Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

The UMass Lowell Doctor of Physical Therapy program prepares students to diagnose and treat movement dysfunction to help people live healthier lives. Supporting the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) core values as demonstrated throughout the curriculum, our program aligns with the vision of the APTA to transform society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience. 

The curriculum includes 95 credits of coursework and 34 weeks of clinical education experience. It provides a comprehensive foundation in the art and science of physical therapy. Methods of instruction include classroom lecture and discussion, small group/problem-based learning, and skill development during laboratory and clinical experiences. Emphasis is placed on the development of clinical decision-making and critical inquiry skills across the curriculum.

The clinical education program consists of three extended clinical education experiences, of 10, 12, and 12 weeks duration respectively, for a total of 34 weeks. Students experience a variety of practice settings, including acute care, sub-acute rehabilitation, outpatient orthopedic, as well as other more specialized settings, e.g. pediatric, geriatric, sports medicine, women's health, and home care.

1. View the DPT Degree Pathway (curriculum)
2. View the Program Outcomes
3. View the course descriptions in the Academic Catalog

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Get ready for an exciting career as a physical therapist. UMass Lowell's fully accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy program requires a baccalaureate degree for admission and a three-year full-time commitment, including each summer. Matriculation begins the summer immediately subsequent to acceptance. The UMass Lowell DPT program does not offer deferred acceptance.

Application Deadline

• See more information in the UMass Lowell Graduate Catalog: Admission Requirements
• Note: GRE requirements have NOT been waived for admission into the DPT Program. However, due to current public health concerns, the DPT Program is temporarily accepting the GRE General Test at home option.)
• The completed application deadline is Nov. 1 for admission into the subsequent (summer) matriculating class.
• Applications deemed incomplete at the application deadline will be ineligible for review.

ApplicationDocuments Application Documents

• Certification of Hours (pdf)
• Letter of Recommendation form (pdf)
• Pre-Requisite Course Checklist (pdf)

We admit qualified baccalaureate degree recipients directly into the doctoral program with a 2-Year Average of 49.2% of the applicants admitted into the program (2021-2022).

The Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program is also a member of the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy.

Community involvement is an integral component of the Physical Therapy Department's mission of preparing clinicians to practice in today's complex healthcare environment. The department has community-based outreach relationships with many organizations in the region to facilitate rehabilitation and solutions to prevention and wellness issues in the community. Additionally, the department is committed to providing community access to educational programs that promote clinical expertise among practicing clinicians in the region and the nation. 

Department-sponsored yearly events include:

• Physical Therapy Month (October) - Additional Info visit APTA.org
  
• University Health Fair
• Annual Wheelchair Benefit Basketball Game

Professional Organizations

The Physical Therapy Department has been, and/or is currently, involved with the following local organizations:

• Anne Sulllivan Center
• Chelmsford Senior Center
• D'Youville Rehabilitation
• Elder Services of Merrimack Valley, Lawrence
• Emerson Hospital, Westford
• HEAD Start Program, Lowell
• Ironstone Farm
• Life Links
• Littleton Council on Aging
• Lowell Community Health Center
• Lowell Council on Aging
• Northeast Rehab
• UMass Lowell Human Resources Department
• UMass Lowell Demonstration School
• UMass Lowell Recreation Center
• Winchester Hospital/Orthopaedics Plus, Woburn

Service Learning

Service Learning in Physical Therapy is a new capstone course in the Doctoral Physical Therapy Program. This course will include relevant and meaningful service in the community with specific academic learning objectives. The students will use experiential learning to complement and enrich classroom and traditional pedagogies. Students will have opportunities to learn about particular populations and social issues in the community. This course will provide the students with an opportunity to design and implement educational and training programs in an effort to meet the needs in the populations that they are serving in the community. Students will learn about working collaboratively with others from different cultures and other diverse populations. Students will strengthen listening and communication skills that are essential to a practicing physical therapist.