Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Overview

Program Overview

student practices ultrasound on a classmateThe Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the University of Connecticut is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). CAPTE is located at 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. Contact information: telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website:http://www.capteonline.org. The DPT is a three year, post-bachelor’s program. Applicants may earn a bachelor’s degree in any one of a number of areas but all complete the same pre-requisite coursework. As a professional doctoral program the curriculum is designed to prepare physical therapists equipped to stay abreast of advances in physical therapy practice and health care, assuring their patients receive top quality care.

By enhancing the strong didactic and clinical education experience, the DPT program also fosters each student’s individual talents through collaborative research with an exceptional team of faculty mentors. The program begins in May and requires three years, including summer sessions, to complete. The first year consists of coursework in basic and clinical sciences, as well as health care practices. During the second and third years, students participate in clinical experiences that are integrated into the curriculum. During the third year, students spend 60 percent of their time in supervised clinical practice.

Clinical education is at the heart of our DPT program. We require our students to participate in four full time clinical rotations that expose them to a wide variety of settings and a broad range of patient conditions. Through these experiences, we believe students integrate and expand the knowledge gained in the classroom. Our students participate in full time learning experiences at top-notch health care facilities across the country, such as Beth Israel Hospital, the Mayo Clinic, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Sites are selected based on a known history of superior patient care and a clear statement of dedication to the learning process. The Nayden Rehabilitation Clinic, operated by the Department of Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine at the UConn Health Center, also serves as a local training site for students while providing care to the University and nearby communities.

Why Choose Us?demonstrating ultrasound on a UConn student

  • The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is housed in one of the nation’s top ranked Department of Kinesiology.
  • Our faculty possess a wealth of clinical, educational, and research experience representing the breadth of physical therapy practice.
  • Our graduates are successful clinicians – many with ownership in clinical practices – who’ve become regional and national leaders of their profession, as well as nationally and internationally respected educators and researchers.
  • Our emphasis on real-world training includes a convenient on-campus affiliated rehabilitation clinic.
  • We limit class size to cultivate supportive relationships between instructors and students.

Application Process

Application Process:

  1. Complete an application through PTCAS: PTCAS | Applicant Login Page Section (liaisoncas.com) and apply.
  2. You will need to upload the following items in PTCAS for consideration:
      • Personal Essay-follow the prompts
      • Unofficial Transcripts
      • A resume of not more than two pages
      • GRE scores (University of Connecticut DPT Program PTCAS institution code: 1431)
      • Contact information for two references/recommenders to request letters.  One of your recommenders should be a physical therapist or healthcare professional.
      • Description of physical therapy observations, volunteer work or employment experiences
      • Information on prerequisite coursework and grades
    1. If you are offered admission to the UConn DPT Program you will need to complete the supplemental application through the UConn Graduate school. at grad.uconn.edu/admissions.
      • As part of the supplemental application you will need to submit the following items:
        • Official transcripts for all academic work to the Graduate School when you apply.  Please note for those individuals who will complete course work in the Spring semester of the admission year and are admitted into the program you will be required to send a final official transcript to the Graduate School either electronically or by mail.

    Electronically:
    Contact your university to see if they offer an electronic transcript service to send official electronic transcripts in lieu of a physical one. Electronic transcripts must be submitted to The Graduate School at UConn directly from the electronic transcript service provider your university uses.  If an email address is required, please have items sent to: gradadmissions@uconn.edu (Electronic transcripts sent directly by applicants or the university by email are not considered official.)

    OR

    By Mail:
    The Whetten Graduate Center, Second Floor
    University of Connecticut
    438 Whitney Road Extension, Unit 1152
    Storrs, CT 06269-1152

    Please DO NOT create an account or start a UConn supplemental application prior to receiving an email with instructions from the DPT Program. 

    The admissions committee will review only completed applications and support materials received by the deadline.

    What We Look For

    All applicants must meet the UConn Graduate School admission standards and demonstrate successful completion (generally B average or better) of pre-requisite coursework.

    Required:

    • General Biology with lab (in-person)
    • General Chemistry I & II with lab (in-person)
    • General Physics I & II with lab (in-person)
    • Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II* with lab (in-person)
    • Psychology (2 courses)
    • Statistics

    *Note that 4 credit Physiology with lab and 4 credit Anatomy with lab courses are acceptable substitutions for Human Physiology & Anatomy I & II.

    Additional coursework in the areas of biology of human health and disease, organic chemistry, human development, human genetics, biochemistry, nutrition, and developmental psychology is recommended. Accepted applicants generally earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or greater for prerequisite courses.

    Accepted students generally have:

    • Cumulative GPA of 3.3 or better
    • GRE scores of 150 or better each on the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning components, with a 4 or better on the analytical writing measure.

    Who should I contact with additional questions?

    We encourage you to fully explore the details of our program through this website and through PTCAS | Applicant Login Page Section (liaisoncas.com) Please contact our Admissions Coordinator if you have any questions related to our graduate program or the application process.