This doctorate in physical therapy program educates students who are committed to caring for patients in mind, body and spirit with an emphasis on primary care and preventive medicine as well as continual lifelong learning.
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CUAA will continue to offer this program in 2025 and beyond. Schedule a visit.
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On-campus, eight-week terms
We are committed to developing health care professionals who have a sound foundation in movement science and are prepared for safe, autonomous, and ethical practice as physical therapists within a changing health care environment. Through this program, our faculty inspires a diverse student body for life-long service of patients in mind, body, and spirit grounded in evidence and best practices in rehabilitation and medicine.
Virtual TourThrough the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, you’ll receive the in-depth training for entry-level practice of physical therapy as a generalist clinician. Over the course of 30 months, you’ll explore not only the scientific underpinnings of this profession, but also the professional characteristics of a leader in health care. You’ll learn how to supervise PT staff and personnel, create programs that promote healthy living, and follow the legal and ethical standards of clinical practice.
Our comprehensive curriculum includes coursework in human anatomy and motion, therapeutic exercise, neuroscience, clinical decision making and problem solving, and musculoskeletal disorders, to name just a few. This learning will take place out in the field and in our state-of-the-art-facilities.
This accelerated graduate face-to-face program consists of 103 credits which is spread over 31 didactic courses, and three clinical experiences. These courses and clinical experiences are completed in seven semesters. Students will complete 1,280 hours of clinical education. The curriculum incorporates interprofessional learning experiences and simulation activities aimed at engaging the student in the rich professional content.
The DPT program at CUAA inspires a diverse student body for life-long service of patients in mind, body, and spirit grounded in evidence and best practices in rehabilitation and medicine.
The physical therapy program at CUAA is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Click here to learn more about our accreditation status.
The Physical Therapy Program at Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA) is committed to provide all person’s equal access to higher education without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation status.
The PT Program at CUAA has established Technical Standards for its program delineating the minimum physical, cognitive, emotional, and social requirements necessary to participate fully in all aspects of academic and clinical education. The following essential functional requirements must be met by all students after acceptance into the PT program. In the event that a student is unable, or becomes unable, to fulfill these technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, the student cannot enroll or remain enrolled in the program. Reasonable accommodations may not:
With this in mind, all students must be able to meet the following technical standards with or without reasonable accommodations.
Students must possess the emotional health and stability required for the full utilization of their intellectual abilities; for the exercise of good judgment; for the prompt completion of all responsibilities of patient care; and for the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients/clients. Students must exhibit the ability to tolerate physically challenging environments and function effectively under stress. In order to prove that students are able to adapt to changing environments they must exhibit flexibility, compassion, integrity, motivation, interpersonal skills, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients.
Concordia University Ann Arbor abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable statutes and regulations relating to equal access for persons with disabilities. If a person believes they may require accommodation(s) in order to meet the technical standards, they may discuss their needs with the Director of Student Accessibility Services. A registration form can be found online at the Student Academic Resources webpage under the Accessibility Services tab. The Director will request and review documentation from a qualified licensing professional to determine eligibility for services. If eligible for reasonable accommodations, SAS will work collaboratively with the student and the DPT program to explore accommodation options. Accommodation may not be possible in some cases.
After being admitted to the program, all candidates for admission to the Physical Therapy program will be required to sign a Technical Standards certificate verifying they understand and meet these technical standards. Candidates must meet all the requirements for Physical Therapists as identified by the National Center for O*NET Development and the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Identifying the possession of such skills as outlined above does not guarantee successful completion of the physical therapy educational program.The physical therapy program at Concordia University Ann Arbor started Fall of 2023. The cohort size is 28 students; the program is two-and-a-half years (30 months and 7½ semesters) long and upon successful graduation students will earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree.
We anticipate three types of applicants:
All applicants will utilize the Physical Therapy Central Application Service (PTCAS). All qualified applicants will be considered for an interview. The Physical Therapy Admissions Committee is responsible for the review and recommendation of qualified applicants for admission to the Physical Therapy program. Applications are reviewed in the year prior to planned matriculation. The admission cycle typically opens in July and closes in October of the year prior to admission.
Five of the seven prerequisite courses must be completed at the time of application.
All students applying for admission to the program must submit through PTCAS:
*Students with international transcripts must have them evaluated by a foreign transcript evaluation service, and the official scores must be submitted directly from the evaluation service to PTCAS.
**TOEFL is required for international applicants. Scored should be reported as follows for a single testing instance: Reading - 22, Listening - 21, Writing - 22, Speaking - 24
***Applicants with additional experience beyond 40 hours will not be granted preferential consideration.
Concordia University Ann Arbor Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program at Concordia University Ann Arbor is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: https://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 734-995-7431 or email physical.therapy@cuaa.edu.
Our clinical partners and members of the public that wish to share areas of concern with the program are encouraged to do so. Any and all complaints are reviewed by the Program Director and the outcome of that review will be communicated with the respondent. To submit a complaint please provide your contact information and a detailed description of the issue you wish to be addressed to susannah.steele@cuaa.edu. All complaints are kept confidential to the extent possible and any complainant is free from retaliation.
