Graduate College Doctor of
Physical Therapy About the Program
Our Curriculum
Physical therapists are inquisitive explorers. They collaborate with patients to promote healing through their vast knowledge of anatomy and physiology, finely tuned listening skills and strong motivation to help others.
The 118-credit (eight semesters) DPT program is full-time and is completed in 33 months. Classes meet on our St. Paul campus in a weekday format.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) at St. Catherine University is a highly integrative graduate program that guides your development as a compassionate leader with the expertise to improve lives. Our graduates take their passion for healing beyond clinical competence. St. Catherine’s physical therapists are highly regarded for their ethics, agile minds, courageous spirits and ability to lead within the complex and diverse landscape of healthcare. St. Catherine’s DPT curriculum teaches you to think like a physical therapist from the start, so you are well prepared for the complex demands of a rapidly changing healthcare environment. By the time you graduate, you will have worked in clinical settings and on real-world case studies for three years, so you are ready to begin your professional practice at a higher level. Close-working relationships with professors and clinical faculty are important to your growth. Our faculty are passionate about teaching, and they care about their students as much as they care about instilling high standards of practice. They appreciate that you will be their colleague in a few short years, and they give you the best possible preparation to excel in the field. Within six months of graduation, 100% of St. Catherine students who pass the physical therapist licensure examination are employed. The leadership development you gain as a student and the active involvement of our faculty in professional and community organizations open doors for you.
St. Catherine’s curriculum is a national model for teaching physical therapy. Our program breaks away from more traditional physical therapy curricula by integrating basic and clinical sciences within each course. Case studies and hands-on application are central to our DPT program, promoting self-reflection and experiential learning. DPT students complete one course at a time, integrating multiple layers of classroom and active coursework. Through our unique curriculum, you become adept at formulating and researching pertinent questions and exercising ethical decision-making skills. St. Catherine’s focus on social justice is top of mind in the DPT program. We believe quality healthcare should be available to all, and we work to promote environments and social structures that support optimal health. Our students participate in service learning in the United States or internationally. This gives you the opportunity to interact with underserved populations and observe how environment, race, economics, social policy and cultural interactions impact health. Tuition and Fees The 2024–25 tuition rate for the DPT degree is $13,880 per semester. Additional costs include fees for student services and technology ($330 per term) and books (prices vary by course).