Doctor of Physical Therapy - Hybrid 

Curriculum

Curricular Threads

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is intentionally designed around structured educational threads within the broader curriculum that guide students through a specific area of study or professional development. These threads provide a clear content sequence where courses build on one another, ensuring students develop foundational knowledge before advancing to more complex concepts.

Curricular Focus

Both formats of the MUSC DPT program emphasize a strong foundation in science education. Early in the curriculum, students focus on core skills and knowledge essential in physical therapy practice, including functional application of anatomy, the use of evidence in practice, and interprofessional collaboration. These focus areas are reinforced throughout the program to help students become adaptable, skilled clinicians. The program also offers a variety of electives, allowing students the opportunity to explore, specialize and develop expertise in areas of personal and professional interest.

Year 1, Fall

Course ID	Course Title	Credits
PT705	Movement Science	3
PT709	Foundational Skills Lab	2
PT714	Evidence-Based Practice	2
PT738	Professional Formation	2
DRS700	Human Anatomy	4
Semester Total		13

Year 1, Spring

Course ID	Course Title	Credits
PT703	Applied Physiology & Nutrition/Therapeutics	6
PT707	Musculoskeletal I	5
PT752	Motor Development	2
DRS701	Neuroscience	4
Semester Total		17

Year 1, Summer

Course ID	Course Title	Credits
DRS702	Clinical Pathophysiology	3
PT708	Musculoskeletal II	5
PT713	Functional Mobility: Acute Care	1.5
PT716	Biomechanical Analysis	1.5
PT748	Pharmacology	1
Semester Total		12

Year 2, Fall

Course ID	Course Title	Credits
PT773	Neuromuscular I	6
PT775	Musculoskeletal III	5
PT776	Cardiovascular & Pulmonary	4
IP###	IP concentration course of choice	1
Semester Total		16

Year 2, Spring

Course ID	Course Title	Credits
PT710	Adult Development & Aging	3
PT717	Differential Diagnosis	2
PT728	Imaging/Electrodiagnosis	2
PT746	Prevention & Population Health	2
PT774	Neuromuscular II	5
IP711	IP Foundations & TeamSTEPPS	1
Semester Total		15

Year 2, Summer

Course ID	Course Title	Credits
PT759	Healthcare Delivery & Management	3
PT762L	Clinical Reasoning/Practice Lab	1
PT769	Management of Complex Patients	3
PT771	Advanced Therapeutic Interventions	3
PT779	Pediatrics	4
Semester Total		14

Year 3, Fall

Course ID	Course Title	Credits
PT740	Clinical Practicum I	10
PT772	Clinical Practicum II	10
Semester Total		20

Year 3, Spring

Course ID	Course Title	Credits
PT742	Clinical Practicum III	12
Semester Total		12
Curriculum Total		119

Current Approved Electives

Course ID	Course Title	Credits
DRS703	Pediatric Clinical Experience	1
PT803	Physical Therapy Service Learning I	1-3
PT804	Physical Therapy Service Learning II	1-3
PT805	Physical Therapy Service Learning III	1-3
PT806	Physical Therapy Topics I	1
PT807	Physical Therapy Topics II	1
PT808	Physical Therapy Topics III	1
PT810	Physical Therapy Research I	1
PT811	Physical Therapy Research II	1
PT812	Physical Therapy Research III	1

Faculty Coaching

Our hybrid faculty are dedicated to your success from day one. Our innovative faculty coaching fosters a supportive and collaborative community, ensuring you feel connected and valued from the start. Once admitted, you’ll be paired with a dedicated faculty coach who will support you throughout your educational journey.

Your DPT faculty coach is there to celebrate your achievements and support your success both inside and outside the classroom. Through our intentional matching process, you’ll form meaningful connections with your coach and fellow students, creating a close-knit support network that truly fosters a sense of belonging. Meetings occur formally and informally, both individually and in groups, providing continuous guidance, encouragement, and mentorship throughout your time in the program.

