Admission Requirements  See new admission information in red.
DPT Application for Admission
Integrated Bachelors/Graduate Degree Program
Early Assurance Admission Program 

DPT Class Admission and Graduation Statistics

DPT Informational Brochure

Admission Requirements

Applications to the DPT program will be accepted during the fall semester of each year for enrollment in the program starting the following summer. (ECU no longer offers the MPT). Admission is competitive and limited to 30 students.

Applications that arrive on or before December 1 will be screened at that time. Qualified applicants will be interviewed and may be offered early acceptance into the program.

Deadline date for receipt of all applications is January 5. The top 60 applicants will be interviewed.  The date for interviewing is Friday, January 22, 2010.  Applicants are notified of their acceptance status 7-10 days following interviews.  The program begins the 1st summer session in May.

Applicants must apply separately to both the DPT program and Graduate School.
IMPORTANT!  Do NOT submit applications through PTCAS (Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service).

Admission preference is given to North Carolina residents.
Admission requirements are subject to change without prior notice.

At the time of application to the program, students must:

• be eligible for admission to the Graduate School. (Applicants must apply separately to both the DPT program and ECU Graduate School.)
• have satisfactory Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores--verbal, quantitative and WRITING. Applicants must include all scores on the DPT application.
• include copies of all transcripts with the DPT application
• provide evidence of exposure to the practice of physical therapy. Must be supervised by a licensed physical therapist. A minimum of 100 hours is encouraged.
• have two of the three letters of reference (from the ECU Graduate School application or the DPT application) be completed by licensed PTs who supervised the applicant's PT experience.  All letters of reference and the Graduate School statement of purpose must be sent directly to the Department of Physical Therapy.  Do NOT send reference letters or statement of purpose to the Graduate School.
• present evidence that the required prerequisite course work will be completed and an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution conferred before the start of the program in the summer. 

Required undergraduate prerequisite courses:

• General chemistry, 8 semester hours with lab 
(CHEM 1150,1151,1160,1161) 
• General physics, 8 semester hours with lab
(PHYS 1250,1251,1260,1261)
• Biology, 12 semester hours to include:
• 8 hours of biology (BIOL 1100,1101,1200,1201) plus 1 semester of Human or Mammalian Physiology with lab OR 4 hours of biology (BIOL 1100, 1101) plus 2 semesters of Human Physiology & Anatomy with lab (BIOL 2140, 2141, 2150, 2151)
• College algebra or higher
• Statistics
• Psychology (6 semester hours)

The above courses must be taken through their respective departments unless prior agreement has been made with the Department of Physical Therapy.

Prerequisite Course Numbers for Other North Carolina Universities

For more information regarding prerequisite courses, please contact Leslie Hargrave, hargravel@ecu.edu or 252-744-6239.

For application materials for the Graduate School, click here:
ECU Graduate School.

Information regarding application for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must be obtained by contacting:
Graduate Record Examination
Educational Testing Services
P.O. Box 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
609-771-7670
GRE Website

Integrated Bachelors/Graduate Degree for ECU Exercise Physiology (College of Health and Human Performance) students only

In July, 2004, the Graduate School Administrative Board supported the concept of allowing highly qualified undergraduate students to complete the requirements for both the bachelors and graduate degree at an accelerated pace. This is achieved by counting up to 15 semester hours of the graduate degree towards the undergraduate degree. The following is a description of an integrated graduate degree in Physical Therapy (PT) made possible by a collaborative agreement between the Departments of Exercise and Sport Science and Physical Therapy. Students will enter ECU as freshmen and, by following a predetermined path of study, may earn a BS in Exercise Physiology and a DPT in a total of six years. Fifteen semester hours taken in the Physical Therapy curriculum will count towards the BS in Exercise Physiology.

Admission Standards

Sophomore Year

At the end of their sophomore year students may apply for provisional acceptance into the DPT program. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 to be eligible for provisional acceptance. Final approval for provisional acceptance to the DPT will be determined by the Physical Therapy faculty in consultation with EXSS faculty

Junior Year

In the Fall semester of their junior year students will submit a formal application to the DPT. At that time they must demonstrate:

1. Satisfactory GRE score (verbal/quantitative/writing)
2. Satisfactory interview with PT faculty
3. Completion of volunteer hours
4. Completion of all prerequisite requirements for the DPT.

Successful students will be granted admission into the DPT during the Spring semester of their junior year at ECU. The Physical Therapy curriculum begins Summer 1. Upon beginning the DPT the student will have:

1. Completed at least 96sh in their undergraduate program .
2. Maintained a GPA of 3.5.

Full admission to the Graduate School will be granted following completion of requirements for the undergraduate degree.

For more information, contact Mike McCammon, mccammonm@ecu.edu.

Early Assurance Admission Program 

The Physical Therapy Department proposes the following Early Assured Admittance to the Doctor of Physical Therapy for qualified Merit Scholars at East Carolina University.

• Up to four seats of the 30 seats available will be reserved four years in advance for qualified merit scholars who have entered ECU as freshmen. 
• All merit scholar nominees will be sent information on the DPT program and an application for early-assured admission to the DPT program. A subcommittee of the PT Department Admissions Committee will review applications and all applicants will be invited for an interview during their orientation visit to the campus.
• The Admissions Committee will priority rank all interviewed applicants and offer Early Assured Admission to up to four students.
• Selected alternates will be encouraged to participate in program activities, as a means to be eligible for early admission should vacancies for early admission become available.

Accepted and selected alternate students must:

• Maintain a minimum overall and prerequisite GPA of 3.5
• Completion of all DPT course prerequisites and clinical exposure requirements before the spring semester of junior year.
• Participate in all PT program activities developed specific for participants in the early-assured admission program.
• Exhibit an acceptable level of commitment to the profession and personal deportment and maturity.

Students who remain eligible will apply to the DPT program and Graduate School the spring of their junior year. Qualified students will be exempt from the Graduate Record Exam requirement and the interview process. During the spring semester of their junior year, all early-assured admission students will receive a letter of acceptance with a 1-year deferment. All accepted students must maintain acceptable academic standards, graduate with a baccalaureate degree, and begin the DPT program the year designated in the acceptance letter. Though not legally binding, it is understood that students receiving an early acceptance will not apply to other PT schools. Accepted students who fail to meet early admission requirements will be discontinued from the program and not eligible for early assured admission.