Curriculum Overview

The DPT Hybrid Salt Lake City Option is a three-year, full-time Doctorate program. The curriculum is identical to the Residential Option, with an innovative layered learning model that utilizes active learning. The curriculum includes:

Courses: Instruction through state-of-the-art recorded lessons and weekly live, synchronous sessions for each course.
Immersions: 11 mandatory in-person experiences located at our Salt Lake City campus.
Clinical Experiences: 42 weeks of Clinical Education experiences.

For a course list and descriptions, see the University of Utah General Course Catalog.

Much of the didactic content will be presented asynchronously using interactive state-of-the-art online educational activities to promote knowledge and fundamental skill acquisition. This is where the foundation of information will begin. Asynchronous instruction will guide students learning through a various combination of activities as short tutorial videos, selected reading assignments, discussions boards, and community interaction spaces, case studies, etc. The acquisition of psychomotor skills and techniques begins with asynchronous video demonstrations.

The information and knowledge from the asynchronous online educational activities will be reinforced with real-time instructor-led synchronous online activities that include opportunities for students to engage in small-group work, discussions, peer-to-peer tutoring, and active learning teaching techniques. The “live” face-to-face sessions will use the video conferencing platform Zoom, in which an instructor will be online live with 15 students at one time. All students will be required to participate in these live online sessions which occur weekly for each class, and participation will be monitored and graded as appropriate.

Immersions are mandatory on-campus experiences for hybrid DPT students. Immersions are intensive, focused sessions in Salt Lake City with time prioritized for needed hands-on feedback for lab-based courses, practice, and examinations. Courses that do not have lab components do not have class time allotted during immersion. Immersions occur around the mid-point of the semester and at the end of the semester.

What happens at immersion:

Refinement of techniques
Clinical application of skills combined with practice
Anatomy prosection experiences
Practical Examinations
In-person mentoring
Relationship building with students across sections and pathways

Approximate Immersion Schedule

Immersions last roughly 6 days and occur twice per semester during the spring and fall and once during summer semesters. There is also a 3-4 day immersion to kick off the program.

Immersion	Term*	Estimated Date*	Length of Immersion
1	Summer	May	3 days, orientation
2	Summer	August	7 days
3	Fall	October	7 days
4	Fall	December	7 days
5	Spring	February	7 days
6	Spring	April	7 days
7	Fall	October	7 days
8	Fall	December	7 days
9	Spring	February	7 days
10	Spring	April	7 days
11	Summer	August	7 days

Clinical Education is comprised of part-time (45 hours) and full-time (11-12 weeks) clinical experiences. DPT students work directly under the direct supervision of a licensed physical therapist in a specialized clinical experience. This experience is designed to help students integrate knowledge, practical skills, and professional behaviors learned to practicing patient-client management.

We have relationships with facilities across the country and can help you find placement near your local area.

Courses

Immersions

Clinical Experiences