Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

If movement and function of the human body appeal to you, if helping people regain strength and reduce pain is rewarding to you, if developing fitness and wellness regimes for others excites you, then physical therapy may be the field for you.

PT student working with baby in pedi lab

TWU has been a pioneer in educating physical therapists since the 1960s, advancing the practice and science of physical therapy through education, research and service. Accredited by the Commission for Accreditation in Physical Therapy (CAPTE), the program prepares students to take the National PT Exam and licensure in the State of Texas.

Faculty members are leaders in the PT profession in research, teaching and service and the majority of full-time faculty hold Ph.D. or D.Sc. degrees. With the faculty-to-student ratio 1:12, expectations of TWU DPT graduates is high and the expected outcomes upon graduation include:

  • Provide effective and efficient patient/client management using evidence-based practice
  • Demonstrate fundamental practice management skills
  • Promote health and wellness in the community: locally, regionally and/or globally
  • Demonstrate leadership
  • Advocate for patients/clients and the profession

Graduation, licensure examination pass rate and the employment rate for our graduates can be found here.

Clinical education

Clinical Education is an important part of the DPT program. Students will have an opportunity to participate in five clinical education courses/rotations throughout the program. Currently, Texas Woman's University has approximately 400 sites across the United States under contract to provide clinical education to the School of Physical Therapy. That means DPT students have many choices when it comes to where they can complete their clinical education.

Program requirements

The DPT program requires eight semesters of full-time graduate study over 33 months (including summers). The degree requires 98 credit hours to complete including 32 weeks of clinical experiences/rotations. A full listing of required courses for graduation can be found in the course catalog

FAQ for prospective students

Please Note: There are new admission guidelines in place due to COVID-19.

What are the prerequisites?

Chemistry I & II with labs 
8 credits (for science majors)

Physics I & II 
8 credits (algebra or calculus based)

Anatomy & Physiology I & II with labs 
8 credits or 4 credits Anatomy and 4 credits of Physiology (each must have 1 hours labs)

Algebra or higher or AP credit 
3 credits (NOT statistics)

Intro or general Psychology
3 credits

2nd Psychology: Lifespan Developmental, Abnormal, or Physiological
3 credits

Medical Terminology
1-3 credits or Universal class online Med Term 201

Highly Recommended Coursework

  • Exercise Physiology
  • Advanced Physiology
  • Neuro anatomy/physiology
  • Statistics

If my school has a pass/fail and I take that option on a prerequisite course, how will that affect my application?

The prerequisite GPA is an important part of the admission decisions. Students who have the opportunity to choose a letter grade, should do so. During this COVID -19 crisis, we understand if a student may need to take a pass/fail grade during Spring and Summer 2020, however those applications with a grade of A or B will be at an advantage. If you take a pass/fail grade, you will need to replace the grade with a letter grade before beginning our DPT program. If you need to withdraw from your courses, it will not be held against you. The committee understands everyone is being impacted differently with this pandemic. We have added an optional question to the school specific questions on the PTCAS application if you wish to elaborate.

What if I am unable to complete observation hours due to closure of facilities or limits on visitation and volunteering?

We will accept an application with less than the required minimum of 80 observation hours. For applicants who do not have many observation hours, we highly recommend you visit www.APTA.org and choose the tabs "Careers & Education" and also "Prospective Students." It is very important for prospective students to research the profession before committing to a rigorous full time DPT program. We highly encourage students to continue to look for observation opportunities in the Fall and next Spring 2024 when it is deemed safe. The additional hours can be emailed to PT@twu.edu after the application has been submitted. Try to complete at least 20 hours of inpatient observation.

I have been unable to schedule a time to take the GRE due to the closure of testing sites. Can I still apply?

Although the TWU Graduate School has waived the GRE requirement for this upcoming admission cycle, at this time, the School of Physical Therapy is still requiring the GRE. ETS now has an option to take the GRE from your home if you have the proper equipment as it will be monitored by a camera. You can submit the PTCAS application without GRE scores then you have until September 24 to take the exam for scores to arrive by our October 15 deadline. Please check back in September for an update as we will monitor the situation or email concerns to PT@twu.edu.

