Doctor of Physical Therapy
Physical mobility and well-being play such a significant role in a person’s life, and yet many people all over the world suffer from the impact of environmental and social determinants of health or pain. The healthcare field needs physical therapists who can build trust with their patients and provide the highest quality of care.
Northwest University’s School of Physical Therapy will empower you to help people experience the compassionate care they deserve. With our Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, you’ll become an industry leader who can effectively address individual, community, and societal needs.
Program Quick Facts
- Hybrid learning model
- Next start: July, 2024
- $900 per credit (2023–24)
- 121 credits
- Two annual starts: July and January
- Small class sizes; a maximum of 24 students in each cohort
Accelerated Hybrid Program
Our two-year accelerated hybrid program combines online didactic instruction with immersive in-person lab experiences—meaning you’ll never have to make a choice between flexibility or academic quality. And our cohort model ensures that you’ll learn in a tight-knit, Christ-centered community of highly qualified faculty who have years of professional experience and students who share your passion for helping people heal their bodies and lives.
Why Choose Our Doctoral Program?
Taught From a Christian Perspective
Our integration of Christian faith means you will learn value-based care in a biopsychosocial spiritual approach, devoted to service of others as a reflection of Christ’s healing power, hope, and love to optimize community health. And you will learn from faculty who not only care about your academic success but your faith as well.
Accelerated Program for Faster Graduation
The twenty-four-month format gets students into the field faster than other traditional physical therapy programs. Graduate in just 2 years (4 semesters).
Skilled Instructors Who Care About Your Success
Our professors are deeply committed to helping you flourish in your academics so that you are fully set up to maximize your impact as a practitioner and leader in healthcare.
Competency-Based Learning
Our educational model is competency-based, setting our standards above traditional skill and practice benchmarks. Using case-based curriculum, you will apply knowledge to real-world clinical scenarios reflecting current and evolving physical therapy clinical practice.
Clinical Practice Opportunities to Hone Your Skills
Our hybrid learning model ensures that your physical therapy knowledge won’t remain theoretical. Develop practical skills in real clinical environments so you can effectively serve your future patients with a focus on whole-person care.
Curriculum and Program Structure
The two-year accelerated program is designed to be completed in four semesters and includes three key components:
- An online didactic component of classroom.
- Immersive on-campus laboratory experiences involving foundational, clinical, and physical therapy sciences.
- A clinical component involving experiences in off-campus clinical sites including hospitals, rehabilitation and outpatient centers, skilled nursing facilities, and more. As a student, you will have the opportunity to learn in a variety of settings that cover the continuum of practice and patient lifespan.
Most of the didactic curriculum occurs prior to the first clinical to best prepare you to get the most out of your applied learning. You’ll focus on whole-person care to improve societal health while being a catalyst of change in areas such as health disparities and inequities.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. All students are expected to commit to full-time study. A typical week will consist of classes (asynchronous and live) from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Thursday. Fridays will typically be set aside for seminars and test days. A typical on-campus session of 2-3 weeks is required, which are set days and times and are not at the student's leisure.
Each semester is six months in length.
This is not advised. The time commitment is full-time. Aside from time in class or labs, students will have to allow sufficient time for studying, reading, completing assignments, and practicing skills.
Each six-month semester includes two in-person, on-campus immersion weeks that are each two weeks long. For example, in the first semester, each student will come to campus on weeks 16 and 17 as well as weeks 23 and 24.
No, however, there are several hotels in the area that are frequently used by NU visitors. Alternate housing suggestions would be to share a hotel or other short-term housing with fellow classmates. Transportation is not provided; each student is responsible for their own transportation needs.
Students are expected to be up to date on all required immunizations (MMR, TB, T-DAP, HEP A and B, Polio Series, Flu) and boosters, including COVID-19 and Influenza. No exemptions are granted. Immunization requirements are subject to change at the program's discretion.
No. Due to the integrative and accelerated nature of our program, all units/credits must be completed within the NU program. All admitted students will proceed through the curriculum with their corresponding cohort, beginning from Year 1, term 1.
Yes, please refer to the waitlist process described in the application process.
We do not accept international students at this time.
All applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Although any undergraduate major is acceptable, for students in the initial stages of undergraduate preparation, a major in Kinesiology or the biological sciences tends to be the most direct route into a physical therapy program.
A minimum overall GPA of 3.24 (highest grade of repeat coursework will be calculated) and a minimum GPA of 3.3 for all prerequisite work.
No, the GRE is not required for our program.
No. All letter-graded prerequisite coursework is acceptable, no matter when the coursework was completed. However, it is highly recommended that students take refresher courses when needed to be prepared to take full advantage of the curriculum.
Other factors reviewed besides academic ability include but are not limited to community service, extracurricular activities, additional degrees, diverse background, commitment to the Christian faith, leadership activities, and a personal interest in why physical therapy is the right career for them.
Inclusive Tuition for 2023–24: $108,900 total ($900/credit hour). *This estimate includes all textbooks needed for the program, a laptop, a PT student kit, and access to mental health services while in the program.
Clinical Internships
Physical Therapy Practice internships are broken down into two eight-week and one 16-week clinical experiences. Students spend a minimum of 38 hours per week in direct patient care and up to two hours per week in concurrent didactic coursework. Clinical experiences are in a variety of settings including outpatient, inpatient, and specialty practice.
Ready to Take Your Next Step?
Request information or start your application for Northwest University's Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Accreditation Information
Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states.
Northwest University is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist education program from CAPTE. The program is planning to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, on December 1, 2023. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the professional phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.
Questions about this program?
School of Physical Therapy
Northwest University
5520 108th Ave. NE
Kirkland, WA 98033