Bachelor of Sciences in Health Sciences to Doctor of Physical Therapy
Chapman University offers a unique pathway designed to support high-achieving Health Sciences undergraduates who are interested in pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Eligible students who meet all pathway criteria receive early priority consideration for an interview with the DPT program.
While admission to the DPT program is not guaranteed, students who complete the pathway requirements are reviewed holistically and competitively alongside the general applicant pool. This structured pathway offers early exposure to the DPT program, mentorship opportunities, and a clearer route to a career in physical therapy—making it an ideal option for motivated students.
DPT Pathway requirements include:
STEP ONE: Academic Performance
By spring semester of the junior year, students seeking to apply via the pathway must:
a) Complete the following courses and adhere to the criteria associated with the courses:
- BIOL 204/204L, BIOL 205/205L, HSCI 210/210L, HSCI 365, HSCI 366/366L, CHEM 140/140L, CHEM 150/150L, PHYS 107/107L, PHYS 108/108L, PSY 203 (or MATH 203), and one course in Human Behavior (i.e., PSY, SOC)
- Must be taken at Chapman University or must be identified as equivalent in the Chapman University/Saddleback College TAG agreement
- May only be taken once
- Must be taken for a letter grade, earning a "C" or better
- Must be completed by the end of spring semester junior year
b) Have a cumulative GPA ≥ 3.5
c) Ensure that they are on track to meet the requirements for observation/experience hours and other admission and prerequisite requirements, which can be found at https://www.chapman.edu/crean/academic-programs/graduate-programs/physical-therapy/admissions.aspx
Students should work with the pre-health advisor Randy Zuniga (randyz@chapman.edu) and academic advisor Mona Gutierrez (monag@chapman.edu)to ensure that they are taking the correct courses.
STEP TWO: Declaration and Plan
By the end of the junior year, the student seeking to apply to the Doctor of Physical Therapy program must email the DPT Director of Admissions, Dr. Jo Armour Smith (josmith@chapman.edu) to verify the fulfillment of requirements for admission.
STEP THREE: Application Submission and requirements
Once the student has met the above criteria for prerequisites and observation/experience hours, and is ready to apply to the DPT program, the following steps must be completed in the order they are listed to be considered for an interview.
- Submit an application through the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) when the admissions cycle begins in July/August prior to the beginning of the senior year
- Email DPT admissions (dptadmit@chapman.edu) with their PTCAS number to indicate that they are a DPT Pathway applicant and that they have submitted their application. This must be completed no later than a week after submitting the application.
- Once we review the PTCAS application and verify that the student has met all criteria, the student will be contacted for an interview.
Students must then complete their B.S. Health Science degree prior to matriculation in the DPT program. For DPT Pathway students who are admitted to the program, the enrollment deposit will be waived.