DPT/PhD Program

Students enrolled in the DPT program who are interested in a career in research have the opportunity to apply to the DPT-PhD Program offered in collaboration with the Georgia Tech Applied Physiology (AP) PhD program. DPT students in the second year of the DPT apply to the GT AP program, with successful applicants beginning PhD studies concurrently with their third year DPT coursework. After completing the DPT, students continue on in the PhD component with stipend funding and tuition support in the form of Teaching Assistantships, scholarships or Research Assistantships funded by their PhD advisor’s grant.

The didactic curriculum program for dual degree students requires at least 4 years to complete (not including the dissertation component), as follows:

• Year 1 – Emory DPT program: 27 credit hours Clinical Theory, 16 credit hours Anatomy and physiology, 8 credit hours Motor control (9 of these hours will transfer to satisfy the GT AP-PhD Systems Physiology requirement and 6 will transfer to meet the Cohesive Minor)
• Year 2 – Emory DPT program: 26 credit hours Clinical Theory, 2 credit hours A&P, 3 credit hours Motor control, 20 credit hours Internship.  (None of these hours are considered for transfer of credit to GT AP-PhD degree)  Interested students are expected to apply to Georgia Tech during this year.
• Year 3 – Emory DPT program: 8 credit hours Clinical Theory, 10 credit hours Internship, 12 SCH Clinical Research, 12 credit hours Electives.  Emory DPT clinical research requirement to be fulfilled with AP-Ph.D. research rotations.
• Year 4-6/7- GT AP-PhD program: 9 credit hours Systems Physiology, 6 credit hours Focus Area, 3 credit hours Cohesive Minor, 3 credit hours Biostatistics, 3 credit hours graduate seminar, 12 credit hours dissertation research.

The Emory/Georgia Tech DPT/PhD dual degree program trains physical therapist-scientists to advance research in movement science, and improve therapies and technologies to enhance the health and function of persons with movement disorders. The DPT/PhD Program combines the advantages of intensive preparation of clinicians with rigorous interdisciplinary research training. Students have the opportunity to learn from internationally recognized movement scientists. Studies encompass physiological systems and mechanisms that contribute to motor control and physical activity, and the restoration of motor function that has been lost or impaired as a result of injury, disease or congenital condition.