The Department of Physical Therapy is committed to providing quality educational experiences that enable its graduates to effectively carry out the expanding responsibilities of physical therapists as autonomous health care providers practicing in preventive, evaluative, maintenance, acute care, rehabilitation, outpatient settings, and in educational and research environments.

Students develop expertise in a specific area of concentration under the guidance of their faculty mentor by developing an individual plan of study that may include both coursework and independent study and by completing their dissertation research.

Prior to admission to the PhD in Physical Therapy program, prospective students are required to identify a faculty member with research interests compatible with those of the applicant.? This faculty member must agree to mentor the potential student before the PhD Committee will make a decision to admit the applicant.? For applicants accepted to the program, the faculty member who agreed to mentor the student will serve as the Chair of the student?s Supervisory Committee.? The Supervisory Committee Chair and the student are responsible for creating an individualized plan of study for each student.??