Application Requirements

Applicants to the three-year, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or must hold a valid student visa to study in the United States. They must also satisfy all requirements for USC Graduate School admission, which include:

Bachelor’s Degree

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university by the date of projected enrollment, which is in August of each year.

Minimum Cumulative and Science GPAs of 3.0

The admissions committee requires that you have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a minimum science GPA of 3.0. Higher GPAs tend to be more competitive within the applicant pool.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores

GRE scores are not required.

Work Experience

A minimum of 150 hours of clinical experience in a physical therapy setting is recommended, but not required. The Admissions Committee feels that applicants who have engaged in diverse clinical experiences tend to make a more informed decision when considering physical therapy as a professional career. We also recognize that some of these experiences present themselves in the context of having supported others who have received physical therapy services as patients. Through responses to the essay prompts and resume, applicants are encouraged to share these experiences with the Admissions Committee. If deciding to gain direct physical therapy exposure in a clinical setting, the Admissions Committee makes no distinction between volunteer or paid physical therapy aide experiences.

Prerequisite Courses

Grades of “C” or better are required in all prerequisite courses, outlined below. Prerequisite courses taken on a “pass/no pass” basis will not be recognized, and AP credits will not be accepted in lieu of college-level courses. All courses must be for science or pre-health majors. Introductory or “survey-style” courses will not be accepted in fulfillment of prerequisites.

• Biological Sciences: A general biology series (Biology I and Biology II) with labs (8 semester hours, 12 quarter units).
• Chemistry: A general chemistry series (Chemistry I and Chemistry II) with labs (8 semester hours, 12 quarter units). A biochemistry series (Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II) with labs (8 semester hours, 12 quarter units) will also satisfy this requirement.
• Physics: A general physics series (Physics I and Physics II) with labs (8 semester hours, 12 quarter units).
• Anatomy¹: A human anatomy course with lab (4 semester hours, 6 quarter units).
• Physiology¹: A human physiology course with lab (4 semester hours, 6 quarter units).

¹ A combined two-course sequence in anatomy and physiology with lab (8 semester hours) will also satisfy this requirement.

• Psychology: Two courses in psychology (totaling 6 semester hours, 9 quarter units). These courses may include general psychology, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, psychology of disability, etc.
• Statistics and Mathematics: One college-level statistics course is required (3 semester hours, 5 quarter units). Courses taken within the biology, mathematics and psychology departments are accepted. An additional college-level geometry or trigonometry course is recommended (but not required).

Quick Reference Chart

Quarter Units divided by 1.5 = Semester Units
Semester Units multiplied by 1.5 = Quarter Units

Application Requirements

Apply to the USC DPT Program – residential pathway through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS)

Many schools issue transcripts electronically, either through their own web services or through vendors. If this option is available through the institutions you attend(ed), make sure that they are submitted to PTCAS by following the instructions on the application. Please remember that all transcripts must be verified by PTCAS prior to formal program review and this process can take up to four or five weeks after receipt of transcripts.

We recommend using a sense of urgency when requesting transcripts from your university, as the transmission time can vary from school to school.

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required as part of your application submission through PTCAS. You should request recommendations from individuals who can speak to your professional or academic readiness to attend a rigorous graduate program. These recommenders must be:

• A physical therapist (PT) who has directly supervised you
• A professor or academic reference who has taught you in at least one class
• A person of your choice who is either another PT supervisor, academic reference, or can otherwise speak to your academic, personal, or professional qualities

Application Deadlines

The final application deadline for our next residential pathway start date is December 2, 2024.

The final application deadline for our next hybrid pathway start date is March 21, 2025.

Tuition and
Financial Aid

The chart below outlines the tuition fees for the USC DPT Program, for the 2024-2025 academic year. Please note that fees are subject to change each year.

The financial facts sheet for students graduating from the USC DPT Program – Residential Pathway in 2023 is available here

The financial facts sheet for students graduating from the USC DPT Program – Hybrid Pathway in 2023 is available here

Tuition

Costs for 2024-2025 Academic Year

These fees are for the academic year 2024-2025 only. They are subject to change in future years.

