Physical Therapy — DPT

Auburn University Physical Therapy provides academic and clinical training commensurate with the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Graduates from the entry-level program are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and apply for licensure to practice as physical therapists in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; Phone: 703-706-3245; Email: accreditation@apta.org, is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT; www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website.)

Auburn University is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist education program from CAPTE. The program has submitted an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, on May 1st, 2024. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the professional/technical phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional/technical courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory CAPTE Rules of Practice and· Procedure (22.3.12) 53 progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation. Full accreditation is anticipated in Spring of 2028, prior to the graduation of the charter cohort. Implementation of this program is Pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is housed in the School of Kinesiology, College of Education at Auburn University. The program has modern, well-equipped laboratories for research, teaching, and hands-on clinical training. Also located on-site is the human anatomy simulation laboratory wherein experiential learning opportunities are provided to complement classroom instruction.

First Year
Summer	Hours	Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
KNPT 9000 Anatomy for Physical Therapy I	4	KNPT 9010 Anatomy for Physical Therapy II	4	KNPT 9040 Physical Therapy Neuroscience	4
KNPT 9020 Physical Therapy Biomechanics I	3	KNPT 9030 Physical Therapy Biomechanics II	3	KNPT 9310 Therapeutic Modalities	3
KNPT 9050 Physical Therapy Foundations, Therapeutic Exercise I	3	KNPT 9060 Physical Therapy Foundations, Therapeutic Exercise II	3	KNPT 9320 Differential Diagnosis	3
		KNPT 9100 Physiology, Pathophysiology, & Pharmacology	3	KNPT 9600 Evidence Based Practice for Physical Therapy I	4
	10		13		14
Second Year
Summer	Hours	Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
KNPT 9200 Lifespan Physical Therapy I- Geriatrics	3	KNPT 9110 Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy I	3	KNPT 9120 Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy II	3
KNPT 9500 Professional Development in Physical Therapy	2	KNPT 9140 Neurological Physical Therapy I	3	KNPT 9150 Neurological Physical Therapy II	3
KNPT 9800 Clinical Placement I	4	KNPT 9160 Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy	4	KNPT 9170 Acute Care Physical Therapy	3
		KNPT 9210 Lifespan Physical Therapy II - Pediatrics	3	KNPT 9220 Psychosocial Aspects in Physical Therapy	3
		KNPT 9610 Evidence Based Practice for Physical Therapy II	3	KNPT 9620 Evidence Based Practice for Physical Therapy III	3
		KNPT 9900 Grand Rounds I	1	KNPT 9900 Grand Rounds I	1
	9		17		16
Third Year
Summer	Hours	Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
KNPT 9130 Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy III	2	KNPT 9810 Clinical Placement II	14	KNPT 9820 Clinical Placement III	14
KNPT 9340 Orthotics & Prosthetics	3	KNPT 9910 Grand Rounds II	1	KNPT 9910 Grand Rounds II	1
KNPT 9510 Physical Therapy Administration, Supervision & Management	3
KNPT 9910 Grand Rounds II	1
	9		15		15
Total Hours: 118