Assistant Professor
Visiting Faculty
Office: Ann Arbor North Building 304
Phone: (734) 995-7535
Assistant Professor
Phone: (734) 995-3466
Dr. Kieffer is a Board-certified specialist in Geriatrics with over 17 years of experience in physical therapy. She has worked in diverse clinical settings, including acute care, subacute, outpatient, and home care. She is passionate about a holistic approach to patient care as she specializes in managing complex health conditions. Dr. Kieffer is an Assistant Professor at Concordia University Ann Arbor, where she teaches Cardiopulmonary and Integumentary, Lymphatics, and Limb Loss content. She recently earned her PhD in Health Science from Youngstown State University, focusing on healthy aging and fall prevention.
Director of Clinical Education, Assistant Professor
Office: Ann Arbor North Building 307
Phone: (734) 995-7511
I enjoy wellness adventures which includes being out in nature with my camera taking photos of landscape, wildlife, pets, and sports action shots.
Director - Physical Therapy Program (CUAA), Associate Professor
Office: Ann Arbor North Building 315A
Phone: (734) 995-7472
Dr. Steele has been a practicing clinical PT since 1999 largely focused on pediatrics and actively teaching in DPT programs since 2014.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the accelerated nature of the program, the CUAA DPT Program calendar does not always align with the University-wide academic calendar. Students are made aware of these changes at the beginning of each term.
Modifications have been made to the curriculum for the cohort beginning summer 2026 that are not yet reflected in the catalog. Please click here to view the current course sequence for the CUAA DPT Program.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at CUAA is 2½ years (7½ semesters) of accelerated learning delivered in a flipped classroom format.
No. GRE is not required for admission into the program.
A cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 is required, and the Science prerequisite requirement is 3.2 as well for post baccalaureate applicants. Candidates who identify physical therapy as their major in their freshman year at CUAA will be enrolled in an accelerated program with a prerequisite of 3.4 and will be guaranteed an interview.
No. We use a holistic admission process that assesses the candidate's eligibility and ability to be successful in the program based on many aspects (personal statement essay, focus essay, letters of recommendation, volunteer/community service hours, observation hours, in-person interview).
Three letters of recommendation are required: one from a licensed Physical Therapist, one from a professor, and a third from anyone of your choosing.
The following prerequisite courses are required for admissions:
We now accept online courses with labs that meet the requirements, such as Portage Learning.
Applicants are encouraged to complete all courses before the application deadline. However, with communication with admission administration, exceptions may be made for up to two courses to be completed prior to the commencement of the program.
The highest score earned in a course is counted toward GPA. Prior lower scores are disregarded.
Complete an application through PTCAS.
We conduct an in-person interview and a group interview, which takes place on campus for a full day. During this interview, you will meet the professors, tour the campus, engage in activities with others, and speak with current students for Q&A.
Typically, after the in-person interview, you will receive an email notification of acceptance into the program within one week. To hold your spot after verbal acceptance, a $1000 deposit will be requested within two weeks. This deposit is put towards tuition once a student begins the program.
Observation hours are considered hours spent with a physical therapist observing aspects of the career of being a physical therapist. We require at least 20 hours with a physical therapist in any practice environment (outpatient, inpatient, subacute rehab, etc.). At least 20 volunteer hours are required and recommended for an underserved and/or underrepresented population.
Once accepted into the program, an eight-week introductory course and orientation as well as an optional anatomy prefresher course begins in late June.
Yes. There will be a White Coat ceremony within the first few weeks of the semester. Family is encouraged to attend and celebrate this momentous occasion.
You’ll engage with expertly designed online lectures and skills labs that capture both verbal and non-verbal cues critical to clinical mastery. Concise, focused segments with clear objectives and interactive checkpoints mean you arrive in class ready to apply what you’ve learned. On campus, CUAA faculty guide you through advanced skill practice, challenging clinical cases, simulations, and community service - so every session builds confidence, deepens clinical insight, and prepares you to lead with skill and purpose.
An accelerated, hands-on DPT experience that empowers you with clinical excellence, leadership, and faith-driven purpose
*Graduation rate according to the formula in the Annual Accreditation Report
** The two-year average first-time pass rate
***Licensure examination pass rate consistent with the information published by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy
****Employment rate: % of graduates who were employed within 6 months of passing the licensure examination
| Graduation Year | Graduation Rate * | 2-year Graduation Rate | First-Time Pass Rate | 2-year average 1st time pass rate** | Ultimate Pass Rate*** | 2-year average ultimate pass rate | Employment Rate **** | Number of Students per Cohort | Number of Concordia Undergraduates in Cohort |
| 2025 | 90.48% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 21 | 5 |
| 2026 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 17 | 3 |
| Fee Type | Cohort 2024-25 | Cohort 2025-26 | Cohort 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semester Tuition | $21,960 | $22,725 | $23,520 |
| Yearly Tuition | $43,920 | $45,450 | $47,040 |
| Total Program Tuition (semester tuition x 5 semesters) | $109,800 | $113,625 | $117,600 |
| Institutional fees per year | $322 | $378 | $378 |
| Additional expenses | $2875 | $2875 | $2875 |
| Total (approx.) | $112,997 | $116,878 | $120,853 |
Our team is standing by to assist you with additional program details, financial aid options, and admissions questions.
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