Health insurance coverage is required during the academic and clinical portions of the curriculum. This insurance is mandatory, but USC health insurance may be waived with proof of other current coverage.

Each student is responsible for the purchase of personal textbooks/e-books, course readers, surgical scrubs, and incidental supplies. Information on required and recommended textbooks and materials, as well as the new student orientation schedule, will be sent out during the summer.

The Division also requires that all incoming DPT students purchase an Apple iPad and a laptop/desktop (the computer can be Apple or PC) that will be used throughout the academic and clinical experiences.

For assistance planning your finances at USC, visit the USC Student Financial Services Division.

Financial Aid

There are many sources of financial assistance available to USC students.

USC offers a limited number of Divisional scholarships to incoming students each year. Decisions about Divisional scholarships are made in February and March, and there is no formal application required. All applicants are automatically considered for these competitive, merit-based awards.

Additional financial aid resources include:

• Additional scholarship information for upcoming and current students (All scholarships may not apply to online/hybrid students.)
• APTA student loan repayment and debt management
• Federal student loan programs
• Government-sponsored funding

Note: U.S. government guidelines preclude international students from receiving federal financial assistance through the USC Financial Aid Office. The U.S. government requires all international applicants to provide proof of ability to pay tuition and living expenses before a formal letter of admission — or the forms needed for obtaining a visa — will be issued.

Admission Events

The DPT program regularly holds events to support applicants through the admissions process. These presentations can include application workshops, USC DPT program discussions, faculty Q&As, current student Q&As and many other topics. In-person information sessions include a tour of our state of the art facilities.

Space is limited, so reserve your place in an upcoming session by contacting Heather Reynolds, Admissions Manager at heather.reynolds@pt.usc.edu. All times for sessions will be in Pacific Standard Time.

Residential Academic Experience

The full-time, three-year, residential pathway of the DPT program comprises six semesters and two summer terms. The curriculum follows a system-based format. Each semester focuses on a different system of the body.

Throughout the first two years, students learn to incorporate evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning skills and the differential diagnostic process to function as an autonomous practitioner within the healthcare system. The third and final year is designed to promote integration of the information and skills learned in the first two years.

At USC, we take pride in offering you varied and rich full-time clinical experiences starting in the first year of the program. The third year of the curriculum is an integrative experience that challenges students to combine and refine skills from the previous two years, and to provide effective patient care in complex circumstances.

The systems-based focuses and corresponding clinical components are as follows for each year:

Year One

• Semester 1: Foundational basic sciences and introduction to patient management
• Semester 2: Clinical management of musculoskeletal dysfunction with an integrated clinical experience

Year Two

• Summer 1: Clinical management of musculoskeletal dysfunction and 6-week clinical experience
• Semester 3: Clinical management of cardiopulmonary and medical conditions, particularly in the acute hospital setting with an integrated clinical experience
• Semester 4: Clinical management of neurologic dysfunction

Year Three

• Summer 2: Differential diagnosis and 8-week clinical rotation
• Semester 5 or 6¹: Full-time clinical rotations
• Semester 5 or 6¹: Part-time clinical rotation, and case-based instruction and lab practice courses

¹ In year three, students complete one full-time clinical rotation semester and one part-time clinical rotation semester with case-based instruction and lab practice. About half of students have their part-time experience in semester 5; the other half have their part-time experience in semester 6.

Students complete a total of 44 full-time equivalent weeks of clinical experiences at USC-approved sites in the greater Los Angeles area and nationwide. The clinical education component of our academic experience is exceptional, in that experiences begin in the spring of your first year, and the number of weeks vastly exceeds the minimum requirements for PT programs. You will be exposed to up to at least six distinct placement sites in a broad spectrum of physical therapy settings.

For successful completion of the program, you must:

• Complete all 115 units with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75
• Pass all practical exams in the clinical courses
• Meet all professional behavior standards
• Pass all clinical experiences (a total of 44 full-time equivalent weeks)

View a full list of DPT Program Courses.

