Frequently asked questions
- What is a DPT?
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is an entry-level post-baccalaureate degree conferred upon successful completion of a professional clinical doctoral education program. Refer to the official American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) website www.apta.org for further information on DPT education.
- Is the DPT program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) accredited?
Yes. The DPT program is fully accredited by Commission on Accreditation for Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), the organization responsible for the accreditation of all physical therapy education programs.
- What is the length of the DPT program at UTC?
The length of our professional physical therapy program is 3 years (8 straight semesters, including summers). Our 3 + 3 program model accepts students after completing a minimum of 3 years of undergraduate (UG) prerequisite course work. Therefore, the total length of prerequisite and professional coursework is 6 years (3 + 3).
- As an UG applicant, will I receive a baccalaureate degree?
Yes. A total of 88 semester hours of UG prerequisite general education courses (40) and prerequisite courses related to the physical therapy major (48) are required for the UG applicant who is seeking a baccalaureate degree from UTC. A Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Rehabilitation Science is conferred at the end of the first year of the professional program, after sucessfully completing the first 32 hours of the program.
- Is the prerequisite coursework requirement to apply to your program different for an applicant who already holds a baccalaureate degree?
Yes. As a post-baccalaureate or graduate (G) student applicant, you are required to complete only the 48 semester hours for prerequisite courses related to the physical therapy major.
- Can I be accepted before I have completed all of my prerequisite courses?
Yes, however, there are a certain number of specific prerequisite courses required at the time of application. On the application is a section for you to document how the remaining prerequisite coursework will be completed prior to the start of the professional program. Refer to the Admissions section of our PT website for details.
- If I have completed a PTA or other medically-based professional degree, will I still be required to complete your prerequisite courses?
Yes. Except for a few common courses such as Medical Terminology, the pre-PT prerequisite requirements for our program are typically different from PTA and other medical program coursework.
- Does UTC routinely accept transfer courses from regionally accredited colleges and universities?
Yes. Courses with a grade of C or higher submitted for transfer are equated on a course-by-course basis with the awarding of equivalent or elective credit. Refer to the Equivalency Charts in the Advisement section of the PT website for details.
- As a transfer student from another Tennessee public college or university, is there an articulation agreement for accepting my prerequisite general education coursework?
Yes. The Tennessee Legislature approved a bill defining a Transfer and Articulation Module of 60 hours that public universities in Tennessee must accept as transferable from other public colleges and universities in the state. This module satisfies the UTC UG general education requirement.
- When can I apply to your program?
There are 2 deadlines for applying to our program -- Block 1: October 1st and Block 2: January 15th. The required prerequisite courses are slightly different for each application block. Refer to the Admissions section of the PT website for details of those differences.
- Is the GRE required?
No.
- How many students are accepted into your program each year?
A combination of 26-30 UG and G students are accepted to begin the program at the start of each fall semester.
- How are students accepted for the program?
Four criteria are used to select students for our program: cumulative UG GPA =3.0, science UG GPA = 3.0, reference forms from 2 physical therapy clinicians under whom you have observed, and interview results.
- What are my options if I am not accepted into the physical therapy program?
We encourage pre-PT students to consider selecting elective coursework toward a minor. There is enough time in the fourth year of UG study to then complete a major in another department. Presently minors that fit with the prerequisite PT coursework are offered in Biology, Business Administration and Psychology. A minor option can be explored further with your faculty advisor.
- How much does the program cost?
Please refer to the Prospective Students area of the UTC website www.utc.edu for both UG and G tuition and fees. There are a few additional costs associated with our program beyond UTC tuition and fees. These costs relate to travel and housing during clinical coursework, professional liability insurance, and professional organization fees.
- How do UTC graduates perform on the PT state licensure exam?
Our students "first attempt" pass rate on the state licensure exam has always exceeded the national pass rate average for all programs.
- As a non-Tennessee resident, what are my chances of being admitted?
Although we are obligated to accept highly qualified Tennessee residents, as a graduate program we routinely accept out-of-state students from neighboring states. Both transfer and UTC students must meet the same criteria for admissions.
- What kinds of scholarships or financial aid are available?
There are scholarships and financial aid opportunities for pre-PT students. Please refer to those sections under the Prospective Students area of the official UTC website. Both UG and G PT students are eligible to apply for Federal student assistance. However, the types of assistance available to graduate students are more limited. Opportunities through internal and external funding sources are in the form of graduate assistantships and other scholarships. Refer to the UTC Financial webpage and the UTC Physical Therapy webpage for further information.
- Can I work while going to physical therapy school?
The program is designed to be completed on a full-time basis. Typically classes meet between 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM Monday-Friday. Working during the first year of the professional program is strongly discouraged. Students with financial need, however, may choose to work part-time after classes.
- What housing options are available to students?
UTC offers a variety of on-campus student housing for both unmarried and married students as noted on the UTC Housing webpage. Many of our professional students, however, choose to live off-campus. There are numerous apartment complexes and rental properties within a 10-20 minute commute from campus.
- What is the employment outlook for physical therapists?
The employment outlook for physical therapists is very bright. Our department receives job postings on a regular basis and our graduates have been successful in obtaining employment following receipt of their professional licensure.
