The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is three years in length. Widener was one of the first 10 programs in the country to offer this degree, now nearly all programs offer the DPT. The curriculum is designed to prepare competent clinicians for contemporary practice. The program was established with firm beliefs that individual and cultural differences bring important variety to perspectives on health, illness and disability.

Outcomes of health interventions are influenced by the behavior of practitioners as well as patients, families and significant others. The contemporary clinician utilizes this knowledge to enhance the autonomy of the consumer, reach realistic functional goals, and demonstrate respect for the individual.

The program educational methods are based on adult education principles, which are both progressive and humanistic. The curriculum espouses beliefs in the learner as a self-directed adult ready to initiate learning and assume responsibility for learning. The faculty guides these learning experiences and provides opportunities for a variety of experiential, interactive and self-directed learning experiences.

Students provide an integral part of the learning adventure by establishing patterns for lifelong acquisition and integration of new knowledge. Students in physical therapy are expected to be highly motivated and committed to the profession.

A key component of the educational experience at Widener is our commitment to experiential learning and civic engagement. We accomplish this through a variety of service learning projects, the community health practicum, and our student-led and student-run probono clinic. Visit www.widener.edu/ipte to learn more!