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The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program accepts students who will begin in August of each year. The program is highly competitive and only admits up to 48 students per year. At the time of matriculation, applicants must have earned an undergraduate degree and completed all pre-requisite courses. The competitive applicant will have a strong grade point average (e.g. > 3.5 for both last 60 hours and in pre-requisite courses), strong CASPer score, knowledge of the physical therapy profession gained through volunteer or paid experience, and excellent communication skills. 

How to Apply

Step 1. First, applicants must apply through the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Physical Therapy Central Application Service (PTCAS)

Step 1: PHYSICAL THERAPY CENTRAL APPLICATION SERVICE

Step 2 details: Request that Educational Testing Service (ETS) send official scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test to Western Carolina University: PTCAS GRE Code 0342.  (Note: the last acceptable date for this cycle is September 17, 2024 to ensure your score will be received by the deadline.)

Step 2: send GRE scores to Western CArolina University

 

 

Application Deadline

The application deadline is October 1st. All application materials must be submitted to PTCAS and the WCU Graduate School by that date.

Once your completed application has been submitted and transcripts verified in PTCAS, it will be reviewed by our Admissions Team. Qualified applicants are interviewed as part of the decision-making process. Following the interview, applicants will be notified they are receiving an offer of admission, waitlist or denied. Those on the waitlist can be offered admission as spots open up, however no timetable is given as this process evolves throughout the spring.

Interviews

Interviews are conducted on campus, in-person, in the HHS building for the most qualified applicants.  Interviews for 2024 will be conducted from November 8-16. 

Application Requirements

More information can be found on our PTCAS program profile. All of the following application materials must be submitted through PTCAS.

Applications must include:

• Official college/university transcripts from all previous coursework
• Completion of prerequisite courses (see our PTCAS program profile)
• An essay written on a topic specified by PTCAS
• Complete the GRE general test
• Experience demonstrating that the applicant has chosen a career in physical therapy with thoughtful consideration and with a realistic understanding of the scope of physical therapy practice. Volunteer or paid experience with a physical therapist in at least two different clinical settings is strongly recommended. Applicants should consider getting up to 40 hrs observation in two if not three different setting types (e.g. outpatient PT, acute care/inpatient PT, nursing facility, etc.).

Physical therapy practice requires certain aptitude, abilities, and skills to ensure success and client safety. Students accepted into the physical therapy program must attest to meeting these essential functions.

Information for International Applicants

Citizens of other countries, whose degrees are not from U.S. institutions, must have their transcripts and full course descriptions translated into English and evaluated by a recognized credential evaluation service such as World Education Services. International applicants from countries where English is not the primary language must submit a minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and provide a statement of financial responsibility.