Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) FAQs

When deciding which DPT program format fits best, think about your learning preferences, schedule, lifestyle, location and how you learn best. No matter which format you choose, all pathways—Residential, Hybrid or Flex—are considered full-time.

Here’s a quick breakdown to help you compare DPT curriculum pathways:

Switching formats, like moving from Residential to Hybrid Immersion or Flex, is sometimes possible, but it’s handled on a case-by-case basis.

Whether a switch can be made depends on a few factors, including:

• Space in the program you would be transitioning to
• Your academic progress

If you are not sure which path is best for you, your enrollment advisor can help you explore what’s best for you based on your goals and situation.

When deciding where to attend the DPT program, consider the following factors to find the best fit for you:

• Proximity to home
• Format availability
• Lifestyle preferences
• Cost of living and travel

If you are a working student or live far from campus, the Flex Doctor of Physical Therapy format might be a good fit for you. Consider these factors before choosing a pathway:

• Full-time commitment: Even though Flex is meant to accommodate working students, it’s a full-time program. Working full-time while enrolled is not recommended.
• Work hours: Many Flex DPT students manage part-time work during coursework, but reevaluate and minimize work hours as they approach full-time clinical rotations, which require more time and focus.
• Weekend labs: Flex includes required 6-8 weekend lab sessions on campus per term, so you will need to plan for travel and availability.
• Student-driven learning: You should be comfortable with online coursework and managing your own study schedule.

To earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, you’ll need to complete 110 total credits for graduation. This requirement is the same across all program formats—Residential, Hybrid Immersion and Flex—so everyone gets the comprehensive training needed for licensure and professional practice.

During the DPT degree program, the Terminal Clinical rotations are where you get to put everything you’ve learned into real-world practice. Students will be placed in clinical sites to practice their skills and apply their knowledge while working with a licensed physical therapist.  These Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) rotations provide you with supervised, hands-on experience in clinical settings.

Here’s the timeline for these progressive experiences:

• Trimester V
  • Terminal Clinical I: 12 weeks
• Trimester VI
  • Terminal Clinical II: 10 weeks
• Trimester VII
  • Terminal Clinical III: 10 weeks

Students don’t get to choose their exact clinical placement sites; however, you work with our clinical education team to determine the best placements for your learning style and career goals. The DPT program will work to place you as close as possible to your preferred locations while balancing availability and DPT program requirements.

In the DPT program, you will complete three sequential clinical experiences: Terminal Clinical Rotations. Together, they total 32 weeks of supervised clinical practice.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Terminal Clinical I: 12 weeks
• Terminal Clinical II: 10 weeks
• Terminal Clinical III: 10 weeks

Choosing electives like Sports Therapy, Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy or Entrepreneurship in the DPT degree program can give you a competitive edge in your career and a chance to explore career paths.

You will benefit from:

• Specialized skills in high-demand areas of practice
• Advanced professional leadership capabilities

Pursuing specialized electives in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program helps you build focused expertise in areas like Sports Therapy, Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy, Pelvic Health, Neurology and Business Leadership.

These electives provide specialized knowledge that may set you apart in competitive job markets and prepare you for advanced or specialized roles in clinical practice.

As a DPT student, you’ll get hands-on experience in real-world clinical settings that reflect the full spectrum of physical therapy practice. Throughout your rotations, you’ll work with patients across the lifespan, from children and adolescents to older adults, and encounter a wide range of conditions and rehabilitation needs. All DPT students will complete a category 1 placement.

During your clinical placements, you’ll complete two types of experiences:

• Category 1: You’ll work with patients in an inpatient or home health setting.
• Category 2: An outpatient, pediatric or specialty clinic where you’ll refine your skills working with specific patient populations.

For students in the Hybrid Immersion Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, they will attend nine total on-campus experiences, spread over trimesters I-IV:

• 3 on-campus experiences in Trimester I
• 2 on-campus experiences each in Trimesters II, III and IV
• All students will come back to campus in term 7, just before graduation in term 7

If you choose the Flex DPT program, you’ll complete 7 to 9 on-campus immersive weekend sessions per term during trimesters I-VI and return to campus just prior to term 9.

During the on-campus immersive learning experiences in the DPT program, you will participate in engaging, innovative lab sessions to apply what you’ve learned during your coursework. These innovative sessions will help you refine clinical skills through hands-on practice, with faculty guidance, bridging the gap between theory and professional practice.

Here’s an overview of which DPT program formats are available at each campus:

Clinical rotations in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program begin as follows, based on your chosen pathway:

• Residential and Hybrid Immersion: Trimester V
• Flex: Trimester VII

These clinical experiences mark the shift from classroom learning to focused, hands-on clinical practice in the DPT program.

In the DPT program, the Residential and Hybrid Immersion formats are completed in seven trimesters, while the Flex format takes nine trimesters to complete.* Both pathways require the same 110 credits to earn a DPT degree, but the different timelines let you choose the pace and schedule that best fit your lifestyle and learning preferences.

*Program designed to be completed in this time frame. Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress, credits transferred and other factors.