View the Residential Pathway Course Schedule

Read more about the Program Learning Objectives

Student Handbook 2024-2025

Hybrid Academic Experience

The full-time, three-year, hybrid pathway of the DPT program comprises six semesters and three summer terms. The curriculum follows a system-based format. Each semester focuses on a different system of the body.

Throughout the first two years, students learn to incorporate evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning skills and the differential diagnostic process to function as an autonomous practitioner within the health care system. The third and final year is designed to promote integration of the information and skills learned in the first two years.

At USC, we take pride in offering you varied and rich full-time clinical experiences starting in the first year of the program. The third year of the curriculum is an integrative experience that challenges students to combine and refine skills from the previous two years to provide effective patient care in complex circumstances.

The systems-based focuses and corresponding clinical components are as follows for each year:

Year One

• Semester 1a (Summer) and 1b (Fall): Foundational sciences and introduction to patient management
• Semester 2: Clinical management of musculoskeletal dysfunction with an integrated clinical experience

Year Two

• Summer 1: Clinical management of musculoskeletal dysfunction and 6-week clinical experience
• Semester 3: Clinical management of cardiovascular and pulmonary and medical conditions, particularly in the acute hospital setting with an integrated clinical experience
• Semester 4: Clinical management of neurologic dysfunction

Year Three

• Summer 2: Differential diagnosis and 8-week clinical experience
• Semester 5: Full-time clinical rotations with integrated patient management skills and seminar coursework
• Semester 6: Full-time clinical rotations with integrated patient management skills and seminar coursework

As a student, you will approach patient care from the three important perspectives that form the basis of evidence-based practice:

The Patient

You will learn how to connect with and collaborate with patients to provide the best possible patient-centered care. We emphasize skills for providing culturally sensitive, compassionate care using evidence-based methods including motivational interviewing and shared decision-making.

Current Research

You will learn how to stay current throughout your career by using the best available evidence to guide your practice. We emphasize the skills clinicians need to be savvy consumers of clinical research while also providing opportunities to participate in conducting research.

Professional Expertise

You will develop your own insights and confidence to provide direct access to physical therapy in the complex health care environment. We emphasize effective interprofessional collaboration and team-based health care.

Offered on a full-time basis, USC’s DPT Program – hybrid pathway is three years in duration and delivered through three integrated components: online courses, on-campus immersions and clinical experiences.

ONLINE COURSES

As a student in the hybrid pathway, you will complete a total of 35 courses, totaling 115 credits, using our interactive online campus. Designed and taught by esteemed USC faculty, our live, online DPT courses provide a challenging, comprehensive educational experience that develops your ability to think critically about physical therapy management across all major body systems and across the life span.

The curriculum covers a broad spectrum of physical therapist practice and prepares you for on-campus immersions and clinical experiences across the three years. Our transformative online classroom leverages the best available technology for learning through two integrated components:

Live Sessions

• Engage: Participate in highly interactive live classes that have an approximate 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
• Learn: Gain knowledge and guidance through deep discussions about the relevance and application of course material with a faculty composed of scientists and clinicians.
• Connect: Collaborate in small groups of students to problem-solve and discuss topics and case studies.

Asynchronous Learning

• Study: Complete self-guided, immersive coursework accessible 24/7 to learn and reflect on key concepts for physical therapy practice.
• Practice: Develop and refine physical therapy skills in preparation for immersions and clinical experiences.
• Experience: Watch high-quality, studio-produced short lectures; patient demonstrations; and case studies using special effects to support learning.

View a full list of USC’s DPT Program Courses.

View the Hybrid Pathway Course Schedule

ON-CAMPUS IMMERSIONS

Regular visits to USC’s campus in Los Angeles are an integral step in connecting online class material to the hands-on skills essential to physical therapy practice. You will visit USC’s world-class physical therapy learning laboratories approximately 12 times for in-person immersions. This translates to about 90 days on campus over the course of the three-year program. Immersion experiences provide you with intensive laboratory instruction with professors to build and refine skills needed to optimize human movement, such as physical evaluation, manual therapy and facilitation techniques, gait training, and exercise instruction.

