Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Earn Your Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy

Welcome to Southwest Baptist University’s Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy! Come find out how SBU’s program prepares you to help patients understand and improve their mobility while connecting you with the community you serve.

What You Will Learn

As a physical therapy doctoral student at SBU, you will:

Gain the knowledge and skills needed for patient management, education, consultation, and clinical research.
Build upon a strong liberal arts background with an emphasis on Christian faith integration.
Develop critical, and analytical-thinking skills, effective communication skills, and an empathetic patient-focused approach.

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Mission

Our Healing Mission: Preparing future doctors of physical therapy to deliver care in a global society while integrating Christian faith.

Outcomes

Graduates of the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program have thrived in their professional life and careers after graduation. Over the past two years, our graduates and students within the program have seen these exciting results:

Graduation rate is 95.48% (2022-2023)
Ultimate licensure exam pass rate is 94.59% (2022-2023)
First-time licensure exam pass rate is 71.6% (2022-2023)
Employment rate within one year of graduation for those passing licensure examination is 100% (2022-2023)

(This information was last updated April 2024.)

100%
Job
placement
rate

(For SBU DPT graduates have a 100% employment rate within one year of graduation.)

Preview the Doctoral Program in PT at Southwest Baptist

Cost and Admissions Information

PT Lab with professor, student and child

How to Apply

Apply today for free and jump-start your PT career! Applications to the SBU DPT program are made through the PTCAS centralized application database. Remember, admissions requirements and prerequisite courses must be met prior to admittance.

DPT ADMISSIONS Requirements

Visit

Ashton Rogers | Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions
(417) 327-5556 or arogers@SBUniv.edu

Financial Aid

As a student, you can expect opportunities for various scholarship and financial aid offers. Additionally, you are encouraged to seek out private sources of scholarships and aid. Review information about how to fill out your FASFA to see which financial aid offers you qualify for. Get the latest information about SBU’s approach to affordability on the Financial Aid and Scholarship pages.

Explore Cost & Aid

Related Programs and Opportunities

High School Early Acceptance Program

High school senior students with 24 ACT (or equivalent SAT or CLT) scores or higher are eligible to apply on a competitive basis for early conditional acceptance into the physical therapy program. High school students (or incoming freshmen with less than 30 credit hours completed) Kshould contact the PT division for an application for early conditional acceptance.

High School Early Acceptance Information

MBA Dual Enrollment

Physical therapists often find that business skills are beneficial. With a Master of Business Administration, you will have the business skills you need to be successful in health-care management positions or running a private practice. SBU has developed a course plan specifically for DPT students who want to simultaneously complete an MBA degree along with the Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree.

MBA Dual Enrollment Info (PDF)

A+ Program

Students who participate in Missouri's A+ program are eligible for automatic acceptance into the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at SBU. To earn automatic acceptance, students must earn a Bachelor of Science degree at SBU within two years after successfully completing an associate's degree under the parameters of the A+ program.

A+ Program Info for Future PT Students (PDF)

Reference Materials

SBU works to provide students all of the necessary information they need to get started with our DPT program. Access our handbooks for both the DPT program and its Clinical Education component so you’re up to date on our latest practices. For high school students ready to jump into this career, read more about how you can become an early high school applicant accepted into the program.

DPT Student Handbook (PDF)

Clinical Education Handbook (PDF)

High School Early Acceptance

"As a traveling physical therapist, I am afforded the flexibility to work in various settings and locations and take time off between jobs to serve on international service learning trips. The professors at SBU have undoubtedly prepared me for any situation by teaching me to learn continuously, think critically and love wholeheartedly."

