Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy
physical therapy session

Physical Therapy

The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) Doctor of Physical Therapy program prepares students to address health disparities by serving rural and underserved communities. Our students find holistic and creative solutions for their patients and work with compassionate care. For more information about the program, click here.

 

The Curriculum

ULM's eight-semester DPT program includes 30 weeks of experiential learning in 4 clinic locations: in-patient, out-patient, rural, and the student's own preferred interest. With more than 2700 certified clinic sites and with a dedicated virtual day of the week, the ULM DPT program is dedicated to helping students serve the communities they call home. Our hands-on learning approach begins in students' very first semester so that ULM DPT students work with physical therapists in clinics and facilities right away.

Throughout their time in the program, students will earn 95 credit hours with no more than 15 hours per semester. The curriculum includes 5 anatomy courses over the course of the 8 semesters. These courses are taken with Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine students in VCOM-Louisiana.

For the complete DPT curriculum and class schedule, click here.

 

How to Apply

The ULM DPT PTCAS 2024-2025 application cycle is now closed. The deadline for the 2025-26 school year is November 15, 2024. Applications will open in the summer. ULM DPT will accept 48 students for each fall cohort.

1. Complete prerequisite courses.

 

• Science and mathematicsChemistry with laboratory for science majors (8), Biology with laboratory for science majors (8), Physics with laboratory for science majors (8), Advanced biology sophomore level or higher (3), Human anatomy and physiology with laboratory separate or combined courses (8), Mathematics college algebra or higher (6), Statistics (3)

• Non-Science: English composition (6), Advanced English composition or technical writing (3), Psychology (6), Public speaking (3)

*The statistics course can be either behavioral or experimental courses.*Poetry or literature courses will not satisfy the Advanced English composition or technical writing course requirement.

*Human anatomy and physiology courses must be completed within five years of the application. In lieu of this coursework, the applicant may complete an online, proctored anatomy and physiology assessment with Respondus offered by ULM DPT with a passing score of 80%.

2. Confirm you have met program critieria.

• An earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Students may apply with uncompleted prerequisites. A plan of study will need to be included in the application outlining the expected completion dates for each course. The admission committee will access the feasibility of the plan during the review process. The bachelor’s degree must be completed and conferred prior to the first day of DPT training. 

• Minimum undergraduate cumulative or most recent 60 semester credit hours GPA of 3.00 (using a 4.0 scale)   

• Minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.00 (using a 4.0 scale).  

• Two letters of recommendation, including one letter from a physical therapist and one letter from either an educator or a community leader.  

• At least 30 hours of paid or volunteer physical therapy observation or experience supervised by a licensed physical therapist. If multiple sites are used, a minimum of 8 hours is required per site.

• Complete all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better.

*All 3.0 minimum GPA requirements and Observation hours must be met at the time of application submission.

3. Apply through PTCAS
4. ULM DPT will then invite qualified students to an interview.
5. Submit a supplemental application through ULM.

After the interview, students will submit a supplemental application through ULM. A unique code will be provided to you. You will include all transcripts through the ULM application.  

 

Mission

The ULM Doctor of Physical Therapy program strives to develop diverse, high functioning practitioners and leaders who will partner with community members to produce meaningful and sustainable change with an emphasis on rural and underserved communities.

 

Vision

The ULM Doctor of Physical Therapy program will serve as a model of excellence for workforce development and scholarship addressing movement-related health disparities.

 

Why Physical Therapy?

In alignment with our mission, we define physical therapists as health professionals who diagnose and manage movement dysfunction as it relates to the restoration, maintenance, and promotion of optimal physical function and the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities.

Physical therapists don’t just work as clinicians. You will find physical therapists working as educators, healthcare administrators, researchers, information technologists, and many other positions. 

Our ability to integrate large amounts of information helps to position physical therapists as valuable members of any team. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 22 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.” The Louisiana Workforce Commission estimates that between now and 2024 approximately 980 openings for physical therapists will occur in Louisiana.

 

Program Contact

Lisa VanHoose, Director of Physical Therapy, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Walker Hall 1-64, 318-342-1236 | vanhoose@ulm.edu

Ashanti M. Jones, Associate Director of Physical Therapy and Director of Clinical Education, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Walker Hall 1-69, 318-342-1967 | asjones@ulm.edu

Cost of Attendance & More

Making sure your program is the right financial investment is an important part of the search process.

COST OF ATTENDANCE

Physical Therapy in Photos

examination
DPT students pose with Ace
student patient interaction

What sets us apart?

Small cohort size

Each fall cohort of 48 students means you will receive individualized attention in the classroom.

Rural health and health disparities focus

The ULM DPT program has a rural health and disparities focus that allows students to examine and research inequities in healthcare, especially in the Southern United States. 

Collaborative curriculum

The Anatomy course series and the Assessment and Management course series reflect strong alignment of topics and focus areas, allowing students to engage in active learning strategies to improve retention.

Various clinical sites across urban, suburban, and rural communities

Clinical learning encounters provided by our community partners in more than 40 states enable DPT students to work with diverse patient populations and practitioners to obtain the skills and competencies required for the entry-level physical therapist.

