Admission to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program

Northern Arizona University (NAU) has been nationally recognized as a leader in physical therapy education since graduating its first class in 1980. The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree is offered through a residential or hybrid format to meet the needs of all types of students applying to physical therapy programs. The Residential DPT Programs are located at the Flagstaff Mountain Campus and the Phoenix Bioscience Core. The Hybrid DPT Program is primarily online and can be completed from anywhere with periodic travel to Flagstaff for rich, immersive in-person learning experiences. The competency-based education curricula are designed for completion of the Residential Programs in 28 months with an August start date and the Hybrid Program in 24 months with a January start date.

Important information regarding Residential and Hybrid DPT Programs is as follows:

• Hybrid DPT Program start date is January 15th, 2024
• Residential DPT Programs start date is early August of 2024

Applicants are encouraged to apply early as applications are reviewed through a rolling admissions process. Qualified applicants will be notified of acceptance at least monthly. Once program spots are filled, qualified candidates will be placed on a waitlist with no guarantee of acceptance.

Applications will be reviewed until the following deadlines:

• Hybrid DPT Program (January 2024 start): December 1, 2023
• Residential DPT Programs (August 2024 start): June 3, 2024

If you are interested in or have applied to the Hybrid DPT program, please visit this page regularly for the latest updates.

Application Requirements

We understand that applicants may experience extenuating or special circumstances, but all of the following items below must be adhered to in order to process and review your application.

• PTCAS application submitted to NAU.  Click here to complete the PTCAS application.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or a plan with in-progress coursework in PTCAS to complete the degree prior to starting the DPT Program.
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale

• Graduate Record Exam (GRE®) within 5 years of application submission
  • No minimum requirements to apply
  • If students have taken the GRE examination more than once, the highest score achieved in each category will be used for evaluating the application
  • Official GRE scores MUST be submitted by the applicant to PTCAS using NAU’s PTCAS GRE code of 7668 for the program to review the application. Self-submitted GRE scores are ineligible.

• Casper Assessment ($60 fee)
  • Online situational judgment test that evaluates aspects of applicants’ social intelligence and professionalism such as ethics, empathy, problem-solving and collaboration
  • All applicants to the NAU DPT program are required to complete this test prior to application review
  • Click here to complete the Casper Assessment.

• Two Letters of Recommendation
  • One from a physical therapist
  • One from a physical therapist, professor, advisor, supervisor/employer, or health care professional
• Prerequisite course requirements from an accredited institution
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
  • Grade of a C or better (a C- is not acceptable) in each prerequisite course
  • Applicants are allowed to have a maximum of 3 prerequisite courses in progress at the time of application
  • All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to starting the DPT Program
  • Coursework older than 10 years will not be accepted

 

Courses	Semester Hours	Quarter Hours
General Chemistry I & II with labs*	8	12
General Physics I & II with labs*	8	12
One course in Anatomy with lab and one course in Physiology with lab OR a two-course sequence in Anatomy and Physiology with labs (8 semester/12 quarter credits)	8	12
General Psychology	3	4.5
Additional Psychology (i.e. Abnormal, Developmental)	3	4.5
Statistics, introductory or general	3	4.5

*The chemistry and physics courses must be a two-semester, eight credit-hour or equivalent course sequence. A course sequence is a correlated pair of courses offering in-depth coverage of a specific field and must be at a level such that the courses would be acceptable as prerequisites to advance toward a baccalaureate degree in that discipline. The sequence may be 3 courses at a quarter-based institution.

• Citizenship types eligible to apply: US citizens, US permanent residents, Canadian citizens, Foreign (non-US) citizens with a visa
  • Send WES foreign evaluation for Canadian courses to PTCAS
  • Send WES foreign transcript evaluation to PTCAS (recommended)
  • English translation required for original foreign transcripts. Non-US citizens must attend the Flagstaff campus. Transcripts must also be submitted with supplemental application to Northern Arizona University Graduate College. Do not send transcripts to the physical therapy program unless directed to do so.

• International Students
  • The Northern Arizona University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program accepts international students. We do not accept transfer credits from other programs. Please visit the NAU Graduate College’s international graduate admissions page for more information and requirements. The TOEFL is required for international students but is waived if you have earned a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from a U.S. university or college.

Application Process

• NAU receives verified PTCAS application and verifies NAU application requirements for faculty review and decision through a rolling admission process
• Applicants will receive electronic communication from NAU confirming admission status on an ongoing basis (at least monthly).
  • Applicants must complete the following within a communicated timeframe to secure acceptance or acceptance with conditions
    • Complete a NAU Graduate College Application ($65 fee)
    • Payment of a non-refundable deposit applied to the first semester of tuition ($1000) within 3 weeks of receiving the acceptance communication

• Applicants accepted with conditions must complete the following prior to the start of the DPT program or will be administratively withdrawn
  • All courses to complete a Bachelor’s degree and prerequisite courses must be completed prior to starting the DPT Program
  • Applicants with outstanding courses will need to update coursework in PTCAS during the Academic Update period in mid-December
  • Official transcripts confirming a Bachelor’s degree and completion of all prerequisite courses meeting the application requirements

• Enrolled students will be responsible for the cost and completion of immunizations detailed upon acceptance communications. Further detail is provided to students during the admissions process.
  • There are potential additional requirements students may be responsible for by clinical sites.
  • Applicants must have and maintain the statutory requirements that will be needed for licensure. While requirements vary from state to state, the NAU DPT programs require that students meet background clearance requirements of the State of Arizona to permit their participation in clinical experiences in AZ as part of the program. Applicants must be able to obtain a LEVEL 1 Fingerprint Clearance card from the state of AZ. For more information, please review the Arizona Statute. A criminal background check may also be requested depending on clinical site requirements or probable cause.

• Transfer of Credit Policy: Transfer credits are not accepted by the DPT programs. The entire DPT Program of Study must be completed at NAU.
• State Licensure: The DPT programs have determined that its curriculum meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in all states, the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands secondary to its accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, based on the following:
  • CAPTE accreditation of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program satisfies state educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thus, students graduating from CAPTE-accredited physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education programs are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  • For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, refer to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy website.
  • The full listing of NAU’s Professional licensure by state can be found on our website.