Physical Therapy (DPT)

The degree offered by the department is the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), designed as a first-professional degree for students who want to enter the physical therapy profession. The entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program consists of eight consecutive semesters of full-time professional graduate study. The DPT is a clinical doctorate degree, not a research degree, and is awarded after successful completion of the prescribed sequence of 121 semester hours including classroom and clinical laboratory coursework and 34 weeks of full-time physical therapy internships.

Application Process

1. All applicants must apply to Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). The PTCAS application must be completed and submitted to PTCAS by September 3, 2024 (Priority Deadline) or November 1, 2024 (Hard/Final Deadline). Please allow up to four weeks for verification. Transcripts: Official transcripts from every college or university attended are considered part of the PTCAS application and must be sent directly to PTCAS. Applications will not be verified until all official transcripts have been received by PTCAS.
2. Application Fee: $75 non-refundable Application Fee is required. A copy of your receipt must be emailed to the Dept. of Physical Therapy no later than the September 3, 2024 (Priority Deadline) or November 1, 2024 (Hard/Final Deadline).
3. International applicants must have a TOEFL (internet) score ≥100, or IELTS ≥7.5 and must submit application requirements to the Department of Physical Therapy by September 15 of the year prior to admission.
4. For information regarding immigration and student visas, please contact the USA Office of Immigration

Meisler Hall, Suite 2200

390 Student Center Circle

Mobile, AL 36688-0002

Phone: (251) 460-6050

1. All applicants must have a minimum 3.0 (A=4.0) overall grade point average (GPA).
2. Graduate Record Examination (GRE): Preferred GRE verbal and quantitative combined minimum score of 290. GRE scores must be officially reported to PTCAS (use Institution Code 7799) by September 3, 2024 (Priority Deadline) or November 1, 2024 (Hard/Final Deadline).. No copies are accepted. USA PT Studies Institution Code 7799 will allow GRE scores to be sent to your designated PTCAS application and USA Admissions. GRE must have been taken within the last 5 years. Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing sections may be utilized. We strongly recommend that you take the GRE BEFORE August 15 (Priority Deadline) or October 1 (Hard/Final Deadline), so that there is sufficient time for PTCAS to receive and verify the scores before the September 3, 2024 (Priority Deadline) or November 1, 2024 (Hard/Final Deadline).
3. Students accepted to the DPT program must submit completed health and physical exam forms to include required immunizations. Accepted students must also read, sign and submit the Core Performance Standards document outlining fundamental tasks of which applicants should be capable upon entering the DPT program. The Core Performance Standards document is included in the application packet and available upon request.
4. Acceptance into the DPT program is provisional pending completion of any additional required prerequisite courses (see below) with a grade of "C" or better and submission of required medical forms as supplied in the acceptance packet. Failure to make a grade of "C" or better in any required prerequisite course will result in a nullification of acceptance into the professional program. Applicants may have a maximum of 2 Science prerequisite courses remaining by the application deadline (September 3rd or November 1st). The remaining prerequisites must be completed in the spring and summer prior to the start of the program.
5. A minimum of 50 Observation Hours are required and must be completed by the application deadline . (Priority deadline Sept 3, 2024 or Hard/Final Deadline of November 1, 2024). These must be submitted and verified electronically through PTCAS. These hours must have been completed under the supervision of a licensed Physical Therapist. Applicants must include name, dates worked, and contact information of the Physical Therapist(s) under whom they shadowed, as well as the name and address of the facility or facilities at which they shadowed. This information should be uploaded to PTCAS for verification. There is no additional form required for submitting hours.
6. As an entry- level program, the DPT is designed as a first PT degree and is not appropriate for students who already hold a PT degree. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Exam for licensure.

DPT Early Acceptance Program (DPTEAP)

The Department of Physical Therapy Early Acceptance Program (DPTEAP) allows for some highly qualified high school seniors who meet the qualifications to gain early acceptance to the graduate program prior to starting college.
Details are described in the Early Acceptance Program section of the Office of Admissions Website. In addition, a link to the application for this program is also found on this webpage.

