Application Process for the DPT Degree Program
Application Deadlines:
We have changed the deadline to October 15 of each year (please see for exact dates)– All Documentation must be submitted to Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) by this deadline.
Application Procedure:
This department participates in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) for applications to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. For more information regarding specific PTCAS application requirements, procedures and fees, visit the . Our PTCAS directory site is found .
The PTCAS application must be completed by the application deadline stated in PTCAS directory site as listed for the class beginning the following May. Applicants should send all application materials directly to PTCAS. PTCAS will verify the application information and send completed applications to the program.
Following receipt of the PTCAS application, the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences will review the packet. Complete applications are reviewed by members of the admissions committee. Admissions decisions are finalized by December.
Application fees are payable to PTCAS and a Â鶹¹ÙÍø Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences application fee of $45.00, payable . There are no supplemental forms that are required to be submitted directly to Â鶹¹ÙÍø.
Please direct questions about the PTCAS application to the PTCAS Customer Service Team. The Customer Service information is listed below.
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 9am-5pm ET
Phone Number: 617–612–2040
Email: PTCAS Info. When contacting via email, applicants should include their full name, PTCAS ID number and a detailed question.
Mail:
PTCAS
P.O. Box 9138
Watertown, MA 02471
Transfer of Credit Policy:
The Â鶹¹ÙÍø Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences will not accept transfer credits from other DPT programs because of the lack of consistency among DPT curricula.
Requirements:
Mid-June to Mid-October – Complete PTCAS application.
Late-November - Late-January - Admission decisions finalized and students notified
May (day after Memorial Day) - Program begins.
The applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university within the United States in a field other than physical therapy by the start of the program. Acceptance will be based on the student's academic ability and aptitude for a career as a physical therapist. The candidate is expected to satisfy the following requirements:
- Complete the PTCAS application by Mid-October.
- Completion of a Bachelor degree from an accredited educational institution prior to start of the program.
- A completed application package for the Physical Therapy Program, submitted through PTCAS by the set deadline.
- Payment of $45.00 "Non-refundable" application fee. To be paid by the application deadline Application Fee.
- Official transcripts from all universities or colleges attended must be received by PTCAS by the set deadline.
- Completion of 38 semester hours of required prerequisite courses prior to admission. (See Prerequisite Requirements)
- A minimum overall GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) for prerequisite courses.
- Fifty (50) clock hours of documented volunteer or paid work experience in a physical therapy setting under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist electronically verified in PTCAS by the set deadline.
- All hours of observation must be verified by electronic signature.
- Three letters of recommendations submitted through PTCAS by the set deadline.
- Letter 1: recommendation from a physical therapist who supervised your work or volunteer experience
- Letter 2 and 3: Two recommendations from individuals concerning the attributes which qualify you for this program.
- Note: PTCAS only accepts 4 total letters of recommendation. UAB will only accept letters of recommendation from PTCAS. A letter from a Physical Therapist Assistant will not be accepted in lieu of a letter from a Physical Therapist.
- Completion of TOEFL sent to PTCAS by the set deadline (Required of International Student, minimum score determined by the Graduate School).
Course requirements are listed in semester credit hours.
- 8 semester credit hours Biological sciences with labs (not Botany)
- 8 semester credit hours in General Chemistry with labs
- 8 semester credit hours in General Physics with labs
- 4 semester credit hours in anatomy with lab & 4 semester credit hours in physiology with lab OR a two-course sequence (8 cr.) in anatomy and physiology with labs.
- 3 semester credit hours in Psychology
- 3 semester credit hours Statistics (should include ANOVA)
- Recommended courses (not required for admission, but may contribute to success in physical therapy education): Exercise Physiology, Medical Terminology, Public Speaking course (or participate in Toastmasters)
Technical Standards and Essential Functions
Certain disabilities can interfere with a student’s ability to complete the program of study and acquire the essential functions necessary for the practice physical therapy.* Reasonable accommodation can be made to compensate for some limitations. However, those that interfere with patient care, safety or require the use of an intermediary may be incompatible with independent professional practice.
*having these essential functions does not guarantee successful completion of the physical therapy program.
If accepted into the Â鶹¹ÙÍø DPT program, applicant must agree to, sign, date and submit this Essential Functions Document on the first day of classes.
Students who are accepted into the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Doctor of Physical Therapy program must:
If the Â鶹¹ÙÍø DPT Program offers admission to an applicant, the applicant will be required to pay a non-refundable $200 deposit at the time of accepting an offer of admission to the Â鶹¹ÙÍø DPT Program. The applicant must pay this non-refundable deposit in order to hold a spot in the incoming cohort of the Â鶹¹ÙÍø DPT Program. The $200 will be applied toward the applicant’s first-semester (summer) tuition in the Â鶹¹ÙÍø DPT Program. If the applicant withdraws from the Â鶹¹ÙÍø DPT Program after paying the deposit, the $200 will be forfeited to the Â鶹¹ÙÍø DPT Program.
Completion of the above requirements makes a student eligible for selection but does not guarantee admission to the Physical Therapy Program. The final selection is competitive.
Applicants are evaluated on the following criteria:
- Overall GPA, Prerequisite GPA, last 60 hours GPA and GRE scores.
- Quality of answers to the essay questions on the PTCAS application.
- Quality of letters of recommendations.
- Extra curricular, athletic, & work activities.
Effective September 1, 2017, HB 1508 created new laws that require entities that provide educational programs leading to an occupational license to notify all applicants and enrollees of the implications of a felony conviction which may make you ineligible for a physical therapy license upon program completion. The law requires that this information be provided to all persons who apply or enroll in a physical therapy program without regard to whether the person has been convicted of a criminal offense.
HB 1508 Acknowledgment Notice Potential Ineligibility for License
Please avoid these common mistakes as you complete your PTCAS application:
- All college transcripts were not sent to PTCAS. This includes all courses taken at community colleges, even during high school.
- GRE scores were not sent to the correct code. #8837
- The proper letters of recommendation were not completed. The physical therapist letters must be from licensed physical therapists who has spent enough clinical time with you to attest to your work ethic, curiosity about the field and interactions with clients and other clinicians.
- Observation hours were not verified. At least 40 hours must be verified at the time of application. We will not accept a student who does not have this requirement completed.
Applications are reviewed after receipt so it is in the applicant’s best interest to apply early. In this way, if an applicant is missing a requirement, the admissions committee may review the application and alert the applicant if there are any missing requirements.
Please direct questions about the PTCAS application to the PTCAS Customer Service Team. The Customer Service information is listed below.
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 9am-5pm ET
Phone Number: 617–612–2040
Email: PTCAS Info. When contacting via email, applicants should include their full name, PTCAS ID number and a detailed question.
Mail:
PTCAS
P.O. Box 9138
Watertown, MA 02471
Application FAQs:
Application Instructions:
Read the Â鶹¹ÙÍø PTCAS directory and application directions closely to determine that you have met all requirements for submission of the application. Department faculty do not advise applicants nor review transcripts until an application is submitted. The application must be complete through PTCAS. The Â鶹¹ÙÍø Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Sciences will not accept any paperwork outside of PTCAS. Do not send anything by mail or email to the department for your application.
After reading all the prospective student pages and the PTCAS instructions, specific questions may be directed to DPT Admissions E-mail. Please allow 3 business days for a response from an admissions committee member. The admissions committee will not answer questions by phone nor advise applicants.