Physical Therapy Accelerated Pathway
The University of Michigan-Flint’s innovative Physical Therapy Accelerated Pathway: BS/DPT program is a smart and cost-effective choice for students interested in a fulfilling career as a physical therapist.
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Save Time and Money with Innovative Physical Therapy Accelerated Pathway
During your first three years, you will take classes required for the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, including general education courses, physical therapy prerequisites, and health sciences courses.
You will apply to potentially enter UM-Flint’s nationally-ranked Doctor of Physical Therapy program in your fourth year. If you are accepted, the first two semesters will also work as the final semesters of the bachelor’s degree.
In the three-year graduate program, you will obtain the experience, clinical perspective and expert guidance you need to become a licensed physical therapist and leader in the field.
The accelerated pathway doesn’t guarantee acceptance to the Physical Therapy program. You will need to maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.3 to remain in the program. You must also apply to and be accepted to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
If you don’t maintain the required GPA in the accelerated program or aren’t accepted to the DPT program, you can transfer to the traditional four-year track to finish your bachelor’s in Health Sciences and then reapply to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Fewer credits
The traditional path to a doctorate in physical therapy is seven years. With the Accelerated Pathway, you can complete both a bachelor’s and a doctorate in six years and with 33 fewer credits, saving one year of time and tuition.
Looking for Opportunities to get Involved in a Pre-Professional Organization?
For more information on opportunities to receive clinical hours, please contact the department directly.
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Why Choose UM-Flint’s Physical Therapy Accelerated Pathway Program?
Save One Year of Time and Tuition
This innovative program will save you one year of tuition or at least $13,000. You will also be prepared
to enter the workforce and a high-paying career one year sooner.
Nationally-Ranked Physical Therapy Program
UM-Flint’s Physical Therapy program was named the top program in the state of Michigan and ranked 83rd
in the nation by U.S. News & World Report on its list of the Best Graduate Schools. You will learn from excellent teachers and respected physical therapy faculty researchers at the top of their field who are ready to share their extensive real-world experience. Your faculty are here to support, mentor and guide you during the program and throughout your professional development.
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Free Tuition with the Go Blue Guarantee!
UM-Flint students are automatically considered for the Go Blue Guarantee upon admission, a historic program offering free tuition for high-achieving, in-state undergraduates from lower-income households. Learn more about the Go Blue Guarantee to see if you qualify and how affordable a Michigan degree can be.
Curriculum Overview
The Physical Therapy Accelerated Pathway consists of three years in the accelerated Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and three years in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
The bachelor’s degree requires 90 to 93 credits over three years and will include your physical therapy prerequisites, with exercise physiology, statistics and biological sciences/physical sciences. You will also take general education courses.
Your first year of the Physical Therapy program is 33 graduate-level credits, and those credits will be used to complete the bachelor’s degree.
UM-Flint’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program curriculum requires students to complete 120 credit hours of coursework over nine semesters (three calendar years) on a full-time basis. In the last year of study, you will participate in clinical internships, gaining valuable experience interacting with patients.
Career Outlook
Graduates of the DPT program can become licensed physical therapists who can diagnose and treat patients with movement disorders, help patients restore mobility, promote wellness, and improve patients’ quality of life.
As the Physical Therapist field continues to expand, with a doctorate degree in Physical Therapy, you are well prepared to pursue career opportunities in various settings, including:
- Local, state, and private hospitals
- Outpatient clinics
- Home health care agencies
- Schools and universities
- Wellness centers
- Private practice
$95,620
Median annual wage for physical therapists,
17%
Physical projected to grow through 2031.
100%
Our DPT graduate survey boasts an employment rate.
Academic Advising
Understanding program requirements, choosing classes, and other aspects of attending college can sometimes seem a little overwhelming. UM-Flint’s expert academic advisors can answer your questions and help steer you on the path to academic success.
Academic Advisor
Get Started on the Accelerated Path to a Physical Therapy Career Today
If you want to get started on the path to earning both a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and a Physical Therapy Doctorate and want to save one year of time and tuition, apply to UM-Flint’s Accelerated Pathway program today.