During the immersions, you will:

• Build your manual and physical skills for reducing pain and improving human movement.
• Network with faculty, peers and the entire USC DPT community.
• Access state-of-the-art anatomy and learning laboratories.
• Focus on skills of particular interest to you during extended on-campus office hours.

Clinical Experiences

You will complete a total of 44 full-time weeks of clinical experiences at USC-approved sites in your community and nationwide. The clinical education component of our academic experience is exceptional in that experiences begin in the spring of your first year and the number of weeks vastly exceeds the minimum requirements for PT programs. You will be exposed to up to six distinct placement sites in a broad spectrum of physical therapy settings.

To make sure you have the most beneficial clinical experiences, you will work with:

• USC faculty, who work closely with you to discuss your progress or answer any questions you have before and during your clinical experiences
• Clinical instructors, who will personally guide your learning with real patients in a real-world setting
• Peers, as you share your clinical knowledge and skills and learn from each other’s unique experiences

Learning Outcomes

After graduation, you will be able to:

• Sit for the National Physical Therapy Exam for licensure to practice as a physical therapist.
• Effectively care for individuals with an array of needs, from wellness and prevention to persons with complex or debilitating medical conditions.
• Provide evidence-based and patient-centered care that integrates research, clinical expertise and the patient’s perspective.
• Diagnose and treat movement dysfunction for persons of all ages and backgrounds.

Read more about the Program Learning Objectives

Student Handbook 2024-2025

DPT PROGRAM COURSES

Residential Pathway Course Schedule

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is a three-year, full-time program.

The systems-based curriculum integrates lecture and laboratory experiences on campus and a total of 44 weeks of full-time equivalent clinical experiences that begin in the first year. Through corresponding coursework and clinical rotations, students develop their knowledge and expertise in each area alongside USC’s globally recognized faculty.

Learn more about individual courses and explore the course schedule for each year in the residential pathway below.

YEAR 1
12 Courses
1 Clinical Experience

¹ PT 600A includes both a classroom course and a clinical experience component.

YEAR 2
15 Courses
2 Clinical Experiences

YEAR 3
5 Courses
3 Clinical Experiences

¹ Note: The Full-Time Clinical Education Experience can occur in either the fifth or sixth semester. The Director of Clinical Education determines when each student completes the integrated or full-time terminal clinical education experience.

HYBRID Pathway Course Schedule

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is a three-year, full-time program.

The systems-based curriculum integrates online coursework, an engaging virtual classroom experience, on-campus immersions and a total of 44 weeks of full-time equivalent clinical experiences that begin in the first year. Through corresponding coursework and clinical rotations, students develop their knowledge and expertise as they are taught by USC’s globally recognized faculty.

Learn more about individual courses and explore the course schedule for each year in the hybrid pathway below.

YEAR 1
12 Courses
5 On-Campus Immersions
1 Clinical Experience

YEAR 2
15 Courses
4 On-Campus Immersions
3 Clinical Experience

YEAR 3
5 Courses
3* On-Campus Immersions
3 Clinical Experience

Clinical Education Program

Each clinical experience is designed to provide you with an opportunity to practically apply the knowledge and skills acquired in a specific area of the academic program. These experiences will increase your level of expertise in the evaluation and treatment of patients with varying diagnoses.

Your performance will be compared to predicted performance levels, set by faculty, across all three years of the DPT program. The aim of the clinical education program is that you will meet and exceed the performance level expected of an entry-level physical therapist during the third year of your DPT program. Your performance will be judged based on your clinical decision-making skills, hands-on performance and professional behaviors using the Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI).

DPT-I: The First-Year Experience

As a DPT-I, or first-year DPT student, you will complete a two-week practicum in the middle of your second semester and a six-week summer affiliation at the end of your first year.

