University of Vermont

Doctor of Physical Therapy Program (D.P.T)

The Education: Graduates earn a doctoral degree in physical therapy (D.P.T.). The physical therapy program includes coursework related to the science and art of physical therapy, including basic, clinical and applied sciences and basic concepts of practice management, health policy, ethics and quality in health care. The physical therapy program combines seminars, lectures and hands-on lab experiences that allow students to integrate clinical, theoretical and professional practice concepts. The program includes 36 weeks of full-time internship.

Licensing: Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to sit for the national professional licensure examination administered through the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. The Office of Professional Regulation in the Vermont Secretary of State's office governs licensure requirements for Vermont.

Accreditation: The Physical Therapy program at the University of Vermont is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314; phone: (703) 706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website www.capteonline.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Interested in the D.P.T. / Ph.D. in Neuroscience combined degree program?

Admission Requirements

Applicants must complete the prerequisite course requirements and a baccalaureate degree in any major at UVM or a regionally accredited institution. Applicants with a baccalaureate degree from institutions outside the U.S. will also be considered.

D.P.T. requirements Students applying to the physical therapy program must have a GPA of 3.0 or greater in their undergraduate studies. All applicants must complete the following prerequisite courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater prior to entry into the D.P.T. program.

• Two semesters of anatomy/physiology
• Two semesters of college chemistry with labs
• Two semesters of physics with labs
• One semester of biology
• One semester of exercise physiology
• One semester of psychology
• One semester of statistics

Application Process

1. Complete the Physical Therapy Common Application through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS), a division of the American Physical Therapy Association. Follow all instructions on the site. All application materials should be submitted directly to PTCAS. This includes:
   • (3) Letters of Recommendation
   • Official Transcript(s) from all U.S. and Canadian schools attended. PTCAS and the UVM D.P.T. program accept prerequisite credits from regionally accredited institutions only. For international applicants, transcripts must be translated and evaluated by an official service and sent to the CNHS Office of Student Services.
   • Official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores. For UVM DPT applicants only, the GRE Code is 7708. The college will accept both the old and new version of the GRE, but scores must be received by the application deadline. The program prefers a minimum score of 144 Quantitative (500 on previous version), 153 Verbal (500 on previous version), and 4.0 Writing. Applicants may retake the GRE and the highest score in each section will be counted.
2. Complete pages one and two of the UVM Graduate Online Application form. On page three, fill in only the fields that are starred. Include the following information with the UVM application:
   • In the box calling for an essay, please write: "See essay on the PTCAS application."
   • Application Fee
   • No transcripts or letters of recommendation should be sent to the University of Vermont.
     
3. Complete the online D.P.T. Prerequisite Course Completion Form.
   Application Deadline December 17
   

Matriculation Requirements

• Completion of Technical Standards form
• Submission of final transcripts, if applicable

3+3 Accelerated Undergraduate to Graduate Program

The 3+3 program has been discontinued. Current students can finish out their course of study. Click here for more information about the 3+3 program requirements, policies, and FAQs.

Professional Outcomes

The following information has been reported to the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Graduation and employment information is compiled from departmental records. Employment data reflect percent employed within six months of passing the licensure exam. The licensure pass rate is reported by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.

Curriculum

Click here for link to official UVM course descriptions.

The curriculum for the D.P.T. program per graduation year:


• Class of 2016 Curriculum
• Class of 2015 Curriculum
• Class of 2014 Curriculum
• Class of 2013 Curriculum

Clinical Experience

The curriculum includes four clinical internship courses that comprise 36 weeks of full-time clinical education experience. Students practice in a variety of settings under the supervision of clinical instructors who are licensed physical therapists.

The University of Vermont contracts with over 300 clinical sites for student internships. These clinical sites are throughout the United States. Students should expect to have to travel and are responsible for travel and living expenses during the internship courses. Students are required to demonstrate adequate immunization against certain specified diseases and must obtain professional liability insurance, health clearance and CPR certification prior to enrolling in the clinical experience.

Graduation Requirements

A grade point average of 3.0, successful completion of all internship experiences and a comprehensive examination are required for graduation. Refer to class year curriculum sheets for credit hours required for graduation.

For More Information

UVM College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Office of Student Services
002 Rowell Building
106 Carrigan Drive
Burlington, VT 05405-0068
Phone: (802) 656-3858
Email: cnhsgrad@uvm.edu

Last modified April 10 2013 09:37 AM