April Fajardo '15

Traveling Physical Therapist with Cariant Health Partners

Build Professional Skills through Outreach

When you join SBU’s DPT program, you’ll join an active community of students who focus on opportunities to use their physical therapy skills through local and international service. There are many opportunities for you to demonstrate your skills:

Student organizations—Volunteer with local entities such as Salvation Army, nursing homes, etc.
Global Health Outreach—Participate in international medical mission work.
- Global Health Outreach Blog
- Give to SBU DPT Missions
Go Baby Go Explore—Build adapted toy cars for children with limited mobility to help them actively explore their environments.
- Donate to Go Baby Go
Pro bono clinic—Provide cost-free physical and occupational therapy services to qualifying members of Bolivar and surrounding communities.
- Clinic information
- Donate to the clinic

DPT Course Plan

Year 1

Fall Semester

PTH 5012	Psychosocial Issues of Health Care
PTH 5047	Human Anatomy
PTH 5064	Clinical Kinesiology
PTH 5402	Physical Assessment
PTH 5481	Christian Applications for the Healthcare Professional I
PTH 5592	Neuroscience for the Physical Therapist
PTH 5631	Integrated Clinical Experience I
Total hours: 19

Spring Semester

PTH 5073	Physical Therapy Measurement
PTH 5093	Patient Care Skills for the Physical Therapist
PTH 5102	Therapeutic Modalities in Physical Therapy
PTH 5382	Pharmacology for Physical Therapists
PTH 5611	Professional Development Seminar I
PTH 5641	Integrated Clinical Experience II
PTH 6273	Physical Therapist Management of Integumentary Disorders
PTH 6393	Motor Control and Learning
PTH 6472	Pathology for Physical Therapists I
Total hours: 20

May, June, and July Terms

PTH 5132	Critical Inquiry
PTH 5221	Teaching and Learning
PTH 5232	Foundations of the Patient Management
PTH 5412	Diagnostic Imaging for Physical Therapists
PTH 6022	Today's Health Care
PTH 6082	Lifespan Motor Control
Total hours: 11

Year 2

Fall Semester

PTH 5151	Clinical Investigations I
PTH 5423	Therapeutic Exercise I
PTH 6245	Physical Therapist Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders I
PTH 6262	Orthotics
PTH 6325	Physical Therapist Management of Neurological Disorders I
PTH 6501	Christian Applications for the Healthcare Professional II
PTH 6603	Pathology for Physical Therapists II
PTH 6651	Integrated Clinical Experience III
Total hours: 21

Spring Semester

PTH 6255	Physical Therapist Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders II
PTH 6282	Prosthetics
PTH 6293	Therapeutic Exercise II
PTH 6551	Clinical Investigations II
PTH 6671	Integrated Clinical Experience IV
PTH 7283	Physical Therapist Management of Cardiopulmonary Disorders
PTH 7315	Physical Therapist Management of Neurological Disorders II
Total hours: 20

May, June, and July Terms

PTH 6332	Administration and Management
PTH 6621	Professional Development Seminar II
PTH 6583	Prevention, Health Promotion, Fitness, and Wellness
PTH 7343	Pediatric Physical Therapy
PTH 7352	Geriatric Physical Therapy
PTH 7362	Capstone
Total hours: 13

Year 3

Fall Semester

PTH 7418	Clinical Education I
PTH 7428	Clinical Education II
Total hours: 16

Spring Semester

PTH 7438	Clinical Education III
PTH 7448	Clinical Education IV
Total hours: 16

This is a proposed guideline. Please check the catalog and see your advisor for your final degree requirements.
Southwest Baptist University reserves the right to make changes to degree plans without advanced notice or obligation.
The student is responsible for understanding and completing all general education, degree, departmental and graduation requirements.

Apply Now Download DPT Course Plan

Accreditation Status

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Southwest Baptist University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call (417) 328-1672 or email pt@SBUniv.edu.

Higher Learning Commission
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602-2504
(800) 621-7440
(312) 263-0456
https://www.hlcommission.org/

The Texas Workforce Commission does not consider externships or clinicals involving unpaid preceptors as establishing a place of business in the state which would require regulation and is therefore not regulated in Texas under Chapter 132 of the Texas Education Code. The accrediting agencies that regulate SBU DPT are listed above on this page (CAPTE and HLC) with direct links to each agency. Within those agency websites are links on how to file a complain to that respective agency.

Current and former entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy students who fall under the jurisdiction of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) by beginning and/or completing a required clinical education rotation in the state of Texas, may, after exhausting the institution's grievance/complaint process, initiate a complaint with THECB per Texas Administrative Code 1.110-1.120. Information about THECB complaint procedures can be found online or by contacting Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board/College Readiness and Success Division, PO Box 12788, Austin, Texas 78711-2788 or StudentComplaints@thecb.state.tx.us.