Carlow College

What you'll study

The program requires 115 credits and can be completed in as few as eight semesters. Each fall and spring is split into two eight‑week sessions to allow time for reflection and integration of new material. Core curricular features include interprofessional team‑based care, entrepreneurship and leadership topics, health informatics to support clinical decision making, and understanding of healthcare policy and economics. Training includes simulation lab scenarios (hospital and ICU) and community pro‑bono clinical experiences. Students complete four full‑time clinical experiences across settings such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, sports medicine and pediatrics. Clinical placements may be located in Pittsburgh, elsewhere in the U.S., and internationally.

Entry requirements

Applicants apply through PTCAS. Required items and conditions specified by the program:

• A bachelor’s degree (candidates may apply while in their senior year but must graduate before matriculation).
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00.
• Prerequisites completed within 10 years and before matriculation with minimum grades: C+ or better for anatomy with lab and physiology with lab (or a two‑course anatomy & physiology sequence with labs); C or better for two biological sciences, one psychology or sociology, two general chemistry with lab, two general physics with lab, and one statistics course.
• One‑page résumé.
• Two letters of recommendation: one from a licensed physical therapist who observed the applicant and can speak to fit for the profession, and one from an undergraduate counselor or professor addressing academic and personal readiness for the DPT program and licensure.
• No set number of observation hours is required, though applicants are expected to have engaged in observation opportunities they can discuss confidently.
• International applicants have additional requirements; final application deadline listed as June 1 for fall entry (program starts in August).

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared to sit for state licensure and enter clinical practice in diverse settings—acute care, outpatient, rehab, pediatrics, sports medicine and community health. The program positions students to build patient relationships and deliver rehabilitative care, with practical experience in Pittsburgh and broader clinical networks.

Scholarships & funding angle

Incoming Fall 2026 students are eligible to lock their per‑credit tuition rate for the program duration if continuously enrolled. The program page links to tuition and fees documentation and encourages prospective students to contact admissions for financial guidance and visit opportunities.