Major
	None
Graduate Degree
	Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the UI Carver College of Medicine
Competitive Admission
	36 students per year
Links
	Web Site Courses General Catalog

Physical therapists are committed to meeting the health needs of society through prevention, rehabilitation, public education, and research. They promote optimal human health and function by applying scientific principles to prevent, identify, assess, and correct acute or prolonged movement dysfunction problems.

Specialization areas in physical therapy include cardiopulmonary systems, electrophysiology, geriatrics, neurology, orthopaedics, pediatrics, sports physical therapy, and women’s health.

Physical therapy is a graduate degree program at Iowa. It is not offered as an undergraduate major.

• Why Study Physical Therapy at Iowa?
• Preprofessional Studies
• Admission
• For More Details
• Careers

Why Study Physical Therapy at Iowa?
Iowa’s Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science Program has an excellent reputation. It is ranked third at public institutions nationwide by U.S. News & World Report, and it is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Physical therapy students enjoy a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the National Physical Therapy Examination for licensure.

The program is part of the University’s Carver College of Medicine and has close ties to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, one of the nation’s largest public university teaching hospitals. Its location on the University of Iowa health sciences campus provides access to vital resources, including faculty in basic sciences and medicine, basic science courses, and the atmosphere and facilities of an outstanding medical college. Iowa’s facilities are well equipped for classroom and laboratory instruction. They include seven state-of-the-art independent research laboratories.

Preprofessional Studies
Iowa does not offer an undergraduate major in physical therapy. As an undergraduate interested in becoming a physical therapist, you'll take course work that will prepare you to enter the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) graduate degree program. You must complete a bachelor’s degree and all prerequisites to the DPT program at an accredited U.S. institution before you'll be considered for admission.

Prerequisites include course work in the biological sciences, chemistry, physics, physiology, psychology, mathematics, and statistics. All science courses must include the appropriate labs, and prerequisites must be taken for a letter grade. Advanced Placement Program (AP) credit counts only toward the mathematics requirement.

The physical therapy program accepts applicants with a wide variety of undergraduate majors. Choose an area of study that genuinely interests you and consult frequently with your undergraduate academic advisor. Most colleges and universities in the United States offer degrees and programs for students interested in earning graduate degrees in physical therapy.

Admission
Admission to the program is competitive; 36 students are admitted each year out of around 350 applicants.

An overall grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) is required for admission, and a GPA of at least 3.00 in all prerequisite course work is recommended. The program advises prospective students to complete at least 50–60 hours of experience volunteering or working in inpatient and outpatient physical therapy settings so that they can make an informed career choice. The application deadline is Nov. 1 for entry the following July.

For More Details
See Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science in the UI General Catalog to learn about the DPT degree and for more information about admission, including prerequisites, application materials, and how to apply.

Careers
The employment outlook for physical therapy graduates is strong. Opportunities exist for professional practice in inpatient, outpatient, and community-based organizations. These include general or specialized hospitals, programs for children with disabilities, private physical therapy clinics, extended care facilities, nursing homes, community and governmental agencies, rehabilitation centers, the armed forces, foreign service, home health agencies, school systems, fitness centers, and athletic facilities. Teaching and research positions also are available as well as options for successful self-employment.