Does TWU's DPT program accept online courses?

The School of Physical Therapy will accept online courses, even online science courses and online labs. It is highly recommended to have dissection experience before cadaver lab.

What GPA & GRE scores are competitive at TWU?

  Entering 2018    Entering 2019    Entering 2020    Entering 2021    Entering 2022   
Last 60 3.84 3.87 3.90 3.91 3.92
M & S GPA 3.81 3.84 3.80 3.83 3.82
Overall GPA 3.79 3.76 3.83 3.84 3.85
GRE V 151 152 152 152 152
GRE Q 152 152 153 153 152
GRE A 4 4 4 4 4

Admission requirements

Admission to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (Professional)

Program Contact

Mary Beth Daugherty
Admissions Coordinator
940-898-2460
PT@twu.edu / Mdaugherty@twu.edu

Application Deadlines

October 15 @ 11 CST  (9 months before the program begins). The Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) application opens July 1st (one year in advance).  All materials must be received by TWU and PTCAS.  The DPT program only begins in the Fall semester.

The application review cycle begins in July.  Students will receive an email of acceptance or alternate notice no earlier than mid-December.

Admission Requirements

Applicants may be in the process of completing prerequisites and bachelor’s degree when applying. If accepted, the student must have successfully completed a bachelor’s degree and all outstanding prerequisites in order to enroll.

  • Baccalaureate degree in any major.
  • Required Prerequisites completed with a grade of C or higher before the program begins (recommended that no more than three are outstanding at the time of application).
  • Prerequisite Math & Science GPA above 3.0 using the latest grades in: Chemistry I & II with labs, Physics I & II with labs, Anatomy & Physiology I & II with labs, and Algebra (or higher, statistics not accepted).
  • Overall GPA above 3.0 (includes original and retake grades of all college courses) as calculated in PTCAS.
  • Last 60 semester credit hours above 3.0 as calculated in PTCAS. This will include all post-bachelors or masters credits before the bachelor’s degree. Calculation ends where 59-60 credits fall and includes whole semesters (range can be 59-73 hours).
  • General Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Must be completed within the last 5 years.  Super scoring is utilized - the highest score in each area of all exams. 
  • A minimum of 80 hours observing two physical therapists from differently owned facilities (40 hours with each PT). Applicants must have both inpatient (Minimum 20 hours) and outpatient experiences. Documentation is through PTCAS.
  • Current BLS certifications in CPR and AED from the American Heart Association completed before entering the program.
  • Immunizations received before entering the program as required by the state of Texas, including 3-Hepatitis B, Tdap (within 9 years), 2-MMR, 2-varicella or titer, TB test (expires after 12 months), and Hepatitis C testing. In addition, a flu shot is required in the fall of every year while in the program .
  • Testing for drugs and a criminal background check.
  • International students or if your bachelor’s degree is from a country where the official language is other than English, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of Spoken English tests and achieve scores of at least 24-writing, 26-speaking, 21-reading comprehension, and 18-listening comprehension - Total 89. For a list of exempt countries and the TOEFL exemption form visit the TWU International Student Admission website.

Two Part Application Process

Part I: Apply to TWU (see instructions)

1.  Complete the application at TWU Online Graduate Application Portal 

  • Semester Applying: Fall for the year you are applying
  • Major: Physical Therapy Entry DPT (DAL) or Physical Therapy Entry DPT (HOU). Do not select Post Professional

2. Pay the application fee.  The $50 fee, ($75 fee for International applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants can be paid by:

  • Credit card - Online through the portal you applied on TWU's Online Graduate Application Portal.
  • Certified check or money order by mail or electronically - payable to TWU, sent by mail to:
    TWU Admissions Processing, 301 Research Circle, Room 220; Denton, Texas 76204
    (include your full name and ID number).
  • Cash (no personal checks) - Pay at the Bursar's Office. After paying, bring the receipt to Admissions Processing (2nd floor of GRB).
  • Fee Waivers - Graduate applicants who are certified McNair Scholars are eligible for a McNair Scholar application Fee waiver. Submit the request using the Application Fee Waiver Submission Form.

