
interprofessional
PT students at D'Youville learn to work as part of a collaborative healthcare team through Interprofessional Education Labs.
learn moreOur program combines traditional coursework with clinical fieldwork, graduate-level research, and online learning over the course of nine consecutive semesters.
As a physical therapist you'll help people regain function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities to improve movement and the human experience.
If you’ve already earned your bachelor’s degree, enter our CAPTE-accredited three-year professional program leading to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. This demanding program combines traditional coursework with clinical fieldwork, graduate-level research, and online learning over the course of nine consecutive semesters, allowing you to complete the program in as little as three years.
Physical therapists are in demand in nearly every healthcare setting and are poised to take on an even larger role as our population ages and awareness about the benefits of exercise and good health continues to increase. If you're interested in a career that's both fulfilling and has enormous opportunities for growth, becoming a physical therapist might be exactly what you've been looking for.
Applicants to D'Youville's Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program must submit a graduate application and will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Applicants to Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program must complete the following prerequisite courses equivalent to the following D'Youville courses:
Math and Natural Sciences |
---|
Two 3 credit courses in human based science or applied science |
One course in human anatomy with lab |
One course in human physiology with lab (May be two courses in human anatomy and physiology with labs) |
Two courses in chemistry with labs |
Two courses in physics with labs |
One course in statistics |
Social and Behavioral Sciences |
---|
One course in Psychology |
Use the Online Course Equivalency database to see whether the courses you've taken at other institutions can be counted towards a degree at D'Youville.
Submission of TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score (students must achieve a minimum score of 600 written or 250 computer based on the TOEFL) or completion of D'Youville's Intensive English Program.
Because of the number of essential psychomotor competencies and level of communication and clinical decision-making requirements of clinical fieldwork, the following technical standards are applied to all applicants and matriculants, including:
The Physical Therapy Department at D'Youville is participating in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as PTCAS. Applicants to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program must apply online through the PTCAS application. To apply to D'Youville's DPT program visit PTCAS at www.ptcas.org and select D'Youville College as one of your designations.
Find detailed course information for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, tools to plan your education, and complete academic policies and procedures in the D'Youville academic catalog.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
BIO-639 | Human Gross Anatomy | 6 |
BIO-639L | Human Gross Anatomy Lab | 0 |
GRA-601 | Research Methodology and Design | 3 |
PT-500 | Essential Skills I | 3 |
PT-500L | Essential Skills I Lab | 1 |
PT-502 | Pathophysiology for Physical Therapists | 3 |
PT-503 | Clinical Orientation Seminar I | 0 |
PT-504 | Clinical Orientation Seminar II | 0 |
PT-505 | Intro PT and Health Care Systems | 2 |
PT-506 | Physiology of Therapeutic Exercise | 2 |
PT-506L | Physiology of Therapeutic Exercise Lab | 1 |
PT-510 | Essential Skills II | 2 |
PT-510L | Essential Skills II Lab | 1 |
PT-513 | Orthopedic Physical Therapy I | 2 |
PT-513L | Orthopedic I Lab | 2 |
PT-514 | Integumentary Examination & Intervention | 2 |
PT-515 | Professional Development I | 1 |
PT-518 | Biomechanics and Kinesiology for PT | 2 |
PT-518L | Biomechanics and Kinesiology Lab | 1 |
PT-519 | Lifespan Development | 1 |
PT-519L | Lifespan Development Lab | 1 |
PT-520 | Lifespan Development II | 1 |
PT-520L | Lifespan Development II Lab | 1 |
PT-522 | Functional Anatomy | 2 |
PT-522L | Functional Anatomy Lab | 1 |
PT-525 | Community Health & Wellness I | 1 |
PT-526 | Community Health & Wellness II | 1 |
PT-526L | Community Health & Wellness II Lab | 1 |
PT-547 | Pharmacology for Rehabilitation Spec | 1 |
PT-550 | Clinical Neuroscience | 5 |
PT-550L | Clinical Neuroscience Lab | 0 |
PT-552 | Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy | 2 |
PT-552L | Cardiopulmonary Lab | 1 |
PT-552S | Cardiopulmonary Seminar | 0 |
PT-574 | Clinical Fieldwork I | 3 |
PT-602 | Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics | 2 |
