Clarkson is ideal for highly qualified and motivated students who want a career in physical therapy.
As a physical therapist, you are a movement scientist who evaluates, diagnoses and treats mobility and pain-related disorders, mitigates disease and disability. Hands-on clinical care is supported by prescriptive exercises and purposeful changes that promote health across the lifespan optimizing physical function and return to the community.
Physical therapy is a deeply rewarding healthcare profession that improves the lives of people. As a physical therapist you’ll diagnose and treat individuals of all ages with a variety of different health conditions that limit their ability to move and perform tasks. The therapist’s job is to restore pain free movement and the ability to do everyday activities. With physical therapy consistently rated among the top 10 growing professions, physical therapists serve a dynamic and comprehensive role in healthcare, engaging in treatment, consultation, education and research.
Why Earn a DPT From Clarkson?
Clarkson’s physical therapy faculty bring decades of clinical experience and scholarly vision to the classroom. Faculty members use the master adaptive learning approach to address the various learning styles of the students. Through this approach, students are focused to be patient-centered, flexible and responsive to demographic or geographic differences of patients and colleagues and gain the confidence to synthesize and apply the evidence, and make competent evidence-based decisions. Because classes are small and offer case-based experiential learning, you'll work closely with faculty members, which promotes your professional growth and success.
Our program involves 33 weeks of full-time clinical experience and internships, as well as numerous integrated clinical experiences throughout the curriculum.
Our Smart Simulation Lab and Assistive Technology Lab offer simulated experiences and cutting-edge technology. The Simulation Lab allows you to apply strategies learned in lectures to hands-on activities in a realistic environment. Mock hospital rooms allow you to practice patient evaluations and interventions in acute-care settings.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) at Clarkson University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
What You'll Learn
Clarkson's Doctor of Physical Therapy program is a 105-credit-hour, full-time, post-baccalaureate degree that takes two and two-third years to complete. Our program uses an experiential learning model, which prepares you to become a lifelong learner and expert clinician. You will participate in 3 full time clinical experiences in addition to hands on integrated clinical experiences (ICE) which are interwoven throughout the didactic portion of the curriculum. (Note that prior to Fall 2024, the program was 101 credits with 4 clinical experiences).