The Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine is the oldest physical therapy school in the nation, at the cutting edge of physical therapy since 1928! We pride ourselves on the innovations and great leaders and clinicians who have emerged from our school over nine decades.

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) The DPT at Northwestern University is a CAPTE accredited graduate program preparing physical therapists for licensure and to serve as generalist practitioners. With approximately 95 students entering the DPT program each year, we are one of the largest physical therapy schools in the United States. Our size and our location in one of the nation’s premiere academic medical centers, give us the critical mass to provide our students, researchers and clinicians with unparalleled resources for learning, generating new knowledge, developing expert skills, and building leadership talent for the globally competitive healthcare marketplace of the future.

Currently ranked 6th among the top U.S. physical therapy schools by U.S. News & World Report, our department has garnered a global reputation for:
• Excellence in training the next generation of leaders in physical therapy practice and research through our professional and post-professional education programs.
• Training new researchers in the field of movement and rehabilitation sciences (MRS).
• Development and implementation of technology-supported therapeutic interventions.
• Advances in rehabilitation science including the quantification of movement disorders and clinical outcomes.

Additional Degree Programs The Department of Physical Therapy & Human Movement Sciences also offers a dual DPT/PhD degree in Engineering, dual DPT/MPH degree with the Program in Public Health, and the PhD in Neuroscience, Movement and Rehabilitation Science.

The DPT Curriculum The 3-year DPT degree program includes rigorous coursework and clinical education experiences designed to prepare students to effectively manage patients across the lifespan and throughout the continuum of care. Details about the program's course sequence and clinical education requirements are available on our website. The necessary skills and competencies required of all students are outlined in the Technical Standards of the program.

The Application Process The Admissions Committee looks for evidence of emotional maturity, motivation, achievement, character, and academic excellence. A premium is placed on the breadth, depth and rigor of academic background, life experiences, and clinical and research experiences.

Early Decision Application Deadline: mid-August 2018
Regular Decision Application Deadline: October 1, 2018

Admission Requirements
• The PTCAS online application form
• A bachelor’s level degree from an accredited institution, completed by the time of matriculation, with at least a cumulative 3.0/4.0 GPA. (Official transcripts should be submitted directly to PTCAS.)
• Completion of prerequisite coursework by the time of matriculation.
• Physical Therapy experience hours in a variety of clinical settings (100 hours are recommended), verified by a supervising PT.
• 3 letters of recommendation including a physical therapist who has supervised the applicant in a health setting and a post-secondary professor.
• Official results of the GRE sent to PTCAS code 7756.
• International applicants only: official results of the TOEFL sent to PTCAS code 5312 (if native language is not English or have not earned a post-secondary degree from an institution where the official language of instruction is English) and academic evaluations as required by PTCAS. 
• Application fees required by PTCAS and a supplemental, Northwestern University application fee of $50.