»Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Continually accredited since 1928, Chapman's Department of Physical Therapy is the longest running Physical Therapists Education program in the United States.

This program offers:

• Entry Level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree
• 1 professor to 12 students allowing for personalized education
• Access to state of the art Rinker Campus and laboratory facilities
• Experience working with the community through Stroke Boot Camp & other programs
• Italy clinical experience available
• Networking with our robust DPT Alumni group

Visit the graduate catalog for course descriptions and other general program information. For information on how to apply to the program, visit the admissions page.

Please note the Graduate Outcomes for our program:

Graduation Rate:
2022 - 2023 Combined Averages: 99%
2023 - 2024 Combined Averages: 99%

Employment Rate:
2022 - 2023 Combined Averages: 96%
2023 - 2024 Combined Averages: 100%

First Time Pass Rate:
2022 - 2023 Combined Averages: 89%
2023 - 2024 Combined Averages: 89%

Overall Pass Rate:
2022 - 2023 Combined Averages: 99%
2023 - 2024 Combined Averages: 95.5%

Click here to view our most current 2023-2024 Financial Fact Sheet

GPA Averages:
Cumulative GPA:  3.5
Prerequisite GPA: 3.51

Gender Split:
Summer cohort:  56%  Female    44%  Male
Fall cohort:         45%  Female     55% Male

Residency:
Summer cohort:  95% California     5% Out of State
Fall cohort:          88% California   12% Out of State     

Ethnicities represented:
Summer cohort: 55% Asian     11%  Hispanic    20% White   14% Other
Fall cohort:        35% Asian     17%  Hispanic     26% White   23% Other

The Chapman University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, due to its professional accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), meets the educational eligibility criteria for licensure as a physical therapist in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Students graduating from CAPTE-accredited physical therapist education programs are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, please refer to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy website at www.fsbpt.org.

Requirements for licensure in all states include passage of the National Physical Therapy Examination administrated by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). However, additional requirements can vary by state. Often, states require the administrator for the CAPTE-accredited program from which a student graduates to certify the student’s successful completion of that program. Depending upon the state, candidates for licensure may also be required to demonstrate successful completion of the state jurisdiction’s juris prudence examination. The FSBPT provides information on requirements to practice as a physical therapist in each state, and includes direct contact information for each licensing jurisdiction and their legislative policies: https://www.fsbpt.net/lrg/Home/LicensureByExamRequirement

The information provided above does not provide any guarantee that any particular state licensure or certification entity will approve or deny a candidate’s application. Further, this disclosure does not account for changes in state law or regulation that may affect a candidate’s application for licensure that occur after this disclosure has been made. In addition to the information provided herein, students are strongly encouraged to contact their State’s licensure entity to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by their state(s) of choice.