DPT Admissions Requirements

IMPORTANT Announcement: Starting in 2016, the TTUHSC DPT Program will ONLY accept applications through the PTCAS system.

DPT Admissions Information

The DPT program begins in late May of each year. SHP application information can be accessed at this website.  An applicant's PTCAS application must be verified and all other requirements must be received by the deadline. Application fees are due at the time of application. Once an offer of admission has been made, Placement Guarantee fees will be due on or before January 15th each year in accordance with published PT Program Admissions Traffic Rules..

Admissions Requirements

1. Online Application
   
   Applicants for the DPT program must complete the PTCAS application and the TTUHSC SHP online application. The PTCAS application must be completed first before completing the TTUHSC SHP online application.
   
   
2. Application Fee
   
   The $75 Application Fee may be paid by credit card through the TTUHSC SHP online application. You may also pay by check or money order; mail a check or money order to the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs (3601 4th Street MS 6294, Lubbock, TX 79430). Please make checks and money orders payable to "TTUHSC." Your application will not be considered for admission until your fee has been paid.
   
   
3. Official Transcripts
   
   All official transcripts need to be submitted to PTCAS. You will only need to send updated transcripts to our office. Transcripts must be in a sealed envelope from the institution and must have been printed within the last year. Please send all updated official transcripts to the following address:
   
   

   TTUHSC SHP Admissions and Student Affairs
   3601 4th Street MS 6294
   Lubbock, TX 79430

4. Official GRE Scores
   
   

   Official GRE Scores Official GRE scores* are required for admission. The PTCAS GRE submission code is 7155. Your GRE scores are not considered valid if they are over five years old. *The DPT program at TTUHSC is aware of the upcoming changes to the length of the GRE, effective September 22, 2023. For the application for admission into the DPT program, the SHP Office of Admissions and Student Affairs will accept official GRE scores, regardless of the version of the exam, as long as they are less than five years old.

5. Bachelor's Degree
   
   Bachelor's Degree is required for admission in addition to the specific prerequisite courses listed in Section 8.
   
   
6. Minimum GPA
   
   A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required; this includes all courses taken at every institution attended. A minimum prerequisite GPA of a 3.0 is also required. Applications for applicants, who do not meet minimum GPA requirements, will not be sent to the admissions committee for review.
   
   
7. Observation Experience
   
   Applicants are required to have completed at least 50 clock hours of experience in a physical therapy setting supervised by a licensed physical therapist prior to May 1 the year of matriculation. While applicants are encouraged to gain as much experience in as many different settings as possible (inpatient, outpatient, rehabilitation, acute care, aquatics, wound care, etc.), observation hours in excess of 50 or the total number of settings observed are not considered as part of the wholistic application review.  It is suggested that hours be tracked on a spreadsheet or log sheet with the supervising physical therapist's signature for total hours observed.
   
   
8. Prerequisite Coursework
   
   All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to matriculation. Applicants who have completed all or most of their prerequisite coursework at the time of application may be at an advantage during the admissions process. No more than 16 hours of science prerequisite courses may be in process at the time of application.
   
   

   Prerequisite Coursework

   Course Designation	Credit Hours
   General Chemistry (for science majors, lab required)	8 hours
   General Physics (for science majors, lab required)	8 hours
   General Biology (for science majors, lab required)	8 hours
   Anatomy and Physiology (for science majors, lab required)	8 hours
   Psychology	3 hours
   Statistics	3 hours

   Note: Recommended Courses: English, technical writing, speech, advanced human physiology, exercise physiology, kinesiology, biomechanics, motor control, developmental psychology, and core coursework required for a bachelor's degree.

9. Letters of Recommendation
   
   Two letters of recommendation are required for an application to be complete. Letters should be completed by the following: one from a physical therapist who has observed the applicant during any related volunteer or paid work and the other from a previous or present instructor, academic counselor, previous or present employers. Letters of recommendation are submitted through the PTCAS system. A recommender's name and email address will be required. Your recommender will receive an email with a link to our recommendation form for them to submit electronically.
   
   
10. International Applicants
    
    All foreign coursework must be evaluated by a Foreign Credential Service. We also require TOEFL/IELTS Scores for any applicant for whom English is their second language (scores are considered on a case by case basis). Please refer to our International Applicants webpage for more information and TOEFL/IELTS exemptions.
    
    Our Doctor of Physical Therapy program on the Odessa campus is not approved to admit F-1 visa students at this time.
    
    
11. Transfer Credits
    
    The TTUHSC DPT Program does not typically accept transfer credits from other physical therapy or professional programs for credit within the TTUHSC DPT Professional Program. Cases of unique and extreme circumstances outside of the student's control (e.g., natural disaster forcing relocation, etc.) are reviewed by the program director on a case by case basis.
    
    

Application Process

Applications are considered on a rolling basis for acceptance into the professional program. Individual applications are reviewed once materials have been received; therefore, it is in the applicant's best interest to complete their application, including submission of required documentation, as early as possible. Fulfillment of the basic requirements does not guarantee admission.

Applicants who meet the above listed requirements and are deemed competitive candidates for admission will be invited to TTUHSC for an interview. The admissions committee selects the most qualified applicants for admission by considering the following: cumulative GPA, prerequisite science GPA, interview scores, student essay, and other factors.

Interviews

Admission interviews are granted by the DPT admissions committee by invitation only. Applicants are selected for interviews based on a holistic evaluation of their application and supporting documents.

Application Submission Checklist

1. Online PTCAS
2. Online TTUHSC SHP Application
3. Application Fee
4. Official GRE Scores
5. Letters of Recommendation - Two required
   
   

Contact Information

Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. Please contact our office by phone at 806-743-3220 or email at health.professions@ttuhsc.edu.