Duquesne University is a Catholic university located on a beautiful 50-acre campus overlooking downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Duquesne's mission, to serve God by serving students, is reflected in the physical therapy program and manifested in the quality of our graduates. Alumni of Duquesne are compassionate and ethical doctors of physical therapy who are excellent clinical practitioners. Their excellence is fostered by an extensive foundation of basic and clinical sciences, a multi-tiered curricular focus on critical evaluation and use of the scientific/professional literature, and rich coursework in professional and interpersonal development. 

The basic sciences of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, exercise physiology, and neuroscience are the scientific core of our educational program. These sciences provide our students with a strong foundation for clinical practice and are taught by professors who are both clinicians and scientists. 

The clinical practice component of the curriculum includes courses in orthopedic, neurological, pediatric, geriatric, and cardiopulmonary physical therapy. Clinical courses are taught by core faculty who are practicing physical therapists with extensive clinical expertise and experience in the subjects that they teach. In addition to academic coursework, students in the program complete diverse clinical education experiences that incorporate inpatient, outpatient, and specialized clinical experiences.  The specialized  experience allows students to focus their clinical education on areas of practice specific to their interests and career goals.  This combination of experiences produces graduates who are well-prepared generalist practitioners with an emerging area of focus for their future careers. 

The research aspect of the program prepares students to consume and critically analyze the scientific literature as it relates to the practice of physical therapy. Foundational concepts in research and evidence-based practice are introduced early, developed in subsequent clinically-oriented courses, and integrated into patient/client management through assignments that accompany the clinical experiences. Professionalism is woven throughout the curriculum. Our education in professionalism includes a focus on the psychological, social, cultural, and communication issues relevant to the practice of physical therapy. The mastery that our students develop in these areas, coupled with a firm foundation in the ethical tradition of Duquesne, produces graduates who are compassionate caregivers.

Deposit is applied towards Fall tuition. 

The Program accepts all students who were admitted to Duquesne University as freshmen in one of the pre-professional physical therapy tracks who have successfully completed all academic requirements for entrance into the professional phase of the physical therapy program. Given this, the number of seats available for second degree students fluctuates from year to year. We anticipate 10 seats will be available for second degree students this cycle.