Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at Old Dominion University is a full-time three-year curriculum that includes classroom instruction, laboratory instruction and practice, online interactions, readings and homework assignments, discussions, peer-teaching, seminars and clinical experiences. Our mission is to prepare graduates to prevent, diagnose, and treat dysfunction and to enhance the well-being of individuals and the community. Upon successful completion of this program, graduates are eligible to take the licensing exam to be able to practice as physical therapist.
Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)
Description
What is Physical Therapy at ODU like?
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at Old Dominion University is a full-time three-year curriculum that includes classroom instruction, laboratory instruction and practice, online interactions, readings and homework assignments, discussions, peer-teaching, seminars and clinical experiences. Our mission is to prepare graduates to prevent, diagnose, and treat dysfunction and to enhance the well-being of individuals and the community. Upon successful completion of this program, graduates are eligible to take the licensing exam to be able to practice as physical therapist.
Program Highlights
What makes Physical Therapy at ODU unique?
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Our faculty are dedicated to excellence in professional teaching, research, and service to the profession, the university, and the community
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Students work with standardized patients to develop their interactive skills, because what good is knowledge if you cannot apply it in a socially skillful way?
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The program provides opportunities for clinical education experiences in a variety of health care institutions, agencies, and practice settings
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Faculty continually review and modify learning activities to reflect emerging discoveries in best care practices and changing modes of communication
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The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Old Dominion 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.
The program’s current status is accredited; for more information, click here.
If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 757-683-4381 or email Dr. Beth Jamali at bjamali@odu.edu.
AT A GLANCE
College / School:
Major:
Physical Therapy
Degree Level:
Graduate
Delivery Mode(s):
On-Campus
Degree Earned:
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Department:
Careers
What are some careers in this field?
- Work with children in a hospital, clinic or school setting.
- Treat people in a hospital or rehabilitation center after a serious accident, stroke or spinal cord injury.
- Provide outpatient physical therapy for people with a variety of musculoskeletal and neurological disorders.
- Go to patient’s homes to provide care to people who are unable to attend an outpatient clinic.
Physical Therapists
$88,080
MEDIAN SALARY
Assess, plan, organize, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.
Employers
Graduates from this major have gone to work at
Graduates of this program successfully work at hospitals, clinics and private practices, school systems, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, and in home-health across the region and the country.
Courses
What are some courses offered in Physical Therapy at ODU?
PT 655:
Clinical Problem Solving I
Use of case discussions, sample patients, and small group experiences to challenge student?s abilities to apply information from class to actual patient problems.
PT 669:
Clinical Internship I
This first full-time clinical education period begins at the end of the first academic year of the program and is designed to permit progressive responsibility in patient evaluation and treatment based upon material learned in classes during the first year. Each student is required to provide one in-service presentation during the clinical learning experience.
PT 890:
Differential Diagnosis Seminar
The focus of this seminar is on the integration of the student?s knowledge in the areas of the foundation and clinical sciences through the application of problem solving in differential diagnosis.
Requirements
What are the requirements to apply for Physical Therapy at ODU?
Students entering the Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Physical Therapy should meet the minimum university admission requirements (Graduate Admission)
Each year the DPT program accepts about 40 students. They start the program in late June and move through the semesters as a cohort to graduate in May, three years later. Potential applicants must:
Have completed or be in the process of completing a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution
Have completed or be in the process of completing all science prerequisite courses as listed on our Prospective Students page
Attained a Graduate Records Exam score of at least 148 each on the verbal and quantitative sections and 3.5 on the writing section
Complete at least 45 hours of volunteer or paid work/observation of physical therapy practice with at least 20 of those hours in a setting that is not an outpatient clinic
Complete an ODU graduate admissions application in addition to the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS)
Cost
Tuition and Fees
Estimated rates for the 2022-23 academic year. Rates are subject to change. Anyone that is not a current Virginia resident will be charged non-resident rates. That includes international students.
Virginia Resident
Per Credit:
$ 571
Non-Resident
Per Credit:
$ 1,394
Technology Delivered Courses Outside Virginia and/or the United States
Per Credit:
$ 595
Ways to Save
Here are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending ODU. For more information visit University Student Financial aid
Scholarships
Scholarships in the range of $1,000 to $2,000 are available for three DPT students who have successfully completed their first year of study. The application process is competitive.
Assistantships
Graduate assistant jobs are available for two DPT students who have completed their first year and a half of study. The application process is competitive.
On-Campus Employment
After the first year of study, some students take on-campus jobs at the Student Recreation Center helping people with disabilities complete an adapted workout routine.
Next Steps
I like this program. What are the next steps?
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Contact
Need help applying?
Meet Your Enrollment Team
Our enrollment coordinators are ready to help you through the admissions process.
Graduate Program Director
Name:
Beth Jamali
Location:
3110 HEALTH SCIENCES BLDG, NORFOLK, VA, 23529
Email:
Office:
757-683-4381
Graduate Admissions
Location:
1000 Rollins Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529
Phone Office:
757-683-3685
Fax:
757-683-6512
Email:
gradadmit@odu.edu
International Admissions
Location:
2101 Dragas Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529
Phone Office:
757-683-3701
Fax:
757-683-3651
Email:
intladm@odu.edu
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