Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

In regards to the option/requirement for a move to Pass/Fail grading, we have developed a set of guidelines for admissions.  Please note:  After the 2024-2025 application cycle, P/F courses will no longer be accepted.

• We will consider pass grades as we do AP credit – we accept the grade as “pre-requisite met”, but we will not include the grade for GPA calculations.
• We will consider Fail grades as “pre-requisite not met” – this grade counts as a “0” in GPA calculations.
• No more than 50% of science pre-requisites can be a grade of “P”. (Anatomy & Physiology 1 & 2, Biology 1 & 2, Chemistry 1 &2, Physics 1 & 2).
• You will still need to have a GPA of 3.0 for pre-requisites (science and non-science counted separately).

COVID-19 Vaccination:

One of the following vaccines is required: two-dose series of Pfizer vaccines, two-dose series of Moderna vaccines, single-dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine or documentation of an approved exemption that has been accepted by a clinical site.

You must upload your COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card to Exxat by the end of the first term of the program. Be sure to upload both the front and back of the card in the form of a PDF.

IMPORTANT:

Each clinical site sets its own requirements for learners and the full course of the COVID-19 vaccine is required. We cannot guarantee that an exemption request will be accepted as a form of compliance at the clinical site. We also cannot guarantee that you will be able to complete the program in a timely manner or at al​l ​if you choose not to comply with the clinical site's requirement. ​

Due to the fluid nature of this virus, all policies relating to COVID-19 are subject to change, ​as warranted, and without warning. To ensure your successful completion and graduation from the program you will be required to satisfy COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Please note: there are an insufficient number of clinical sites who will accept exemptions at this time.

Exemption Process:

If you have a medical or religious exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine you will need to notify the Director of Clinical Education in writing and you must schedule an appointment within thirty days of matriculation into the program to discuss the exemption's potential impact on your clinical placement(s). ​If an exemption has been approved by the clinical site where you are scheduled to be placed, you must upload evidence of the exemption approval to Exxat.

This pathway is for qualified high school seniors interested in pursuing a UC undergraduate degree in Health Sciences (HLSC) in the College of Allied Health Sciences and then continuing on to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at the University of Cincinnati. 

In order to qualify for this pathway, students must be a Health Science major who has completed ALL perquisite courses at the University of Cincinnati (or branch campuses).  These students will have the option of applying to the UC DPT graduate program during the second term of their penultimate year (typically junior year). Priority will be given to students who started their academic career at UC as an entering 1^st year, 1^st semester freshman (regardless of major). 

Please visit the DPT Pre-requisite Course Equivalency page to find course equivalency for many colleges/universities in the Midwest.  If your school is not listed here, please check the equivalency database. 

While we don’t offer transcript reviews as a service, we are happy to answer questions about individual courses that are not in the above linked databases.  For questions, please email physicaltherapy@uc.edu and allow 72 hours for a response.

Please include university, course number, course name, description, # of credits, course objectives or syllabus.

Applicants may not have more than two (2) core science courses and two (2) non-science courses incomplete when they apply. All prerequisite courses must be completed before the program start date.

Yes, students will be sent an automated email from the UC Graduate School asking them to set up their password and pay a $65 fee after they have submitted their Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) fee and application.

Transcripts must be sent directly to Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service

All observation hours must be completed before submitting your application through Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service. 

Yes. If offered, applicants confirm acceptance by submitting an admission deposit of $500 to the Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise, and Nutrition Sciences.

All applicants are required to participate in an online interview process through Kira Talent.  The Kira Assessment is completed after you've submitted your PTCAS application and supplemental fee.  Within a few days of submission, you will receive an email from Graduate Admissions with information on how to proceed with your Kira Assessment.  This IS part of the application process so it needs to be completed in a timely manner or your application will be considered incomplete.  

Kira Talent is an online interviewing platform. With text and video questions as an interview format that applicants complete at home, online, on their own time, this platform allows institutions to remotely interview potential students. 

The applications are carefully reviewed. You will be notified via the email listed in Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service PTCAS) beginning in late November through May. All applicants will be notified of their admissions status by the UC graduate school.  Please be sure to check your junk folder for communication from WebAdmit and UC Graduate Admissions.  

Admission Profile for Class of 2026:

• Verified Applicants: 394
• Admitted: 132
• Enrolled: 40

There are three clinical rotations, approx. 35 weeks total of clinical education

We have clinical sites all over the 48 contiguous states, and we are growing internationally, as well.

As an eight semesters program that starts in the summer semester, the clinical rotations occur in the 5th, 7th, & 8th semesters for each cohort.

Inpatient and outpatient experiences are required by the program. Experiences in all four practice patterns will occur - musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, integumentary, and cardiopulmonary.

This is a team effort that begins with the student. After the student selects their top choices for each rotation, the faculty may also provide input to where they feel the student will be most successful. The final decision is made by the Director of Clinical Education.

It is solely the student's responsibility to arrange for transportation, room and/or board for each clinical assignment. The University, faculty and Clinical Sites have no responsibility for providing transportation, room and/or board for clinical assignments.  Some clinical sites may also require a background check or drug screen.

• Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, MD
• Naval Hospital in San Diego, CA
• Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, OH (Ranked 3rd in the Nation)
• Fondazione F Turati in Gavinana, Italy (Eduglobal Associates)

The most up-to-date Tuition & Fee information can be found on the Graduate Fees by College page.

Yes! Please visit our Complaints - Due Process and Outside of Due Process web page to learn more. 

UC Doctor of Physical Therapy Handbook