Physical Therapy - Phoenix (Doctor of Physical Therapy)
Join the Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Phoenix, and learn in Creighton’s new state-of-the-art facility in the heart of midtown. While the location is new, Creighton’s program is well-established and focused on improving the lives of patients.
A national leader in health sciences education, Creighton is preparing students for a workforce that demands their commitment to innovative care. Like the Omaha program, the Phoenix program will incorporate Ignatian values, and the curriculum will be student and patient centered, with authentic learning experiences and a focus on clinical reasoning.
Program Details
Creighton was the first to offer a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), and we’ve been leading the way ever since with expert faculty and a commitment to innovation and research. Additionally, the program aims to promote social justice, minimize health disparities, and improve clinical practice in diverse environments to support local and global health initiatives.
Program goals include:
- Education: The program will create a collaborative learning community that develops adaptive, reflective physical therapists with sound clinical reasoning skills.
- Research: The program will improve healthcare through scholarship in clinical and educational practice, collaborative care, social justice, and rehabilitation and movement science.
- Service/Social Determinants: The program will promote social accountability and inspire students to act as agents of change and have a positive impact on health and the human experience.
Learn more about program outcomes or read about Creighton’s accreditation.
Curriculum
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program supports Creighton University’s Jesuit identity, existing to educate and mentor future and current clinicians for excellence in physical therapy practice, advance the profession through scholarship and provide service to the University and community for the greater good. View the doctor of physical therapy curriculum outline.
Specializations
- Sports
- Research
- Women’s Health
Admissions Events
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisites
For admission into the Doctor of Physical Therapy programs at Creighton University, you must meet the following requirements:
- A minimum of 90 semester hours or 136 quarter hours is required before entering the programs.
- Students who do not hold a baccalaureate degree must take coursework that includes in-depth upper division study in one discipline comparable to a minor at Creighton University prior to matriculation (18 semester hours).
- Strong academic performance is considered paramount; the degree of emphasis is secondary.
- Prerequisite courses may be completed at any regionally accredited institution and must be completed with a grade of C or better (a C- grade is not acceptable). All prerequisite coursework must be completed by August 1 of the desired year of entry.
Admissions Requirements
To apply, submit an online application and all supporting materials through PTCAS, a physical therapy centralized application service, which includes:
- An official transcript from each institution the applicant has attended and/or is currently attending
- Three letters of recommendation
- One recommendation must come from a licensed physical therapist
- Proof of a minimum of 60 hours of observation supervised by a licensed physical therapist
- International applicants must submit a foreign transcript evaluation to PTCAS through an evaluation service such as World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)
Personal interviews are required in the admission process. Qualified applicants will be notified via email if they are selected for an interview.
Dates & Deadlines
June 15, 2023: PTCAS Launch Date
October 1, 2023: Preferred Deadline
October 1, 2023: Creighton Undergraduate Deadline
December 2023-January 2024: PTCAS Academic Update
- Update Summer/Fall 2023 grades through PTCAS
March 1, 2024: PT - Omaha Program Deadline
March 1, 2024: PT - Phoenix Program Deadline
Tuition & Financial Aid
The Doctor of Physical Therapy tuition and fees varies over the 3-years of the program. See up-to-date tuition and fee information.
Financial Aid
Competitive scholarship awards are available to all qualified Doctor of Physical Therapy candidates at the time of the admission decision. A typical scholarship award ranges up to $60,000 for the duration and is divided throughout the three years of the programs. The Office of Admission awards the top 25% of the incoming class at minimum. Explore scholarship and aid.
Creighton in Phoenix
When our partners in Arizona asked us to open a campus in Phoenix to help solve the shortage of healthcare providers in the Southwest, we answered the call. Today, we’re educating the next generation of providers, in the Creighton tradition, which focuses on care and concern for others.
Our connections in the region mean students will have diverse opportunities for hands-on experiences. The program will be a part of the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance with close relationships to Dignity St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Valleywise Health and District Medical Group, Inc.
Creighton’s new, modern health sciences campus will be home to nearly 1,000 health sciences students across multiple professions bringing interprofessional collaborative practice and education to improve and innovate patient care. The physical therapy labs on the new campus will offer cutting-edge technology, affording students hands-on opportunities and specialized training not available elsewhere.
3 + 3 Dual Degree DPT Program with ASU
Creighton has partnered with Arizona State University to offer a unique opportunity. Participants in our 3 + 3 dual degree DPT program can earn a bachelor’s degree at ASU and a DPT degree from Creighton in only six years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Starting with the 2024 application cycle, a GRE score is not required as part of the admission process. GRE scores submitted will not be included in candidate application files. The GRE was removed to promote our holistic admissions process.
No, Creighton allows entry into the DPT program with completion of a minimum of 90 semester hours or 136 quarter hours. Additionally, candidates who have not completed a baccalaureate degree must complete 18 semester hours of in-depth upper-division coursework in one discipline comparable to a minor at Creighton University.
Three years. Each DPT cohort starts in August and graduates in May, just shy of three years later. DPT candidates complete eight semesters in total, including two summer terms throughout the three years of the program.
Yes, interviews are a required part of our application process that allows us to better assess your candidacy beyond your paper application. We require that candidates come to campus and participate in a full day of events as well as a group interview. A personal interview is completed virtually via Zoom. Only qualified candidates are invited to participate in our interview process.
Yes, you can apply for consideration to both of our Phoenix and Omaha programs. If invited to interview for both programs, you will have the option to complete your group interview in Phoenix or Omaha and participate in two personal interviews with Phoenix and Omaha faculty. If admitted to both programs, you will choose which program to hold a seat in.
Yes, students can partner with faculty on current research initiatives. Through the utilization of our state-of-the-art rehabilitation research laboratories, our students are able to conduct research that will not only advance the profession of physical therapy but also enhance their learning and optimize outcomes in clinical practice.
Students in our PT-Omaha program will be able to take advantage of our research specialization track that focuses on scientific inquiry in rehabilitation science. Additionally, our PT-Omaha program offers specialization tracks in Sports and Women's Health.
Yes, our Physical Therapy program requires applicants to complete 60 observation hours of a licensed physical therapist. Make sure to keep track of your hours as you complete new experiences so you can add them to your PTCAS application.
Our students complete 44 weeks of clinical education that start after the end of the third semester. Students complete two, six-week early clinical experiences and finish their DPT education with two, 16-week practice experiences. Our clinical education team dedicates their time to ensure that each student’s individualized Clinical Education Plan meets their goals and provides experiences to prepare for entry-level practice. Students are able to complete their clinical education at more than 400 clinical sites across the nation.
Accreditation
Effective November 2, 2021, Creighton University – Phoenix Health Sciences Campus has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 602.812.3131 or email jameslynskey@creighton.edu.
Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.
Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT;www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website).
Complaints that fall outside of due process should be directed to Dr. James Lynskey, Physical Therapy Department Chair - Phoenix, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, at jameslynskey@creighton.edu or Dr. Paul Price, Senior Associate Dean, School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, at paulprice@creighton.edu. Retaliation following complaint submission is prohibited.
