- Cellular and Systems Physiology
PT 509 | 3 Credits | Course - Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice
PT 561a | 2 Credits | Course - Musculoskeletal Anatomy
PT 514L | 4 Credits | Course - Basics of Patient Management
PT 521L | 4 Credits | Course - Mechanics of Human Gait (Movement Analysis I)
PT 582 | 2 Credits | Course - Clinical Imaging
PT 606 | 2 Credits | Course
Residential Program Course Schedule
The residential 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 of each year below.
Year 1
- Courses
12 Courses
- Clinical Experience
1 Clinical Experience
Semester 1
(17 Credits)
Semester 2
(19 Credits)
- Therapeutic Exercise
PT 530a | 2 Credits | Course - Analytical Anatomy
PT 554L | 3 Credits | Course - Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice
PT 561b | 2 Credits | Course - Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System
PT 566 | 3 Credits | Course - Clinical Biomechanics (Movement Analysis II)
PT 574 | 3 Credits | Course - Clinical Management of The Patient with Musculoskeletal Dysfunction
PT 621 | 5 Credits | Course
- 2-Week Clinical Experience1
PT 600a | 1 Credit | Clinical Experience
1 PT 600A includes both a classroom course and a clinical experience component.
Year 2
- Courses
15 Courses
- Clinical Experiences
2 Clinical Experiences
Summer
(9 Credits)
- Principles of Disease
PT 516 | 1 Credit | Course
- Special Topics in Therapeutic Exercise
PT 530b | 2 Credits | Course
- Therapeutic Application of Physical Agents
PT 551L | 3 Credits | Course
- 6-Week Clinical Experience
PT 600b | 3 Credits | Clinical Experience
Semester 3
(18 Credits)
- Neuroanatomy
PT 534L | 3 Credits | Course
- Pathology of Cardiopulmonary Disease and General Medical Conditions
PT 536 | 3 Credits | Course
- Clinical Pharmacology
PT 539 | 1 Credit | Course
- Clinical Exercise Physiology
PT 549L | 4 Credits | Course
- Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice
PT 561c | 2 Credits | Course
- Clinical Management of Cardiopulmonary Dysfunction
PT 571L | 4 Credits | Course
- 2-Week Clinical Experience
PT 600c | 1 Credit | Clinical Experience
Semester 4
(17 Credits)
- Neuropathology
PT 546 | 3 Credits | Course
- Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice
PT 561d | 2 Credits | Course
- Fundamentals of Neuroscience
PT 569 | 4 Credits | Course
- Clinical Management of the Patient With Neurological Dysfunction
PT 581L | 5 Credits | Course
- Clinical Electrophysiology
PT 583L | 1 Credit | Course
- Life Span Motor Control
PT 529 | 2 Credits | Course
Year 3
- Courses
5 Courses
- Clinical Experiences
3 Clinical Experiences
Summer
(11 Credits)
- Evidence for Physical Therapist Practice
PT 561e | 2 Credits | Course
- Differential Diagnosis in Physical Therapy
PT 650 | 2 Credits | Course
- Emerging Topics
PT 625 | 3 Credits | Course
- 8-Week Clinical Experience
PT 600d | 4 Credits | Clinical Experience
Semesters 5 and 6
(24 Credits)
- Integrated Patient Management Clinical Skills
PT 630 | 6 Credits | Course
- Integrated Patient Management Seminar
PT 632 | 5 Credits | Course
- 16-Week Integrated Terminal Clinical Education Experience With Academic Integration1
PT 660 | 5 Credits | Clinical Experience
- 16-Week Terminal Full-Time Clinical Education Experience1
PT 665 | 8 Credits | Clinical Experience
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.
Interested in applying to the USC residential DPT program?