Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

For more program videos please visit 'Our Story'.

Virtual Open Houses

VOH's are an excellent opportunity to  learn about our program from faculty and current students.  Sessions generally run from 5:15 - 6:45.   Join us at one of our upcoming virtual open houses on:

• Sept 18
• Oct 23
• Nov 13

Register with Mia Kelton mxkelton1@catamount.wcu.edu .

Mission

We promote the advancement of health, wellness, and quality of life through physical therapist education, scholarly inquiry, and service. We are committed to providing an inclusive, collaborative, learner-centered environment that prepares practitioners who value excellence, lifelong learning, engagement in community outreach, and provision of compassionate care to enhance the lives of others in western North Carolina and beyond.

Our Program

The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is a 33-month, full-time, entry-level program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).*

In August of each year, a 48-student cohort begins a dynamic learning process that promotes interprofessional collaboration, evidence-based practice, scholarship, and community engagement. The challenging curriculum is taught by faculty who are committed to molding students into exceptional clinicians.

The program design allows students at both locations, the Cullowhee and Asheville instructional sites, to have a synchronous learning experience, via an audio-visual bridge, with faculty instructing  from both locations. Faculty rotate instructional site locations in order to provide equitable educational experiences. Students receive in-person guidance from faculty instructors for all in-person lab experiences. There are 32 students at the Cullowhee location and 16 at the Asheville location, for a total of 48 students per cohort.

Admission to the program is highly competitive. Students must have earned a bachelor’s degree with a high grade point average during their last 90hrs of coursework and prerequisite courses . 

Review student outcomes data over the past four years.

Why Choose WCU?

• NPTE Pass Rate: 100% of DPT students have passed the National Physical Therapy Examination for the past 10 years.
• Educational Value: Students get a great education for a relatively low cost.
• 100% Employment: All graduates seeking employment have been successful.
• Student-Centered Learning: Faculty’s primary role is preparing students to be exceptional physical therapists.
• Facilities: Access to state-of-the-art facilities, clinical equipment, and technology for teaching and research including the Human Movement Science Laboratory and the Balance and Fall Prevention Clinic. 
• Location: The pristine beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, and the arts and cultural vibrancy of the greater Asheville area make WCU an amazing place to live and learn.
• Student run pro bono clinic: The award-winning Mountain Area Pro Bono Health Services Clinic provides students the opportunity to apply what they learn in class while also serving our community. 
• PT specific curriculum: All courses are taught specifically to physical therapy students with built in interprofessional experiences. 

Curriculum

Program Summary:
33-months (full-time only)
8 semesters
112 credits
3 terminal clinical education experiences (30 weeks) with integrated clinical experiences throughout the curriculum (4 weeks total)
Classes begin in August
Graduation in May
DPT Curriculum Summary

The curriculum consists of 112 semester hours of coursework offered in eight consecutive semesters, that begins by building a strong foundation of knowledge in the movement sciences and progresses to more complex applied clinical science and reasoning. Students attend classes full-time at the College of Health & Human Sciences building or the Biltmore Park Instructional Site. Just as physical therapists must acknowledge the whole patient—not simply a set of presenting symptoms—we honor each student and encourage his or her unique personal and professional development by implementing a variety of learning styles. 

Our students are equipped to be dynamic entry-level clinicians who are prepared to practice as generalists or apply for residencies after graduation. Clinical experiences are integrated early in the curriculum and throughout the entire program to provide students clinical context and opportunities to apply their skills to authentic scenarios. We continue to expand and strengthen our robust partnerships with clinical sites to create additional opportunities for clinical education experiences.

Integrated clinical education (ICE) experiences are authentic clinical opportunities occuring throughout the program. They are designed to help students integrate in a clinical setting the knowledge and skills gained during each semester of didactic work and to model professional behavior. These experiences also provide an opportunity to gain context for future coursework. Clinical learning opportunities and experiences depend on semester coursework and student experience (beginner / intermediate / advanced). Clinical settings may include hospitals, outpatient centers, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, rehabilitation centers, and federal/state facilities (including public schools) of various types, as well as simulated clinical education experiences.  Read more about the specifics of the integrated clinical experiences. 

We believe the structure of our curriculum is a highlight of our program that allows for optimal student learning.

  

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