Welcome to the Physical Therapy Program!
Welcome! We’re incredibly excited to have you join the University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy program as part of the Class of 2026.
UMN has a long tradition of training physical therapists, with our first class graduating in 1942. The program has changed quite a bit since then, but our commitment to excellence has never waivered. With over 2,400 alumni, our graduates pursue and excel in all areas of the physical therapy profession. Whether you want to practice right after you graduate or go on to specialize, we prepare you for the career of your choice.
This site provides additional information and resources for you to continue to explore the DPT program and the University of Minnesota. Please feel free to reach out to our Admissions Coordinator, Mark Fierst, at any point with questions - umnptadmissions@umn.edu.
UMN DPT Highlights
- Class Size: 62
- Average Student Age: 25
- Core Faculty: 19
- 100% of our graduates from the Class of 2022 passed the national licensure exam, with 98% passing on the first attempt.
- 100% of our students find employment or enter residencies/fellowships within the first year after graduation.
- Rank 25th in the nation for Physical Therapy schools by U.S. News & World Report
Our students spend the first seven semesters of the program on campus in a rigorous mix of basic science, clinical science, clinical skills, integrated clinical education experiences, research foundations, and specialty electives.
The last two semesters are spent off campus in four immersive clinical experiences.
Clinical education begins the fall of your first year, with students completing weekly integrated clinical experiences at a long-term care facility. During the second year, students have outpatient orthopedic clinic and Neurorehabilitation. The last two semesters of the program consist of four, full-time clinical experiences with placement options at over 450 clinical sites.
Check out the resources below, including a video from Dr. Jacquelyn Ruen, our Director of Clinical Education.
UMN is a research institution, and that extends to the Division of Physical Therapy. Almost all of our 18 core faculty members conduct research, from biomechanics to professional behaviors. Students participate in a faculty-led research project during the second year.
Learn more about faculty research, including a video from core faculty member Dr. Brendan Dougherty.
Hear what current DPT students have to say about the program, the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic, and the DEI and SSPORTSI student groups. You can also learn more about student leadership roles. Flip through the topics in the links below to view all of the videos.
UMN is the only public DPT program in Minnesota. We aim to be transparent about the costs of earning a DPT degree, along with providing resources to help finance your education.
Tuition for the 2022-2023 academic year is $9,163 per semester for Minnesota residents with reciprocity for North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin residents and $10,500 per semester for out-of-state residents. Tuition is charged at a flat rate for three semesters each year: summer, fall, and spring, for a total of nine semesters.
Tuition is not inclusive of required medical insurance and other University fees. University fees are roughly $620 each fall and spring semester and $315 for summer. Fees give you access to the wealth of services provided by UMN, including membership to the RecWell Center, Campus Shuttle Service, Boynton Health services, Student Support Services, and much more.
Tuition & Fees Program Scholarships External Scholarships & Loan Forgiveness Programs
Location
Right on the banks of the Mississippi River, our program is part of the lively East Bank Campus in the heart of Minneapolis and is close to restaurants, biking trails, public transportation and more. DPT students, along with graduate health students in other programs, use the area of campus between Washington Ave. and East River Road.
The DPT program has dedicated active lab classrooms in the Phillips-Wangensteen Building, which opened in Fall 2021. This space is directly connected to the Health Education Science Center (HSEC), which opened Summer 2020.
University Resources
Housing
The University offers on-campus student housing for graduate students and offers an off-campus housing resource.
Current students live all over the Twin Cities metro area; however, students who live close to campus frequently reside in the Como, Seward, and Powderhorn neighborhoods surrounding the University's East Bank campus. There are also several neighborhoods around the St. Paul campus (connected via campus shuttle) in the Lauderdale, Falcon Heights, St. Anthony Park, and Como neighborhoods.
Transportation & Parking
Students are eligible for discounted metro-area transit passes (U-Pass). View the resources below to learn more about navigating campus.
Campus Maps Parking Information Bike & Scooter Information Walking Information
Campus Transit
Your student fees include the use of the extensive UMN shuttle service.
Recreation & Wellness Center
Your student fees include membership to the Recreation & Wellness Center on campus. A valid U Card gets you access to various RecWell facilities.
Boynton Health
Boynton Health is open to all students, whether using the University Health Plan or private insurance.
They offer:
- Appointments: schedule online, or call 612-625-3222.
- Urgent Care: walk-in treatment for urgent or acute conditions.
- Gopher Quick Clinic: care for simple medical concerns.
Boynton also manages student immunizations and vaccinations.
Student Counseling Services
Student Counseling Services promotes student success by helping with:
- Mental health and life concerns
- Learning and academic skills challenges
- Career uncertainty
- Faculty/staff-student communication
They are committed to valuing diversity, honoring students, faculty, and staff from all racial, religious, and ethnic identities, sexualities, gender identities, and disability conditions.
BeWell
BeWELL is a wellbeing resource for the health sciences student community.
Wellbeing in interprofessional health students may call for a greater need to emphasize stress reduction, self care, and resilience-building in order to find balance. Finding community with peers in your program, as well as with students across other health professional programs, may enhance your ability to thrive—both as a student and in your future career as a health professional.
BeWELL is committed to providing space, activities, and programming to support the cultivation of community and wellbeing in interprofessional health students at the University of Minnesota.
Contact
Mark Fierst
Admissions Coordinator
umnptadmissions@umn.edu
Mailing Address
Division of Physical Therapy
MMC 388
420 Delaware Street SE
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455