UIW School of Physical Therapy

UIW will grant the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, a clinical doctorate degree, for both entry into the practice of physical therapy (entry-level DPT) and for the advancement of practicing physical therapists (post professional DPT).

The Entry Level DPT Program will use a problem-based learning (PBL) approach and consists of 144 credit hours over four (4) academic years or eight (8) semesters, three (3) semesters per year. It will include 44 weeks of professional practice education with 30 weeks of clinical education under the direct supervision of licensed physical therapists and 14 weeks of experiential opportunity to practice in an emerging role of physical therapist under the supervision of a qualified preceptor.

The Post-Professional DPT Program reflect content that has been augmented or enhanced during the past 10 years such as described in the APTA Preferred Curricular Model for the Transition Clinical Doctoral Program Learner. The post-professional DPT program will include 24 credit hours total – seven (7) core courses and one (1) elective course. Each post-professional student will be assigned a Faculty Advisor, a core faculty member in the School of Physical Therapy. Expectation for graduation is successful completion of all coursework as well as dissemination of one scholarly piece in the form of a peer reviewed presentation or publication.