Arcadia's entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program provides clinical experiences where classroom learning is applied to real patients, opportunities for study or pro-bono work in international settings, and personal attention from renowned faculty. The program is now offered through two different pathways - the residential program is composed entirely of on-campus learning experiences, while the hybrid pathway is composed of a combination of online and on-campus learning experiences. To learn more about the residential pathway, visit https://www.arcadia.edu/academics/programs/physical-therapy-dpt. To learn more about our hybrid pathway, visit our website: https://onlinehealth.arcadia.edu/dpt-form/ . All graduates of Arcadia's program to date have passed the licensure examination in their state of choice and continue to perform well above the national average on the licensure examination. 

The program begins in mid-August and runs over approximately a 2-year period. The entry-level D.P.T. curriculum is organized into 21 patient-based courses that integrate knowledge from every practice area of physical therapy. Content ranges from the treatment of the young child to the older adult, from fractures to traumatic brain injury. The program includes 40 hours of part-time clinical experience in the first year and 32 weeks of full-time clinical education. These experiences play a key role in taking the knowledge obtained in the classroom and applying it to real patients under the direct supervision and mentoring of a licensed physical therapist. Students will learn and work in general hospitals, rehabilitation settings, private offices and in other facilities that provide areas of specialization. Arcadia has clinical internships in a wide variety of local, regional, national, and international facilities. The majority of sites are in the mid-Atlantic region. 

Arcadia University is recognized as a leader in global education and provides interested students with international opportunities to study. Arcadia believes that to understand the world, students should experience it, and that can mean leaving the campus for a time. Whether it is for a clinical education experience in England, Spain, or California or a service trip to Jamaica, Haiti, or Guatemala, Arcadia's D.P.T. students have several opportunities to experience the world as medical professionals. 

Physical therapists today are required to be critical consumers. Whether assessing medical literature to provide the highest level of care to patients, participating in clinical research trials, or investigating treatments/ideas, physical therapists need a solid foundation in statistics, experimental design, and critical thinking. These concepts are integrated into all facets of the D.P.T. program at Arcadia. Students are encouraged to take advantage of research opportunities within the Physical Therapy Department. Please visit www.arcadia.edu/pt for more information regarding our program.

DPT/MPH Degree: Interested applicants please contact Pamela Smith, Graduate Programs Assistant, (smithp@arcadia.edu) for additional information and requirements.

Students who are offered admission into the Program are required to submit a non-refundable deposit to hold their seat. A second deposit is required at a later date. For those students that ultimately matriculate, both deposits are applied to the first semester tuition.

Arcadia University undergraduates applying for admission should consult the Pre-PT Program requirements online at www.arcadia.edu/academics/programs/pre-physical-therapy.

James Madison University, Messiah College, and West Chester University students applying for admission through assured admission articulation agreements should refer to specific requirements on our website:  www.arcadia.edu/academics/programs/physical-therapy-dpt.