Traditional Doctor of Physical Therapy

Overview

About the Program

The University of Findlay’s Traditional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program is designed to allow qualified students to earn their doctorate degree in three years. The program incorporates 33 weeks of full-time clinical education that is dispersed throughout the curriculum. 

In the junior admit option, students complete three years of undergraduate coursework and enter the DPT Program for the three years of graduate school. Upon completion of the first year of the DPT curriculum, students receive their Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science for Health Professionals.  

The graduate entry option is available to the students who are not enrolled at the University of Findlay at the time of application. Graduate entry applicants can apply during the fall of their senior year and must have a bachelor’s degree from a UF-approved accredited institution (see Undergraduate Catalog transfer policy) completed prior to entering the DPT program. 

Findlay is one of the few physical therapy schools in Ohio that offers an early assurance program to high school students applying to the program. 

Program

Highlights

At the University of Findlay, the Occupational Therapy program prepares you to make a meaningful impact in healthcare and community settings by developing the clinical knowledge, compassionate care, communication, and critical thinking skills needed to help individuals achieve greater independence, participation, and quality of life.

Admissions

Admissions Requirements

Early Assurance – First-Time Freshmen

Start your path to becoming a physical therapist from day one. The Early Assurance pathway gives motivated first-time freshmen a direct route into the University of Findlay’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program while completing their undergraduate studies.

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Junior Admit

Already enrolled in college? The Junior Admit pathway allows qualified undergraduate students to transition seamlessly into the DPT program after completing prerequisite coursework and admission requirements.

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Graduate Program

Take the next step toward a rewarding career in physical therapy through our graduate-entry DPT pathway. Designed for students who have completed a bachelor’s degree, this program combines advanced coursework with hands-on clinical experience.

Curriculum

Course Requirements

Designed to be completed in nine consecutive semesters with summer terms, the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is a 116.5-credit program (109-credit hour program starting Summer 2029) including: 

• 100 academic course credits 

• 16.5 Clinical Education course credits (33 weeks) 

Clinical affiliations are staggered throughout the academic portion of the curriculum to fully integrate what students have learned in the classroom. Clinical education courses are varied among all areas of clinical practice and offered through clinical sites across the United States. 

Students earning a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree must complete the following:    

Curriculum: The curriculum consists of required courses grounded in basic science with a liberal arts foundation, content areas of physical therapy, clinical sciences, clinical education, and the role of physical therapists in an everchanging healthcare environment. View the full curriculum in the University of Findlay Graduate Catalog.