Learning Online

Using our innovative learning platform, students engage in structured, interactive learning that keeps them engaged and connected despite the physical distance. Through interactive presentations, videos, and real-world case studies, students will feel connected to their faculty and classmates, making the most of every learning opportunity.

Beyond the classroom, we encourage students to apply their learning locally through volunteer work, research projects, and community initiatives to enrich their educational experience.

The Hybrid Campus

Twice each semester (for the first 6 semesters), you’ll travel to Charleston, SC, for immersive, hands-on clinical lab experiences. Under the guidance of our expert faculty and lab instructors, you’ll develop clinical reasoning skills, practice examination and assessment techniques, prescribe and adapt therapeutic exercises, and solve complex problems through simulated cases and patient encounters.

At the center of your on-campus experience is MUSC WestEdge, a 21,000-square-foot clinical lab space designed specifically for hybrid students. Serving as the hands-on learning hub for your immersions, WestEdge features purpose-built classrooms, clinical lab environments, and simulation spaces that support a wide range of clinical training. You’ll work with specialized equipment and treatment tables, and train in realistic care settings, including a simulated kitchen for home-based care and hospital-style patient rooms for acute and residential scenarios.

Designed to support the full scope of the curriculum, WestEdge also includes private testing suites, collaborative learning spaces, and areas dedicated to simulation and clinical skill development. Beyond the lab, dedicated study areas and a student lounge with views of the Ashley River provide space to recharge and connect with peers during your time on campus.

Located in downtown Charleston, near The Citadel and College of Charleston campuses, MUSC provides an ideal setting for academic medical education and personal growth. Charleston’s coastal setting, historic charm, and vibrant culture create a unique backdrop for your immersive learning experiences.

Hybrid course structure

Asynchronous:

• Interactive lessons
• Instructional skills videos
• Recorded mini-lectures

Synchronous:

• Live group discussions
• Peer collaboration
• Direct engagement with faculty

Clinical Labs:

Practical skill development is central to the hybrid experience. In remote lab activities, you’ll apply practice techniques, refine competencies, and build confidence as a future physical therapist from a distance.

Clinical Education

Before your clinical practicums, you may choose to gain hands-on experience through immersive clinical observations and volunteer opportunities such as medical mission trips, and other related program community service initiatives.

In your final three semesters, you’ll put your knowledge into practice in real clinical settings, working directly with patients under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist.

The practicum sequence begins in the fall of your third year and includes:

• Two full-time 10-week practicums
• One full-time 12-week placement in your final semester

These experiences span a wide range of health care environments, including:

• Acute care
• Subacute care
• Rehabilitation hospitals
• Home health
• Outpatient clinics
• School settings
• Specialized practice centers

With clinical sites spanning the United States and Puerto Rico, in both rural and urban areas, you’ll graduate with a broad and well-rounded clinical education.

Clinical Placements

The hybrid format of the DPT program has a significant number of clinical placement contracts throughout the country. Students should be prepared to complete clinical practicums in locations outside their home area and anticipate traveling to other locations across the U.S., including South Carolina.

Your clinical placements are determined through a collaborative process with our clinical education team. We work closely with you to consider factors like your geographic location to match you with high-quality clinical education sites that offer meaningful experiences across diverse practice settings.

Research Opportunities

Engage in faculty-led projects, guided by experts at the forefront of their fields, and contribute to pioneering studies shaping physical therapy's future. This is more than just research. It's your opportunity to innovate, lead, and make a lasting impact on health care.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite Coursework	Credits
Biology* Prerequisite courses must be courses for science majors. In addition to Biology I and Biology II, acceptable courses include genetics, cell biology, zoology, exercise physiology, human biology and disease, and similar courses. Unacceptable courses include botany and human physiology when used as the physiology prerequisite.	7
Chemistry, includes lab*	8
Human Anatomy, includes lab	4
Human Physiology	3
Physics, includes lab*	8
Psychology Includes three credits of Introductory Psychology and three credits of an upper-level psychology such as Human Growth and Development, Child Development, or Abnormal Psychology.	6
Statistics This course should include parametric and nonparametric statistics.	3

* Indicates basic science coursework and must be courses for science majors.

