The Doctorate of Physical Therapy program is part of the BGSU Graduate College and BGSU College of Health and Human Services

A Physical Therapy student testing foot reflexes
  • Doctorate Available
  • Doctorate Available

Doctorate of

Physical Therapy

Bowling Green State University’s developing Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is Ohio’s first and only public, accelerated, hybrid (online and in-person) DPT program.

Apply Now

Request Information

Accreditation

The Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) is a service of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). PTCAS allows applicants to use a single application and one set of materials to apply to multiple DPT programs. 

Program Mission and Vision

In this blended learning program, you’ll earn your Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in two years. After passing the NPTE licensure exam, you will emerge as a clinician with a strong foundation in clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice and be a valuable contributor to the interprofessional health care team.

BGSU offers a holistic approach to admissions and recruitment, reducing barriers to the physical therapy profession. Because of this approach, the GRE is not currently an admission requirement, and no interview is required. We value diversity in our student body, and our faculty support every student’s academic and career success. Our two-year DPT model means our graduates can enter the workforce and earn an income sooner than students in a traditional three-year DPT program.

The mission of BGSU’s DPT program is to develop Doctors of Physical Therapy who create positive change in the lives of their patients and communities. We achieve this by teaching competence, innovation, application, research, inclusion and collaboration.

Our faculty, all renowned members of the physical therapy profession with a commitment to the education of the next generation of physical therapy professionals, have passionately and ardently created a two-year intensive curriculum designed to challenge and empower BGSU DPT students.

DPT Informational Webinars

Learn about our two-year, accelerated, hybrid curriculum, as well as admissions requirements and accreditation standards for our program via one of our free monthly webinars from 6:30-7:30 p.m. EDT/EST. Find upcoming dates on the registration page.

Register‌

Contact Us:

For admissions questions, please contact 
dpt-admissions@bgsu.edu.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

BGSU School of Physical Therapy is committed to establishing a diverse community of students, educators, and staff. We value all dimensions of diversity and actively pursue recruitment, admissions, and retention practices that enhance the representation of minoritized groups within physical therapy.  We respect the values, beliefs, and opinions of all community members.  We understand that a diverse community is a stronger community for the public good. 

Our Learning Model: Accelerated + Hybrid

Accelerated Defined

This approach allows completion of the DPT degree requirements in two years (versus the traditional three) while still meeting the established timing and content standards set by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).

Hybrid Defined

BGSU DPT students experience the benefit of living anywhere in the country while still being a part of the BGSU community. The accelerated, hybrid DPT program infuses contemporary learning technologies and experiences into modern professional training for aspiring physical therapists. By combining the best practices of distance learning with live, face-to-face immersive lab experiential sessions, the student is prepared to grow through clinical experiences both in their respective community as well as at nationally recognized centers of health care.

How Hybrid?
Students come to campus to learn psychomotor skills in lab immersions, six times (two weeks each) the first year while concurrently engaging with faculty and classmates in virtual synchronous and asynchronous course activities. During the second-year students begin to participate in clinical education internship experiences and come to campus for two lab immersions. See our sample academic calendar. This learning style is highly collaborative, engaging, and rigorous; the accelerated, hybrid curriculum requires the student to be a self-starter, highly organized, motivated and open to learning in new ways.

physical therapy ankle leg

Students engage in immersive and experiential education, with a blend of online learning, on-campus lab immersions and clinical education. 

Learn more about pursuing your doctor of physical therapy at BGSU

Accreditation Information

Bowling Green State University has obtained approval from the Ohio Department of Higher Education and regionally through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) to offer the DPT degree.

Effective May 10, 2022, the Bowling Green State University 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 419-216-0002 or email dpt-admissions@bgsu.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.

For more information about CAPTE standards, decisions and the accreditation process as it relates to developing programs in the pre-accreditation/candidacy status phase, please refer to the CAPTE Rules of Practice and Procedures, Sections 13.4.B and 13.4.C, re: Status of Enrolled Students (in the event of an adverse action).

National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) information for prospective students

Below is the U.S. Dept of Education (USDE) rule change which allows students enrolled in institutions with Candidate for Accreditation or "pre-accreditation" status to sit for the licensure exam immediately upon graduation. Further, because of this rule change, initial accreditation status is no longer required to sit for the exam. Additionally, cohort number two (2025 graduating class) may complete the program and take the exam if initial accreditation is not granted, due to the reconsideration and appeal processes (a year-long process).

From US Department of Education. Effective July 01, 2020: "All credits and degrees earned and issued by an institution or program holding pre-accreditation from a nationally recognized agency are considered by the Secretary to be from an accredited institution or program."

From CAPTE Changes in the Rules. April 2020. "Per USDE regulations, all credits and degrees earned and issued by a program holding candidacy are considered to be from an accredited program."

Career Outlook

BGSU DPT graduates will have the opportunity to practice across a spectrum of settings: outpatient clinics, hospitals, critical care units, people’s homes, schools, sports and fitness facilities and workplaces, to name a few.

The physical therapy profession is set to grow 18% from 2019- 2029, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – much faster than the average of 3% for all careers. An aging population and sedentary lifestyles are creating extra demand for qualified physical therapists. The median salary in the United States for a licensed physical therapist is $85,000. Salary and demand vary based on degree, location, position, years of experience and setting. Licensed physical therapists may choose to pursue a residency or fellowship program to enhance their knowledge and practice in a specialty practice area.

GO FAR in your career

Clinician, researcher, educator, consultant, business owner and advocate:

  • Neurological physical therapist
  • Pediatric physical therapist
  • Private practice PT
  • Home services
  • Geriatric PT
  • Sports medicine 
  • Women’s health
  • Cardiac rehabilitation
Professional Licensure

Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state.  The Doctor of Physical Therapy program leads to professional licensure.  For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, refer to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy website at www.fsbpt.org.

Gainful Employment

Under the Higher Education Act Title IV disclosure requirements, an institution must provide current and prospective students with information about each of its programs that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is not a recognized occupation that requires a Gainful Employment disclosure.

BGSU Graduate College

The Doctorate of Physical Therapy program is part of the BGSU Graduate College and BGSU College of Health and Human Services



* Job placement and salary information was compiled by the Office of Academic Assessment through the Graduation Survey from AY2015-2018. The data are gathered around the time of Commencement and a follow-up survey six months post Commencement. For the salary question, data for programs with fewer than fifteen responses are not included. Salaries for those programs are from the National Association of Colleges and Employers Summer 2019 Survey. For questions regarding the data, contact assessment@bgsu.edu.

Updated: 05/22/2023 12:43PM