Doctor of Physical Therapy

Saint Joseph’s University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is CAPTE accredited and designed to prepare you for a rewarding and in-demand career in physical therapy. Through an accelerated, 31-month curriculum grounded in hands-on, experiential learning, you will develop strong clinical skills, master evidence-based practices, and gain the confidence to practice independently while collaborating effectively across interdisciplinary healthcare teams. With access to a plethora of full-time clinical sites in Philadelphia and beyond, you will gain extensive real-world experience treating patients across a wide range of settings.

The Mission of the SJU Department of Physical Therapy is to educate DPT students to practice autonomously within evolving, complex, and diverse healthcare environments. The program will prepare students to be movement specialists who are collaborative, lifelong learners who apply evidence to optimize health outcomes and function.

Our Program values:

Magis

Magis is Latin for ‘more.’ Saint Joseph’s DPT program encourages and supports students to strive for excellence, going beyond what is expected for themselves and others. We value and promote lifelong learning.

Cura personalis

Cura personalis is Latin for ‘care for the whole person.’ Our program is committed to respecting diversity, individual differences, cultural backgrounds and identity as we educate, empower, and care for our students, faculty, and staff. This experience will prepare our graduates to care for the whole person as they seek to optimize movement and function in each of their patients.

You can enter this program if you already hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and have completed all prerequisites. We also offer a BS to DPT program for incoming first-year and transfer students through our direct-entry admission pathways.  Refer to the health sciences/exercise physiology section of the catalog for required coursework and progression standards.  Students can also refer to the DPT Student Policy and Procedure manual on the SJU DPT website. 

Students in the direct entry pathway must earn a C or better in all required prerequisite coursework.  Students must also earn a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher and a prerequisite GPA of 3.00 or higher by the end of the fall semester prior to matriculating in the professional phase and maintain those GPAs through the spring semester prior to matriculation in the professional phase. 

Progression standards and other policies for the professional phase of the curriculum can be found in the DPT Student Handbook on the Department webpage. The Handbook is updated annually prior to the May start of the professional phase of the curriculum. 

All students entering the professional phase of the DPT program in the summer of 2029 and beyond will need to complete an application through PT-CAS. 

The University reserves the right to alter the curriculum outlined in this catalog based on student needs, curricular needs, and CAPTE guidelines (and government regulation/recommendation, etc.). Students must progress in a stepwise fashion through the professional curriculum unless there is Departmental approval.