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School of Health and
Rehabilitation Sciences

Physical Therapy and Bioengineering (DPT/PhD)

Format(s)
On-campus
Degree Type
Doctor of Physical Therapy and Doctor of Philosophy in Bioengineering
Duration

Minimum of 6 years
(19 terms minimum, including some summer terms)

Request Info
Format(s)
On-campus
Degree Type
Doctor of Physical Therapy and Doctor of Philosophy in Bioengineering
Duration

Minimum of 6 years
(19 terms minimum, including some summer terms)

Request Info

Have Questions?

Contact this program's enrollment specialist(s):

Delaney Hawk
Delaney Hawk
d.hawk@pitt.edu
Shannon Suchta
Shannon Suchta
shannon.suchta@pitt.edu

Admissions

Application

Application Opens

June 15, 2024

Application Closes

November 1, 2024

Application System

Apply through the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS).

The application fee is set by PTCAS.

If you need help with the application system, please visit the PTCAS Applicant Help Center.

Prerequisites

  • Before students submit their application, they should reach out to the Co-Program Director Patrick Sparto (psparto@pitt.edu) for information about the application.
  • Students will need to meet the admission requirements of both programs (Doctor of Physical Therapy and Doctor of Philosophy in Bioengineering).
    • Applicants must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a field of engineering or closely related (e.g. physics, or applied mathematics, kinesiology).
    • Applicants must demonstrate evidence of exposure to the field of PT through volunteer or work experience.
    • A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required but competitive applicants typically have a 3.5 GPA or greater.
  • The GRE is optional. Typically admitted students have GRE scores greater than the 50th percentile.

Prerequisite Coursework

Minimum credit hours listed based on a semester system.

  • Chemistry I and II sequence with labs*, 8 credits
  • Physics I and II sequence with labs*, 8 credits
  • Biology I and II sequence with labs*, 8 credits
  • Anatomy**, 3 credits
  • Physiology**, 3 credits
  • Introduction to Psychology, 3 credits
  • Additional Psychology course, 3 credits
  • Statistics, 3 credits
  • English Writing, 3 credits
  • Engineering Statics***, 3 credits
  • Advanced Mathematics*** (e.g. Calculus, Differential Equations) 3 credits

*Science courses must be for science majors or pre-med majors. Preparatory courses (i.e. any course preceding a 101-level course) leading up to Biology 101, Chem 101, Physics 101 will not fulfill the pre-requisite requirement

**A two-course sequence of anatomy/physiology may meet the anatomy and physiology requirements as long as there are a total of 6 credits.

*** Enrollment in PhD portion of the program can be deferred until courses are completed.

Transcripts

Applicants are required to provide transcripts from all U.S. universities, colleges or other higher education institutions attended.

Admitted students will need to submit official transcripts to the SHRS Admissions Office prior to enrolling in classes.

Experience

Forty hours (40) of observation is required.

Demonstrated evidence of adequate exposure to the field of physical therapy and an appreciation of the breadth, depth and scope of practice. This can be accomplished through either volunteer or paid work experience in a physical therapy setting. It is preferable for applicants to show evidence of their willingness to work with a variety of patients in different physical therapy settings.

Personal Statement

Three (3) separate essays are required for the application.

  1. PTCAS Personal Statement
  2. University of Pittsburgh Essay Question (included in PTCAS application)
  3. Personal Statement of Research Objectives

Letters of Recommendation

A minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation:

  1. One (1) from a physical therapist with whom the student has volunteered or worked for
  2. One (1) from an academic advisor or professor
  3. One (1) from a research supervisor

The letters should include insights regarding the applicant’s potential for successful navigation through a graduate-level professional degree program and provide specific examples of observed characteristics that support such insights.

Technical Standards and Skills

The faculty have outlined the Technical Standards deemed essential for successful completion of the DPT curriculum. Students admitted to the DPT program must review the Technical Standards and submit a signed form at the time of matriculation. 

Application Review Process

The program recommends that students review the application process completely in PTCAS before entering data or filling out forms so that you are aware of all the information you need to gather and how much time the entire process will take.

The application is reviewed by faculty in the Physical Therapy and Bioengineering departments. By January 15, a joint meeting of both admissions committees will be convened to review the applications and make the following determinations for each applicant:

  1. Student meets admissions criteria for both programs and would be an excellent candidate for the DPT-PhD program, and will be invited for an interview approximately the first week in March, coinciding with the Department of Bioengineering graduate applicant interviews
  2. Student meets admissions criteria for both programs but may not be an ideal candidate for the DPT-PhD program. They will not be invited for an interview, but will be placed on a waitlist, and notified by letter
  3. Student does not meet admissions criteria for one or both programs. They will be notified by letter.

