include two 8-week experiences and a 15-week terminal experience. The 15-week terminal experience occurs after the completion of all didactic coursework, and students develop the skills and abilities needed to practice as an excellent, entry-level clinician. All students are required to complete experiences that provide experiences across patient populations.

All clinical experience sites are selected and approved by the Director of Clinical Education (DCE). The establishment of new affiliation agreements will be considered by the DCE only when the clinical site meets the specific requirements and needs of the DPT program and offers a learning environment consistent with the University of the Cumberlands DPT’s mission.