Client interaction will start in the first semester for the early development of professional skills

DPT students will have the ability to get experiential learning in the clinic starting during their first semester. This early development of clinical skills will give our therapists the advantage of practical training in addition to the classroom coursework. 

 

Collaborative student-faculty research opportunities

Research is a priority of the DPT curriculum and faculty. Students will have ample opportunity to work with faculty members on research to enhance their skills as a practitioner as well as scholar. 

The American Physical Therapy Association states that “physical therapists (PTs) are movement experts who optimize quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education.

Students who pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree can work in a variety of settings including: 

  • Outpatient clinics or private practices

  • Sports, fitness and wellness centers

  • Occupational or workplace environments

  • Home health care and Hospice

  • Rehabilitation hospitals

  • Sub-acute rehabilitation facilities

  • Extended care centers, nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities

  • Government facilities for civilians and military personnel

  • Educational settings such as preschools and vocational schools

  • Research facilities

  • Primary care facilities

 

We are committed to developing rural health generalists through our innovative system based curriculum. The curriculum requires 37 courses for a total of 95 credit hours. Each student will have the option of creating an individualized elective focused on advanced clinical training, research, licensure test preparation, or study abroad opportunities.

 

DPT Curriculum

Credit Hours

Fall 1st Semester First Year

 

PHYT 6100 Functional Anatomy I: Musculoskeletal System

4

PHYT 6110 Assessment and Management of the Musculoskeletal System I

6

PHYT 6120 Clinical Inquiry I

2

PHYT 6130 Professional Development I

1

PHYT 6140 Cultural and Rural Health I

1

PHYT 6150 Integrated Clinical Experience I

1

Subtotal

15

 

 

Spring 2nd Semester First Year

 

PHYT 6200 Functional Anatomy II: Neurological System

4

PHYT 6250 Integrated Clinical Experience II

1

PHYT 6260 Neurophysiology and Motor Control

3

PHYT 6270 Clinical Skills Development

4

PHYT 6280 Clinical and Applied Exercise Physiology I

3

Subtotal

15

 

 

Summer 3rd Semester First Year

 

PHYT 6330 Professional Development II

2

PHYT 6350 Integrated Clinical Experience III

1

PHYT 6360 Assessment and Management of the Neurological System I

3

PHYT 6370 Therapeutic and Innovative Modalities

2

PHYT 6380 Clinical and Applied Exercise Physiology II

2

PHYT 6390 Applied Pharmacology and Diagnostic Imaging

2

Subtotal

12

 

 

Fall 4th Semester Second Year

 

PHYT 6410 Assessment and Management of the Musculoskeletal System II

3

PHYT 6420 Clinical Inquiry II

2

PHYT 6450 Professional Education I

4

PHYT 6460 Assessment and Management of the Neurological System II

3

PHYT 6470 Patient Management Across the Lifespan I

3

Subtotal

15

 

 

Spring 5th Semester Second Year

 

PHYT 6500 Functional Anatomy III: Cardiopulmonary System

4

PHYT 6510 Assessment and Management of the Musculoskeletal System III

3

PHYT 6550 Integrated Clinical Experience IV

1

PHYT 6570 Patient Management Across the Lifespan II

3

PHYT 6580 Assessment and Management of the Cardiopulmonary System

3

Subtotal

14

 

 

Summer 6th Semester Second Year

 

PHYT 6600 Functional Anatomy IV: Gastrointestinal System

2

PHYT 6640 Cultural and Rural Health II

1

PHYT 6650 Professional Education II

4

PHYT 6670 Practice Management

2

PHYT 6690 Assessment and Management of Other Systems

1

Subtotal

10

 

 

Fall 7th Semester Third Year

 

PHYT 6700 Functional Anatomy V: Genitourinary System

3

PHYT 6720 Clinical Inquiry III

1

PHYT 6750 Professional Education III

4

PHYT 6790 Assessment and Management of the Genitourinary System

2

Subtotal

10

 

 

Spring 8th Semester Third Year

 

PHYT 6850 Professional Education IV

4

PHYT 6870 Independent Study (elective; optional)

1-3

Subtotal

4-7

 

TOTAL DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

 

95-98

 

The healthcare field requires teamwork and excellent communication skills. Our students will actively participate in the ULM Interprofessional Education and Practice activities on the campus. Also, we are exploring study abroad opportunities for our DPT students. 

For financial aid information, please visit https://www.ulm.edu/financialaid/

DPT students have the ability to apply for graduate assistantships. Visit the ULM Graduate Assistantship website for more information. 

The ULM Foundation offers hundreds of private scholarship opportunities to students, thanks to generous alumni and donors. Each scholarship has its own parameters and guidelines, and some of the scholarships are only available to College of Health Sciences or DPT students. Foundation scholarship applications are open during the month of February every year. Click here to explore ULM Foundation scholarships.

Click here for the Student Financial Fact Sheet.

Accreditation

Effective November 8, 2022, The University of Louisiana Monroe Doctor of Physical Therapy Program has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org).  

If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 318-342-1265 or email ulmdpt@ulm.edu. Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.  

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