After interviews are conducted, candidates will be notified by letter if they will be admitted into the program.

International Student Information

The following requirements are necessary for applicants from outside of the U.S.

For questions about the international student requirements, please reach out to the SHRS Admissions Office.

Academic Credential Evaluations

Students who have completed the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree or higher at an institution outside of the United States are required to provide an academic credential evaluation from Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. or World Education Services (WES), Inc. with their application.

  • A course-by-course evaluation with GPA conversion is required.
  • Evaluations are not required for degrees earned in the United States. If you have attended an English Canadian institution, please contact the SHRS Admissions Office.
  • Individual SHRS programs may have their own specific Academic Credential Evaluation requirements.

Verification of English Language Proficiency

The University of Pittsburgh accepts the official results of the Duolingo English Test, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as a measure of English language proficiency.

Verification is required unless the following apply:

  • The applicant is a citizen of a country whose official language is English.
  • The applicant has completed a degree program at a regionally accredited institution in the U.S.
  • The applicant is not a citizen of a country whose official language is English but has completed a degree program at an institution outside of the U.S. where the language of instruction is English and where the official national language of the country in which the institution is located is English.

Minimum Scores by Program

On-campus Programs — Duolingo: 115 | IELTS: 6.5 | TOFEL: 80

  • Athletic Training (MS)
  • Health Informatics (MS)
    • Health Data Analytics (Certificate)
    • Health Information Cybersecurity (Certificate)
    • Leadership in Health Informatics (Certificate)
    • Revenue Cycle Management (Certificate)
  • Occupational Therapy (Post-Professional MS)
  • Physical Therapy (Post-Professional MS)
  • Prosthetics and Orthotics (MS)
  • Sports Science (MS)

On-campus Programs — Duolingo: 130 | IELTS: 7.0 | TOFEL: 100

  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS)
  • Communication Science and Disorders (Post-Baccalaureate)
  • Communication Science (PhD)
  • Dietitian Nutritionist Program (MS)
  • Doctor of Audiology (AuD)
  • Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
  • Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
  • Physician Assistant Studies (MS)
  • Rehabilitation Science (PhD)
  • Speech Language Pathology (MA/MS)

Hybrid and Online Programs — Duolingo: 130 | IELTS: 7.0 | TOFEL: 100

  • Hybrid
    • Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
    • Master of Rehabilitation Technology (MRT)
  • Online
    • Doctor of Clinical Science in Occupational Therapy (CScD)
    • Advanced Practice Certificate in Implementation of Evidence in Clinical Practice (Certificate)
    • Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc)
    • Health Informatics (MS)
    • Health Data Analytics (Certificate)
    • Health Information Cyber Security (Certificate)
    • Leadership in Health Informatics (Certificate)
    • Revenue Cycle Management (Certificate)

How to Submit Scores

  • Duolingo English Test: Scores should be made available electronically to “University of Pittsburgh – School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences”
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Scores should be made available electronically to “University of Pittsburgh Health and Rehabilitation Sciences”
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): Scores should be submitted electronically through ETS to institution code “2927”.
Learn more about the Department of Physical Therapy

Related Programs:

Student with ponytail assessing another student by placing their hands on their head.

Physical Therapy, Post-Professional (MS)

Physical Therapy (DPT)

Physical Therapy and Bioengineering (DPT/PhD)

Have Questions?

Contact this program's enrollment specialist(s):

Delaney Hawk
Delaney Hawk
d.hawk@pitt.edu
Shannon Suchta
Shannon Suchta
shannon.suchta@pitt.edu
Learn more about the Department of Physical Therapy

Related Programs:

Student with ponytail assessing another student by placing their hands on their head.

Physical Therapy, Post-Professional (MS)

Physical Therapy (DPT)

Physical Therapy and Bioengineering (DPT/PhD)

Get More Information

Get More Information









































































Field Descriptions
Field of Study (Intended Major)

  1. Certificate
  2. Certificate - Hybrid/Online

Concentration
  1. Doctorate - Rehabilitation Science
  2. Doctorate - Physical Therapy - Entry-level DPT
  3. Master's Degree - Physical Therapy - Post-professional Master of Science
  4. Master's Degree - Health Informatics
  5. Master - Hybrid/Online - Health Informatics - Online
  6. Master's Degree - Dietitian Nutritionist Program
Term
  1. Fall - Spring - Summer
  2. Fall - Spring
  3. Fall
  4. Spring
  5. Summer
Hidden Info