3.  You must submit your transcripts from all schools attended

  • Domestic Applicants must submit official transcripts for each college or university attended, both undergraduate and graduate. See the Information on Transcripts website for more details.
  • International Applicants are now required to provide an evaluation prepared by a NACES or AICE member evaluation service. International transcripts should not be sent directly to TWU.  See the International Admission website for more details.

4. Take the GRE General Test and submit your GRE scores using PTCAS Code 1673 (this will submit to PTCAS and TWU). Take the exam before September 24 for scores to arrive by the October 15 deadline. 

5.  Have official TOEFL scores sent to TWU using Code 6826 (if applicable).

Part II: Complete the PTCAS Application Process

  1. Complete the online Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) application (opens July 1st - a year in advance)
  2. Include Additional Supplemental materials as outlined on PTCAS application:
    • Interest letter for TWU
    • Resume
    • Documentation of Observation Hours
    • Three letters of recommendation (From two PT’s and one professor or employer)
    • Campus preference: Dallas or Houston
    • TWU Colleague ID#
  3. Send transcripts to PTCAS too.
    • PTCAS; P.O. Box 9112; Watertown, MA 02471

How to Apply

Begin by finding your program in TWU's Program, Majors & Degrees listings to see if your program has additional admission requirements and application deadlines prior to applying.  (This information is for all programs. The application deadline for your specific program will be listed in the Program Requirements.  Use that deadline as it applies below.  (Example: if a program only admits once a year and has a Fall deadline for 2023 of March 1, you would need to be looking to apply to the next deadline for Fall 2024.)

  1. Apply online.
    Apply to Graduate Programs according to the start semester and application portals below:
    • Spring 2024 - All programs apply via ApplyTexas EXCEPT applicants to the College of Business, Child Life, or Child Development master's programs or the Child Development and Early Education PhD program who should apply via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal.
      • Note: When applying through ApplyTexas, you will need to submit any required Documents directly to the program website.
    • Summer & Fall 2024 - All graduate programs apply via the TWU Online Graduate Application Portal. Required documents will be asked for and uploaded into the application.

  2. Pay the application fee.
    The $50 fee, ($75 fee for International applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants can be paid by:
    • Credit card - Online through the portal you applied on (either ApplyTexas or TWU's Online Graduate Application).
    • Certified check or money order by mail or electronically - payable to TWU, sent by mail to:
      TWU Admissions Processing, 301 Research Circle, Room 220; Denton, Texas 76204
      (include your full name and ID number).
    • Cash (no personal checks) - Pay at the Bursar's Office. After paying, bring the receipt to Admissions Processing (2nd floor of GRB).
    • Fee Waivers - Graduate applicants who are certified McNair Scholars are eligible for a McNair Scholar application Fee waiver. Submit the request using the Application Fee Waiver Submission Form.

  3. Submit transcripts to TWU.
    • Domestic Applicants must submit official transcripts for each college or university attended, both undergraduate and graduate. See the Information on Transcripts website for more details.
    • International Applicants are now required to provide an evaluation prepared by a NACES or AICE member evaluation service. International transcripts should not be sent directly to TWU.  See the International Admission website for more details.

For more information on graduate admissions or to contact an admissions official, visit the Graduate Admissions website.

Students who wish to apply for a Graduate Assistantship must meet the General Criteria for Appointment of Graduate Assistants.

Take the next step.

Attend an information session

Learn more about the DPT program at TWU at one of our monthly information sessions

Notification for out-of-state students

The Doctor of Physical Therapy prepares graduates to take the National Physical Therapy Exam required for licensure in every state. Individuals who wish to practice in Texas will apply for a license to practice through the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners. Requirements for state licensure vary from state to state. If you are a resident of another state, contact the licensing board of your home state for other requirements. Contact our department for additional information.

Complaints

Complaints that fall outside of due process should be directed to Mark Weber, Program Director, School of Physical Therapy, or Christopher Ray, Dean of the College of Health Sciences.

Page last updated 10:23 AM, September 6, 2023