Doctorate of Physical Therapy/PhD in Neuroscience

There are two avenues for combining a DPT degree with a PhD degree in Neuroscience at UVM:

1. Students who wish to apply to the DPT program and the Neuroscience Graduate Program at UVM
2. Students who have earned a DPT elsewhere and wish to move into research‐based education at UVM

 

Avenue 1:

Students who wish to apply to the DPT program and the Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP) concurrently in order to seek consecutive training will apply to both admissions committees.  Applicants' statements of purpose should note that they are applying to the joint training program.  Accepted students are guaranteed a training slot in the NGP after completing requirements for the DPT. For more information on prerequisites to the DPT program, please visit the DPT website.

Students will follow the prescribed UVM DPT curriculum and upon receiving the degree progress to the NGP. Provided a course grade of B or better was received, some of the credits earned for successful completion of DPT courses will substitute for the NGP course requirements as follows:

Program Requirements
NGP RequirementDPT Courses
GRMD 354 Human Structure and Function (6)ANNB 201 Human Anatomy (6)
PT 305 Pharmacology/Pathophysiology (6)
NSCI 395 Neural Science (6)ANNB 302 Neuroscience (4)
PT 320, Evidence‐Based Practice in PT (3)
PSYCH 303 Proseminar (3)Must take
CLBI 301 Cell Biology (3)Must take
Statistics (3)Must take
NSCI 327: Responsible Conduct in Research (1)Must take
Selectives (6)Movement Science 1 (3) and 2 (3)
NSCI 381/382 Journal Club (1)Must take each semester in NGP
Teaching - 2 TA assignmentsMust TA ANNB 201 and ANNB 302
Research rotations - at least twoPT 328‐ independent study (3)

Once matriculated in the NGP, the student must take an additional 15 credits of graded course‐work, maintaining a "B" average, at least 20 credits of dissertation research (NSCI 491), required non‐graded course work, and other courses or research credits until 75 credits has accrued (36 credits transferred from the UVM DPT plus new NGP courses and research).

Students who have graduated from the UVM DPT program within the past 3 years may substitute the classes as indicated above when completing the requirements for the NGP.


Avenue 2:

Students who have earned a DPT elsewhere and wish to move into research‐based education in the neural basis of rehabilitation and movement science may apply to NGP through the usual application process.

Twenty‐four credits of relevant graduate course work may be transferred. An individual assessment of the student's DPT curriculum will be made to determine which requirements for the PhD in Neuroscience have been met by the educational program at the previous institution. Even though only 24 credits transfer, more than 24 credits worth of NGP required course work may be waived. The student must take a minimum of 15 credits of graded course work at UVM, complete at least 20 credits of dissertation research, complete all requirements and accumulate a total of 75 credits (transfer and new).

Funding:

All students accepted into the DPT- PhD program pay out of pocket for the DPT portion of the training (3 yrs total). Once students transition to the PhD portion of training, full financial aid is provided. This includes a $30,275 stipend, 23 credits of tuition and full UVM student health insurance. Students are required to pay their own fees. Funding for students past their second year will come from the research advisor from a research grant, or the home department from departmental funds or a teaching assistantship.

Visit the Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences website to learn more.