Doctor of Physical Therapy - Physical Therapy

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program (housed within the School of Allied Health Sciences) at FAMU was established in 1981, becoming the third physical therapy program in the State University System (SUS) of Florida. The first class of students was admitted to the baccalaureate program in 1982; the last baccalaureate class graduated in August 2001. Currently, all Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students must have completed a bachelor’s degree. Consistent with other SUS physical therapy programs, applicants accepted into the FAMU program are admitted as graduate students in the professional curriculum.

Physical therapy involves the evaluation and treatment of individuals with movement disorders, disabilities, and injuries caused by a variety of problems, such as musculoskeletal, neurological, and cardiovascular disorders and aging. Physical therapists treat individuals of all ages (across the lifespan) restoring function and promoting independence.

The DPT Program at FAMU is a full-time, campus-based program which takes 34 months to complete. Students are admitted in the fall semester annually and graduate at the end of the 3rd year Spring semester. The program includes 32 weeks of full time clinical practice. Graduates are awarded the DPT degree upon satisfactory completion of all curricular requirements.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum is built on a broad foundation of liberal arts, social sciences, and basic sciences. Therefore, applicants to the entry level master’s program must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and must also be able to demonstrate, by official transcript completion of the physical therapy program prerequisites.

Coursework within the professional curriculum challenges students to build on their undergraduate background by incorporating a balance of foundational and clinical sciences; critical inquiry; clinical practice; and studies of society, health care delivery, and physical therapy practice. The curriculum is designed to provide students with a combination of didactic and clinical experiences necessary to perform effectively and efficiently as entry level physical therapists, as well as to successfully prepare for the licensing examination.