Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree Program

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at Auburn University offers an entry-level degree, admitting 38 students annually into every cohort. Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree and be eligible to take the national licensure exam for physical therapists.

Program Structure and Admission

• The program will start admitting students in May 2025, with admissions occurring once a year.
• Applications will open in the fall of each year, with each new cohort of students beginning their coursework in May of the year they are admitted.
• The application deadlines are established, and the program follows a structured admission process.

Learning Environment and Approach

The Auburn University Physical Therapy program at the School of Kinesiology creates a learning environment that promotes health and equity in the community. Key features of the program include:

• A learner-centered approach to education, providing active, flexible, and individualized learning opportunities supported through coaching and mentoring.
• An assessment philosophy focused on continuous growth and improvement.
• Collaboration with experienced faculty engaged in education, research, and clinical practice.
• Opportunities to work with expert clinicians, researchers, and master educators.

Curriculum and Clinical Experiences

• The three-year, nine-semester program engages students in enriching learning experiences involving patients in academic and clinical settings.
• Classes feature case studies, grand rounds, and training at off-site clinical locations, with students encountering increasingly complex cases as they move through the curriculum.
• Part-time integrated clinical experiences and full-time clinical education begin early and are distributed throughout the curriculum to provide real-world experience and deeper experiential learning.

Licensure and Practice

• Before graduates from accredited physical therapy programs can practice physical therapy, they must pass a licensure board examination.
• Once the license examination has been passed, graduates are entitled to practice physical therapy in the state where they were licensed.
• The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) is recognized as the standard for determining licensure eligibility in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.