Doctor of Physical Therapy

The Department of Physical Therapy offers an entry-level Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. The program is a 3-year, 9-semester full time, graduate program that will prepare graduates to be competent and compassionate licensed physical therapists working toward optimizing health and physical function across South Texas and beyond. Students will engage in didactic and hands-on experiences to develop the knowledge and skills to master the evaluation and treatment of people impacted by injury and disease across the spectrum of physical therapy practice to include those with musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiopulmonary and multisystem disorders. Under the guidance and mentorship of expert faculty, students will work individually and collectively to develop and hone their evaluative skills, clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and application of evidence-based practice to practice in a complex and dynamic healthcare system.

Students will master clinical excellence through the development of original research projects, interprofessional collaboration, and multiple hands-on clinical experiences. Graduates will enter the workforce with the skills and knowledge to practice in clinical, research, and academic environments and rapidly become leaders in the profession as clinicians, scientists, and advocates. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) coursework is based on the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) Standards for an entry-level doctoral program.

To be admitted to the doctoral program, prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UTRGV, as well as the other requirements listed below: Earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Have a minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.0 GPA (see prerequisite courses below). All prerequisite coursework must be completed within 10 years of the application deadline All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a grade of C or higher. A grade of C minus or below is NOT acceptable. If a course is repeated, the Physical Therapy Department will use the highest grade achieved in the course when calculating the Prerequisite GPA on your Physical Therapy Centralized Application System (PTCAS) application. All prerequisite coursework must be completed by the end of spring semester, prior to the start of the DPT program (Summer Semester; mid-June) Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions. Official transcripts from each college/university currently and previously attended reflecting completed and in progress coursework – submit directly to the PTCAS. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must be completed within 5 years of the application deadline. While our program does not have a minimum score requirement, historical data from DPT programs nationally, suggest minimum competitive scores for matriculation are above 145 for Quantitative Reasoning, above 150 for Verbal Reasoning and above 3.5 for Analytical Writing. Applicants should have an appreciation of the breadth, depth, and scope of physical therapy practice demonstrated through volunteer or paid work experience in a physical therapy setting. Applicants must complete at least 50 observation hours, in at least two practice settings (i.e. orthopedics, pediatrics, neurorehabilitation, acute care, etc.). Three letters of recommendation addressing the candidate’s aptitude for professional training: two from a physical therapist licensed in the United States and one from a prior academic instructor. Evidence of personal integrity, maturity, motivation, communication skills, interpersonal skills, critical thinking skills, writing ability, dedication and ability to work with others are factors strongly considered. These qualities will be evaluated by several means other than letters of reference, the scope and nature of extracurricular activities (work and volunteer experience), and through the face-to-face interview process. Personal written statement/essay. Topics of essays can be found online in PTCAS application. IELTS – 6.5 TOFEL ibt – 79 TOFEL pbt – 550