Curriculum

Clinical Education
Belmont University School of Physical Therapy currently has agreements with over 400 clinical sites from coast to coast and overseas! Our students complete a total of 39 weeks in clinical experiences, which is well above the national average according to the APTA.

Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

pictured is the London's Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

Clinical education at Belmont University includes four eight-week full-time affiliations in acute care, rehabilitation or subacute care, and outpatient settings. Each student is expected to complete at least one of these full-time clinical rotations outside of the Middle Tennessee region. However, our location in Nashville, TN, a regional health care hub with many major hospitals and medical centers, allows us to give our students excellent, varied part-time clinical experiences as well.

Gail Bursch, our Director of Clinical Education, works with each student individually to best meet their educational, and in some cases, geographic needs.

DOCTORATE OF PHYSICAL THERAPY CURRICULUM
DPT Course Sequence

YEAR ONE - FALL SEMESTER (19 Credit Hours)
PHT 5000             3              Histology
PHT 5010             2              Kinesiology/Biomechanics
PHT 5020             7              Human Physiology
PHT 5030             2              Critical Inquiry I
PHT 5040             1              Therapeutic Exercise
PHT 5100             4              Human Anatomy

YEAR ONE - SPRING SEMESTER (19 Credit Hours)
PHT 5010             4              Kinesiology/Biomechanics
PHT 5100             3              Human Anatomy
PHT 5110             3              Pathophysiology  I
PHT 5120             3              Physical Therapy Foundations I
PHT 5130             3              Critical Inquiry II
PHT 5140             2              Professional and Clinical Issues
PHT 5150             1              Clinical Experience I

YEAR TWO – FALL SEMESTER (20 Credit Hours)
PHT 5200             6              Neuroscience
PHT 5210             3              Physical Therapy Foundations II
PHT 5220             6              Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy I
PHT 5230             3              Psycho-Socio-Cultural Implications in Human Develop.
PHT 5240             1              Critical Inquiry III
PHT 5250             1              Clinical Experience II

YEAR TWO – SPRING/SUMMER SEMESTER (28 Credit Hours)|
PHT 5300             6              Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy II
PHT 5310             6              Neuromuscular Physical Therapy I
PHT 5330             2              Pathophysiology II
PHT 5340             2              Health and Wellness
PHT 5350             1              Clinical Experience III
PHT 5360             1              Critical Inquiry IV
PHT 5370             8              Physical Therapy Practice I (8-week, full-time clinical)
PHT 5430             2              Health Care Systems

YEAR THREE – FALL SEMESTER (23 Credit Hours)
PHT 5320             3              Ethics in Health Care
PHT 5400             6              Neuromuscular Physical Therapy II
PHT 5410             4              Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy
PHT 5420             2              Pharmacotherapeutics
PHT 5440             2              Physical Therapy Management
PHT 5450             2              Sports Physical Therapy
PHT 5460             1              Critical Inquiry V
PHT 5470             1              Collaborative Teaching
PHT 5540             2              Strategic and Financial Planning in Health Care

YEAR THREE – SPRING/SUMMER SEMESTER (24 Credit Hours)
PHT 5500             8              Physical Therapy Practice II   (8-week, full-time clinical)
PHT 5510             8              Physical Therapy Practice III  (8-week, full-time clinical)
PHT 5520             8              Physical Therapy Practice IV  (8-week, full-time clinical) 

TOTAL CURRICULUM HOURS: 133