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Requirements and Application Process

Department of Physical Therapy
The UM PT PhD program requires that PhD students work closely with one or more PhD faculty members to develop a plan of study and to guide dissertation research. It is therefore very important to ensure that we match the research interests and background of potential PhD students to those of the faculty members who are available to mentor a new student.

To facilitate the process of matching PhD students with mentors we require that all potential applicants complete and submit a Pre-application Information Form. Click here to complete the pre-application form.

The PhD committee reviews the Pre-application Information Forms to identify potential PhD student and faculty matches. If your area of interest and background match that of a faculty member who is prepared to accept a new PhD student, we will provide you with contact information for that faculty mentor(s). Potential applicants should then contact the faculty member to discuss the applicant’s background and research interests by e-mail, phone, skype, Zoom or in-person. If both the faculty member and potential applicant agree that there is a match, the applicant will be invited to submit all required application materials for review by the full PhD committee 

If the applicant is accepted by the PhD committee, the faculty member who agreed to supervise the student will serve as the Chair of the student’s Supervisory committee. The following is a list of UMPT faculty members who can supervise a PhD student.

Stipend and tuition support is potentially available for qualified applicants.

Application deadline is January 31, 2026.

Click here to download admissions application form.
Click here for the recommendation form.

The applicant must meet all the general admissions requirements of the University of Miami Graduate School. Additionally, stipulations include:

Entry into the PhD program is dependent upon having any of the degrees below:

  • An entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy
  • An advanced Master’s Degree with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy
  • A Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy.
  • An applicant with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy, though able to commence course work in the PHD Program, will be required to complete the credits to equal that of Advanced Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy before final admission to the PhD Program.
  • Official Transcripts of all college work.
  • Three completed recommendation forms with at least one form completed by a physical therapist.
  • A letter indicating career goals and objectives.
  • Licensure, or eligibility for licensure, as a physical therapist in the State of Florida (must be licensed within 1 year of admission). Applicants that do not meet this requirement are ineligible for consideration.
  • International applicants, who complete college and university work outside the United States, must have all transcripts evaluated by the University of Miami’s Office of International Admissions.

The research areas of the faculty are diverse, reflecting the clinical and scientific emphasizes areas of the faculty. Please refer to the Faculty Section for specifics.