Minimum Requirements for All Applicants

1. The applicant must meet all applicable requirements including prerequisites.
2. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores must be officially reported to the University of South Alabama Office of Admissions by November 1st (You must use institution code 7799). The GRE must have been taken within the last 5 years. Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing sections will be utilized.
3. Regular Graduate applicants must have a minimum 3.0 (A=4.0) overall grade point average (GPA).
4. All applicants must have a minimum grade of "C" in each of the prerequisite courses.
5. Observation or work experience in Physical Therapy (50 hours minimum) under the supervision of a licensed Physical Therapist must be documented and submitted to PTCAS.
6. Applicants may only have a maximum of 2 science course prerequisites remaining by the application deadline. The remaining prerequisites must be completed in the spring and summer prior to the start of the program.

Note: If selected for interview, the applicant must achieve a satisfactory interview score, and if accepted into the program, must submit a health form and physical examination which includes required immunizations.

Program Prerequisites 1

Prerequisites Required For All Applicants:

• English Composition (2 courses)
• Social Sciences (3 courses--at least two of which must be Psychology)
• Precalculus Algebra/Trigonometry or Higher Mathematics (1 course)
• Statistics (1 course)
• College Physics - with labs (2 semester or 3 quarter sequence)
• General Chemistry for science majors - with labs (2 semester or 3 quarter sequence)
• General or Cell Biology for science majors - with labs 2 (2 semester or 3 quarter sequence)
• Human Physiology, or a course sequence in Anatomy and Physiology (minimum 6 credits). Human Physiology is preferred.

For optimal preparation, online science labs are discouraged. Electives should be concentrated in a back-up major of the student's choice.

For all prerequisite courses, credit older than ten years from the application deadline must be repeated or validated by examination or other appropriate mechanism.

Botany may not be used to satisfy this prerequisite.

Essential Functions

Core Performance Standards, which are fundamental tasks that must be performed to successfully complete the program, have been outlined and are available upon request from the program and on the department's website.

Expenses

Students admitted in the Physical Therapy program will be charged a matriculation deposit of $300 required to secure a seat in the entering class. This amount is not refundable but will be applied towards tuition expenses after registration (after Drop/Add period ends).

Students should be prepared for extra expenses (estimates available on the website) associated with professional studies including books, local travel to and from clinical facilities and for out-of-town travel and living expenses during the 34 weeks of clinical internship in the first year and the final year. Students are required to have a laptop computer (Windows or Mac only). A tablet, or iPad is not an acceptable device as Android, iOS, and Linux are not supported by ExamSoft. Special lab fees are assessed for the following courses:

* A Resource Fee of $169/semester is charged to all Allied Health Professions students.

* A $25.00 professional liability fee is assessed annually ($12.00 each in fall and spring and $1.00 in summer).

* A $16.00 program fee for the use of HealthStream will be charged each fall semester.

Scholarships

The Department of Physical Therapy currently has eight scholarships that are awarded to students in either their 2nd or 3rd year. Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis and are listed on the department webpage.

Accreditation and Licensure

The entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of South Alabama is accredited by:

The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
3030 Potomac Avenue, Suite 100
Alexandria, VA 22305-3085
Telephone: (703) 706-3245
Web site: http://www.capteonline.org
E-mail: accreditation@apta.org

Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) to gain licensure. Applicants are hereby informed that a history of felony conviction, use of drugs or intoxicating liquors, which affects professional competence, or narcotic law conviction may prevent physical therapy licensure.

See Alabama Board of Physical Therapy site: http://www.pt.alabama.gov/

Degree Plan

(120 Total Hours)

University of South Alabama
Mobile, Alabama 36688 | (251)460-6211
© 2024-2025 University of South Alabama

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