Physical Therapy - About Us

Auburn University's program is an entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Students who successfully complete the program will receive a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Degree and will be eligible to take the national licensure exam for physical therapists.

To be considered for Auburn's DPT Program, verification of a Bachelor's (BA/BS) degree is required.

Many students receive a degree in Kinesiology or Exercise Science to fulfill the prerequisites for Physical Therapy School; however, you may complete your degree in any area of study as long as you meet the minimum requirements needed to apply.

Auburn's charter cohort of students will begin in May 2025. Going forward, each new cohort of students will begin their course work in May of the year they are admitted.

Admission to the DPT program occurs once a year, with applications opening in the fall of each year. The application deadlines can be found on our Prospective Students page. Please refer to the Graduate School website for the graduate admission application, procedures and deadlines. The due dates are subject to change each year, so please check the website for the most current deadlines.

No. Before graduates from accredited physical therapy programs can practice physical therapy they must pass a licensure board examination. Once the license examination has been passed, you are entitled to practice physical therapy in that state. All 50 states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia recognize the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy examination as the standard for determining licensure eligibility.

Auburn University's Doctor of Physical Therapy is a general degree which covers all basic aspects of physical therapy. We do not offer specialties, but there is opportunity for emphasis in an area through your choice of electives, clinical affiliations, volunteer experiences, and a scholarly doctoral project.

The DPT program lasts approximately three years. The first year begins in mid/late May and the third year ends in mid-May. This includes didactic coursework and clinical requirements.

There continues to be a strong demand for physical therapists. U.S. News & World Report added physical therapists to its list of top 20 best health careers for 2019. There is a high demand for physical therapists in the workforce despite the economic downturn. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of physical therapists is expected to grow by 28% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. According to APTA, with a low unemployment rate, physical therapists are now experiencing the best employment conditions since enactment of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. The need for PTs is expected to increase into the foreseeable future as the U.S. population ages and the demand for physical therapy services grows.

Salaries for physical therapists vary according to factors such as geographical location, type of practice, and years of experience. Salary.com offers projected salaries. 

To determine the cost of Auburn's Doctor of Physical Therapy program, click here to use the tuition calculator. For level, select Professional. For College or School, select "School of Kinesiology - Doctor of Physical Therapy."

Information on Student Financial Aid is available on Auburn University's website. To discuss options, please contact Student Financial Aid office at (334) 844-4634 or Finaid7@auburn.edu. 

Information on our prerequisite courses is available below and our Prospective Students page. 

Auburn University equivalent courses are listed next to each requirement below.*

• Introductory or general biology with lab (8 credits/2 semesters) (BIOL 1020/1021 & BIOL 1030/1031)
• Introductory or general chemistry with lab (8 credits/2 semesters) (CHEM 1030/1031 & CHEM 1040/1041)
• Introductory or general physics with lab (8 credits/2 semesters) (PHYS 1500 & PHYS 1510)
• Human or mammalian anatomy with lab (4 credits/1 semester) (BIOL 2500/2501)
• Human or mammalian physiology with lab (4 credits/1 semester) (BIOL 2510/2511)
• Biomechanics/analysis of human movement (3 credits/1 semester)(KINE 3620; Engineering-based biomechanics course is not acceptable.)
• Medical terminology (3 credits/1 semester) (KINE 3000 or HADM 2100)
• Introductory or general psychology (3 credits/1 semester) (PSYC 2010)
• Introductory or applied/general statistics (3 credits/1 semester) (ERMA 2400 or STAT 2510)
• Technical writing and/or communication (3 credits/1 semester) (COMM 1000 or ENGL 3040 or ENGL 2010 or RSED 4100)

All but 8 hours of prerequisite courses must be completed by the end of the fall semester of the year of application. Completion of all prerequisites prior to matriculation is required. 

Recommended additional coursework

The following courses are highly recommended prerequisites as well as they will contribute to an applicant’s preparation for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. 

• Motor control/motor behavior/motor learning/motor development (KINE 2250/2251 or KINE 3650)
• Exercise physiology (KINE 3680)
• Introduction to research (research methods)/research paper/research presentation (KINE 4760 and KINE 4780)
• Exercise and sport psychology (KINE 4620)
• Human/child development (HDFS 2010)
• Nutrition (NTRI 2000)
• Developmental psychology (PSYC 3120)
• Introductory or general sociology (SOCY 1000)

Required science sequences are intended to be at a level for science majors and include laboratory sessions. A minimum of 8 semester hours is required for each science sequence.

*To determine how courses taken from other institutions equate to the Auburn University prerequisites listed above, please review the Transfer Equivalency Charts located on the AU website. It may take up to two weeks to get a response. For transfer and all other DPT admissions related inquiries, please email us at dpt@auburn.edu. 

To determine how courses taken from other institutions equate to the Auburn University prerequisites listed above, please review the Transfer Equivalency Charts located on the AU website. It may take up to two weeks to get a response. For transfer and all other DPT admissions related inquiries, please email us at dpt@auburn.edu. 

A documented minimum of 100 clinical observation hours within the last 2 years are required. These hours must occur under the supervision of a U.S. licensed physical therapist (clinical and/or research). Students must have observation experience in multiple physical therapy practice settings (example: out-patient, orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics, in-patient, etc.).