The DPT-I curriculum includes:

• Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice a
• Cellular and Systems Physiology
• Musculoskeletal Anatomy
• Basics of Patient Management
• Mechanics of Human Gait (Movement Analysis I)
• Clinical Imaging
• Therapeutic Exercise
• Analytical Anatomy
• Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice b
• Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System
• Clinical Management of The Patient with Musculoskeletal Dysfunction
• Clinical Biomechanics (Movement Analysis II)

DPT-Is are prepared to evaluate and treat general medical and musculoskeletal disorders. As a result, you will be assigned to clinical education centers where you will work with numerous general medicine and orthopedic patients.

DPT-II: The SECOND-Year Experience

As a DPT-II, or second-year DPT student, you will complete a two-week practicum in the middle of the first semester of your second year and an eight-week summer affiliation prior to returning for the summer coursework to complete your second year.

You will complete most of your required didactic courses. The DPT-II curriculum includes:

• Principles of Disease
• Therapeutic Application of Physical Agents
• Special Topics in Therapeutic Exercise
• Neuroanatomy
• Pathology of Cardiopulmonary Disease and General Medical Conditions
• Clinical Pharmacology
• Clinical Exercise Physiology
• Clinical Management of Cardiopulmonary Dysfunction
• Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice c
• Neuropathology
• Fundamental of Neuroscience
• Clinical Management of the Patient with Neurologic Dysfunction
• Clinical Electrophysiology
• Life Span Motor Control
• Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice d

In addition to managing patients with orthopedic dysfunction, DPT-IIs will also be prepared to evaluate and treat patients across the life span with various medical issues, including cardiopulmonary and neurologic dysfunctions across diverse care settings (e.g., outpatient, acute care, acute rehab).

DPT-III: The THIRD-Year Experience

As a DPT-III, or third-year DPT student, you will complete two 16-week extended clinical experiences, one in a full-time setting and one in a part-time setting. In addition, you will take Integrated Patient Management Seminars.

The purpose of the extended clinical experience is to give you the opportunity to manage a full caseload over an extended period of time. Consequently, DPT-IIIs focus on the improvement of manual skills, clinical reasoning, pattern recognition, differential diagnosis, prognosticating, development of plan of care, goal-setting, interprofessional communication and comprehensive patient management.

• Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice e
• Differential Diagnosis in Physical Therapy Emerging Topics
• Integrated Patient Management Clinical Skills
• Integrated Patient Management Seminar

DPT-Is are prepared to evaluate and treat general medical and musculoskeletal disorders. As a result, you will be assigned to clinical education centers where you will work with numerous general medicine and orthopedic patients.

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS

As a student in the DPT program, you must:

• Attain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher at the end of any academic year in order to participate in the clinical education program. If you earn a cumulative 2.75 GPA but receive a final grade of “C-D” or lower in a clinical procedure course, then you must repeat the course and receive at least a “C” grade prior to continuation in the clinical education program.
• Have a physical examination that includes appropriate immunizations and titers prior to entering the program.
• Have biannual tuberculosis clearances while in the program.
• Subscribe annually to professional liability insurance available through the USC Risk Management Division.
• Be covered by major medical insurance while in the program.
• Have a current certification from the American Heart Association in Basic Cardiac Life Support for the Healthcare Provider (CPR) while in the program.
• Meet the requirements for any clinical education experience and complete and submit all required paperwork within one week after completion of the clinical experience in order to receive a grade of “CREDIT.”

Service Learning Experience

The service learning experience (SLE) is an educational opportunity in which you will learn about social responsibility, advocacy and the importance of lifelong civic engagement through active participation in purposeful volunteer community service. The importance of the SLE in the education of physical therapy students is demonstrated by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education’s (CAPTE) Practice Management Expectations for Social Responsibility and Advocacy, which indicates that students should advocate for the health and wellness needs of society and participate and show leadership in community organizations and volunteer service.

A formal SLE is required of all USC DPT students in fulfillment of the DPT degree and the CAPTE Practice Management Expectations.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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ADMISSIONS

TUITION & FINANCIAL AID

RESIDENTIAL PATHWAY

HYBRID PATHWAY

Visit our Graduate Outcomes page to learn more.

To learn more about the hybrid pathway, request information and an admissions counselor will contact you.