** Anatomy and Physiology may be taken separately or may be combined and taken as two, four-hour courses. However, if you start a two-part course sequence, you must complete both parts (Anatomy and Physiology I & II). If only a three credit in anatomy is offered, a comparative anatomy or kinesiology course is recommended in addition to the human anatomy course. Also, Vertebrate Anatomy is accepted if Human Anatomy is not offered. Exercise physiology will not meet the Human Physiology requirement.

Additional Notes

• Dual enrollment courses are accepted for prerequisite coursework so long as the course appears on your college transcripts.
• Advanced Placement credits are accepted for prerequisite courses. Submit your official scores report demonstrating a score of 3 or higher. No more than four credits can be used to fulfill prerequisite requirements from a single AP exam, regardless of score.
• We do not accept transfer of credit or credit for experiential learning. Applicants do not receive credit for previous coursework and/or experience.

Frequently Approved Prerequisites

Before applying, it's essential to ensure that any prior coursework meets the admissions requirements. MUSC provides a helpful reference list of frequently approved prerequisite courses to guide you in understanding which classes may satisfy your program's requirements.

Application Process

The following process outlines how and when your materials will be reviewed.

1. Submit the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) PTCAS application as early as possible. After fee payment and official transcripts are received, it usually takes four to six weeks to process and verify the application. The application must be verified by the application deadline to be eligible for review.
2. Complete the MUSC application.
3. Once both applications are complete and the PTCAS application has been verified, your application will be reviewed.
4. Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview.
5. Admissions offers are made on a rolling basis.

Application Requirements

1. PTCAS Application: The following materials must be submitted through the PTCAS application, which may be accessed by clicking here. You do not need to send any of the following information directly to MUSC.
   
   1. Completed application
   2. GRE Score: Our PTCAS GRE school code is 7338.
   3. Letters of recommendation: One from a physical therapist who supervised you in the clinic and a second from a professor or advisor familiar with your academic ability and accomplishments or from an employer if you have been out of school for several years. No personal references will be accepted.
   4. Log of Physical Therapy Experience
   5. Official transcripts from all institutions attended
   6. Personal statement
2. MUSC Application: All applicants must submit an MUSC application.

All information above must be received by the deadline to be considered for admission to the program. Without all materials, applications will be incomplete. It is the applicant's responsibility to review the progress of their application to ensure that all application materials have been submitted. Applicants are responsible for reviewing the progress of their PTCAS application on the PTCAS website.

International Applicants

The DPT – Hybrid program is unable to admit international students requiring an F-1 visa. Applications will only be accepted from U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or those holding other valid nonimmigrant visa classifications that allow participation in lawful study while in the United States.

Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance, or COA, is an estimate of a student's total educational expenses for an enrollment period. The information below reflects the 2025-26 academic year. The COA includes tuition and fees, which are direct costs billed to you by the university, as well as indirect costs you may incur, including food, housing, transportation, books, etc.

The COA is important because it reflects the maximum amount a student may borrow in an academic year to attend the program.

With careful budgeting, students can substantially lower their indirect costs, so their actual expenses are well below the COA. MUSC's Office of Student Financial Literacy can help students develop a budget that supports their educational and personal financial goals.