PT-602L | Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics Lab | 1 |
PT-604 | Clinical Orientation Seminar III | 0 |
PT-606 | Neuromuscular Assessment | 2 |
PT-606L | Neuromuscular Assessment Lab | 1 |
PT-613 | Orthopedic Physical Therapy II | 2 |
PT-613L | Orthopedic II Lab | 2 |
PT-615 | Professional Development II | 1 |
PT-618 | Rehabilitation II | 3 |
PT-618L | Rehabilitation Lab II | 2 |
PT-627 | Application of Research Methods in PT | 4 |
PT-627L | App of Research Methods in PT Lab | 0 |
PT-628 | Research Seminar | 3 |
PT-674 | Fieldwork II | 4 |
PT-675 | Clinical Fieldwork III | 4 |
PT-701 | Clinical Decision in Therapeutic Exercise | 2 |
PT-701L | Clinical Decision in Therapeutic Exercise Lab | 1 |
PT-703 | Education Advocacy Consultation | 3 |
PT-709 | Business Management Strategies for Physical Therapists | 2 |
PT-725 | Clinical Fieldwork IV | 5 |
PT-748 | Differential Diagnosis | 3 |
PT-799 | NPTE Examination Preparation | 0 |
PT-XXX | One Graduate Elective/Practicum/Study | 5 |
Total Credits | 108 |
Our program prepares you for general physical therapy practice where you’ll work to improve movement with patients whose functionality is impaired by injuries or disease.
Your role as a practicing physical therapist will be to help your patients regain strength and function, improve mobility, relieve their pain, and prevent or limit the scope or impact of physical disabilities on their lives and their health.
In clinical settings you’ll work with patients to assess their physical functions in the context of their medical history and social support. You’ll also test and measure their strength, range of motion, balance, coordination, posture, muscle performance, respiration, and motor function in order to establish baselines for therapy.
Finally, as a physical therapist you’ll also help your patients after they leave your care by prescribing therapeutic exercise in order to improve the quality of their lives.
The preparation you receive at D’Youville will qualify you to begin your professional career as a physical therapist in almost any healthcare setting. However, while many of our graduates enjoy fulfilling careers in general practice, many others choose to specialize in areas such as:
While many of our graduates go into clinical practice, others enter advanced academic programs in order to pursue careers in research and teaching in both private and public organizations. These students typically pursue post-professional degrees such as doctor of science (D.Sc.), doctor of education (EdD), or doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees.
If you choose to pursue this path you can rest assured that the rigorous academic, research, and clinical work you’ll complete in our entry-level professional DPT program will provide you with a solid foundation for advanced study and practice.
It's one thing to learn something in the classroom ... it's quite another to put the knowledge and skills you've learned into practice in a clinical setting. At D'Youville you’ll get the experience, guidance, and support you need to become a confident, competent clinical professional.
As a physical therapy student, you'll gain experience with a total of 32 weeks of clinical fieldwork during the professional phase of the program. During your clinical fieldwork, you'll experience the fundamentals of evidence-based practice, including:
Your success is paramount to us, and we'll be with you every step of the way as you progress through your clinical experiences. As you conduct your fieldwork, you’ll be constantly supported by participating in the online discussion that runs concurrently with your clinical experiences.
The Interprofessional Clinical Advancement Center is a research and academic project that uses professional actors to create real-life patient care simulations for students. Students from eight healthcare disciplines at D'Youville take part in the center, including physical therapy.
Physical Therapy is a career that's both fulfilling and has enormous opportunities for growth with PTs in demand in nearly every healthcare setting. Sarah Pictor, DPT, a clinical associate professor at D’Youville, explains why D’Youville’s three-year professional program leading to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree prepares graduates to obtain advanced, rewarding careers.
For the second consecutive year, D'Youville is ranked as the top private university in Western New York in recognition of its academic excel...
Read moreD'Youville announced three initiatives today to elevate the issue of racial inequality and add support to racial justice as a strategic inst...
Read moreThe Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (Foundation) announced that D'Youville's Health Professions Hub (Hub) was awarded $1,177,649 for two in...
Read more