The College of Applied Health Sciences offers the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, the entry-level degree for individuals who wish to become licensed physical therapists. At the University of Illinois Chicago, students complete eight terms (33 months) of didactic and clinical education that includes lecture and laboratory courses and clinical experiences.

UIC DPT graduates are ahead of the curve: The overall licensure exam pass rates have been 98% for the last three years. The job market is strong. All graduates responding to a survey six months post-graduation report they are working as physical therapists in diverse clinical settings.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at the University of Illinois Chicago is accredited by:

Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE)
3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100
Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085
(703) 706-3245
Email: accreditation@apta.org
Website: http://www.capteonline.org

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program was first accredited in 1973 and has been reaccredited every 10 years with the most recent 10-year accreditation in November 2017.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program offers students the following:

• a student and faculty community dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• an academic program highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 6th among public universities
• nationally and internationally known faculty teach in all major physical therapy courses and many have research labs on site
• unique U.S. and international clinical experiences with diverse patient populations
• strong ties to the Illinois Medical District including clinical experiences at our dedicated faculty practices and UI Health Hospital and clinics
• availability of three certificate programs as well as elective courses in geriatrics, pelvic health, neuroplasticity, sports physical therapy and pediatrics
• located in the heart of beautiful Chicago

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at UIC is considered a professional clinical doctoral degree program, not a graduate program. Applications for this program should be submitted through the Physical Therapist Central Application Service (PTCAS). The applications are forwarded to and processed by the Department of Physical Therapy.

Interdepartmental Concentrations

Students earning a Doctor of Physical Therapy may complement their courses by enrolling in select concentrations after consulting with their advisor. Interdepartmental concentrations available for this degree include:

• Black Studies

Admission Requirements

• Prior Degree Bachelor's degree in any field.
• Prerequisite Courses Required. Applicants are most competitive when they have completed at least seven of the science and math prerequisite courses (with a grade of C or better) by the end of the summer semester before the fall application deadline. Three outstanding prerequisites are allowed at the time of application. Ideally, required science and math courses should be taken within five years of application. Courses taken before that time will be considered as meeting requirements for prerequisites but may weaken potential for admission.
  • Science prerequisites These courses must have a lab component, carry at least four semester hours including lab, and qualify for a major in the sciences. In-person labs, especially for Anatomy and Physiology, are preferred, but online labs are accepted.
    • General Biology – one semester
    • Human Anatomy and Human Physiology (or a year of human anatomy/physiology combined)
    • Chemistry – two-semester sequence
    • General Physics – two-semester sequence
  • Other prerequisites These courses must carry at least three semester hours.
    • Applied Statistics
    • Introductory Psychology
    • Developmental or Abnormal Psychology – NOTE: The course title for Abnormal Psychology has changed to “Introduction to Psychological and Behavioral Disorders” at UIC
• Test Required Graduate Record Examination required. Scores should be sent directly from Education Testing Service to Code 7784.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score (for international applicants)
  • TOEFL iBT 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21, OR,
  • IELTS Academic 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores, OR,
  • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation Two letters are required; no more than five accepted through PTCAS.
• Clinical Experiences Required. By the application deadline, students must complete a minimum of 40 hours of physical therapy experiences: observing, volunteering, or working.
• Transfer Policy The UIC DPT program does not accept transfer students from other physical therapy programs or other health profession programs. All applicants must apply through the regular DPT admissions process.
• Other Requirements for International Applicants Please consult the International Requirements page for a list of credentials and requirements, including the following items.
  • Financial Documents See the PT Department website for details.
  • Academic Translations See the PT Department website for details.

Degree Requirements

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 122 from the baccalaureate.
• Coursework