Item	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Est. Total*
Direct Costs
In-State Tuition	$36,840	$36,840	$36,840	$98,240
Out-of-State Tuition	$36,840	$36,840	$36,840	$98,240
Health Insurance	$3,780	$3,780	$3,780	$11,340
Fees	$1,650	$1,650	$1,100	$4,400
In-State Total Direct Costs	$42,270	$42,270	$29,440	$113,980
Out-of-State Total Direct Costs	$42,270	$42,270	$29,440	$113,980
Indirect Costs
Living Expenses (Food and Housing)	$24,882	$24,882	$18,096	$67,860
Miscellaneous Personal Expenses	$2,640	$2,640	$1,920	$7,200
Transportation	$2,970	$2,970	$2,160	$8,100
Books, Course Materials, Supplies and Equipment	$15,470	$13,610	$5,770	$34,850
Total Indirect Costs	$45,962	$44,102	$27,946	$118,010
In-State Total Costs	$88,232	$88,232	$57,386	$231,990
Out-of-State Total Costs	$88,232	$88,232	$57,386	$231,990

Program Financial Fact Sheet

For additional information, view the DPT - Hybrid Program Financial Fact Sheet 2025 (PDF).

Scholarships & Aid

MUSC offers scholarships for which you may be eligible. Some are awarded based on academic achievement; others are awarded based on community service, for example. However, the majority of scholarships awarded at MUSC are based on financial need. This means that these scholarships are only awarded to students who need some financial assistance to cover the cost of tuition and fees. If you would like to be considered for a financial need-based scholarship, you must have an up-to-date Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Make sure you list the Medical University of South Carolina on your FAFSA form, along with MUSC's code: 003438. We encourage you to submit your FAFSA as early as possible. It is recommended to submit your FAFSA in January if you plan to enroll in the fall.

NPTE Pass Rates

The Doctor of Physical Therapy – Hybrid (DPT) program welcomed its first cohort in Fall 2025. National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) pass rate data will be available for the first cohort after they graduate in May 2028.

Employment Rates

The Doctor of Physical Therapy – Hybrid (DPT) program welcomed its first cohort in Fall 2025. Employment rate data will be available for the first cohort after they graduate in May 2028.

Competencies

Upon completion of the DPT – Hybrid program, graduates should be able to:

• Apply advanced knowledge of human anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and pathophysiology to assess patient needs and design evidence-based interventions
• Conduct and critically evaluate research, including the formulation of research questions, implementation of appropriate methodologies and dissemination of findings, to inform practice and advance the profession
• Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior, including adherence to regulatory standards, cultural sensitivity and patient advocacy in all clinical and scholarly activities
• Exercise effective clinical reasoning and decision-making, incorporating patient values, scientific evidence and outcome measures to deliver safe and effective interventions
• Collaborate effectively in interprofessional teams, communicating clearly with health care professionals, patients and communities to coordinate care and improve health outcomes
• Engage in self-directed lifelong learning, reflecting on personal and professional strengths and limitations and integrating new knowledge into ongoing practice and scholarship

Vision

To advance the future of physical therapy through integration of research-based inquiry, ethical practice and interprofessional leadership that enhances human movement and well-being across communities and beyond.

Values

At the core of our program, we are guided by a commitment to the following values that drive our mission:

• Compassion: We act with kindness, empathy and dignity.
• Collaboration: We achieve common goals through teamwork and partnerships.
• Innovation: We drive transformation by embracing new ideas, discoveries and practices.
• Integrity: We do the right thing and commit to accountability in words, actions and use of resources.
• Respect: We value everyone and their many perspectives to build trust and a sense of belonging.

Mission

The mission of the Doctor of Physical Therapy – Hybrid program is to prepare evidence-based, ethical, comprehensive and compassionate entry-level physical therapists with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. The program seeks to improve the human experience for the citizens of South Carolina and beyond by emphasizing health promotion, disease prevention and movement optimization.

The mission statements for the University, College and Program aim to improve lives beyond those we physically touch [in clinical care] and human life in and beyond South Carolina by being agents of change for the next generation of health care professionals. The DPT – Hybrid program strongly feels that “promotion of health, prevention of disease and injury and the optimization of movement” are critical to the improvements in population health desperately needed in the current health care environment and that physical therapists are uniquely positioned to lead these initiatives.

The DPT – Hybrid program revised its Program, Student and Faculty Goals and Objectives in 2023 to align with the University, College and Program mission statements. The core faculty wrote the goals to reflect PT education, translation of evidence and contemporary practice.