PHYSICAL THERAPY

SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Michael Masaracchio, PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, SCS, FAAOMPT
Associate Professor and Chair
Department of Physical Therapy
718-488-1682
Michael.Masaracchio@liu.edu

Doctor of Physical Therapy

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is a professional entry-level degree program for students seeking a career as a physical therapist. The DPT program has been designed to prepare highly competent professionals to act as autonomous practitioners in health care settings that include direct access by the public to physical therapy services. Graduates will be prepared to provide a full range of physical therapy services including screening and referral, evaluation, diagnosis, intervention, consultation and education.

The DPT program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and is registered with the New York State Education Department. It is a 3-year, full-time program that spans over 11 academic terms and includes 35 weeks of clinical education. The program is a clinical doctorate that requires candidates to possess a baccalaureate degree upon entrance. 

The DPT program enables the graduate to:

  • Value individual diversity and respect the human dignity of patients, family members and professional associates
  • Provide physical therapy services as an autonomous practitioner, who is able to competently serve as a point of entry to, and collaborate within, the health care environment
  • Integrate theory, academic knowledge and clinical skills to practice physical therapy within the complexities of the current health care environment
  • Assess the physical therapy or health care needs of a patient; establish optimum patient outcomes based on examination, evaluation, diagnosis and prognosis; and plan and implement interventions to address the identified needs
  • Communicate clearly and effectively with patients, families, colleagues, policy makers, reimbursement representatives and community members
  • Apply critical thinking strategies and self-directed learning to the role of physical therapist
  • Pursue and apply knowledge of the underlying science on which physical therapy practice is based
  • Understand the contributing economic, medical, cultural and psychosocial issues that impact delivery of health care services

Financial information can be found on the DPT financial fact sheet. Please reach out to the program chair (Michael.Masaracchio@liu.edu) with any questions.

Accreditation and Student Outcomes

The Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy at the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University 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: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 718-488-1682 or email michael.masaracchio@liu.edu.

Individuals seeking to file a complaint about the LIU DPT program can contact CAPTE.  To obtain the materials necessary for submitting a complaint, contact the APTA Accreditation Department at 703/706-3245 or at accreditation@apta.org. For those seeking to file a complaint within LIU against the department, program or faculty member if they believe they have been unfairly adjudicated, please contact the following individuals:

  1. Program Director: Michael Masaracchio | michael.masaracchio@liu.edu | 718-488-1682
  2. Dean of the School of Health Professions:  Winnie Mack | winifred.mack@liu.edu | 516-299-2713
Student Outcomes - NPTE results for the current year will be updated after the July and Oc NPTE.
  • NPTE First Time Pass Rate
    • Class of 2024: 82.4%
    • Class of 2023: 63.2%
    • 2 Year Average: (2023-2024): 72.8%
    • First time pass rate 2015-2019 - 95%-100%
  • NPTE Ultimate Pass
    • Class of 2024: 82.4%
    • Class of 2023: 92.9%
    • Class of 2022: 97.6%
    • Class of 2021: 100%
    • 2 Year Average (2023-2024): 87.7%
  • Graduation rate
    • Class of 2024: 94.5%
    • Class of 2023: 95.3%
    • 2 Year Average (2023-2024): 95.1%
  • 12-month employment rate
    • Class of 2023: 100%
    • Class of 2022: 92.9%
    • 2 Year Average (2022-2023): 96.6%

Admissions Requirements

All requirements must be fulfilled prior to the start date of the program.

  • We will be accepting courses that are pass / fail, including pre-requisites, as long as the applicant can provide documentation that the overall course grade would have been a C or higher. Please reach out to Dr. Masaracchio with specific questions.
  • Please do the best you can to obtain all observation hours. In the event that COVID restrictions limit the ability to obtain inpatient hours, please reach out to Dr. Masaracchio.

Applicants to the DPT program must:

  • Hold a baccalaureate degree in any major
  • Have a recommended total grade-point average (G.P.A.) of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0
  • Have a recommended combined math and science grade-point average (G.P.A) of 2.75 on a scale of 4.0
  • Have successfully completed the following prerequisite courses with no grades lower than C:*

    • — 1 semester of general biology with lab (designed for science majors; at least 4 credits)

    — 2-semester sequence of general chemistry with lab (designed for science or health-related majors; at least 4 credits each)

    — 2-semester sequence of general physics with lab (designed for science or health-related majors; at least 4 credits each)

    — 1 semester of human anatomy or part 1 of a 2-semester sequence of combined anatomy-physiology (at least 4 credits; lab required)

    — 1 semester of human physiology or part 2 of a 2-semester sequence of combined anatomy-physiology (at least 3 credits; lab preferred, but not required for human physiology; lab required for combined anatomy-physiology)

    — 1 semester of statistics (at least 3 credits)

  • Submit an official score report for the GRE revised general test.** The suggested minimum composite (verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning) score is 290 for the GRE revised general test.
  • Provide evidence of a minimum of 36 hours of work experience in 2 different physical therapy settings, including an inpatient and an outpatient setting, with at least 18 hours in each setting.
  • Submit two completed recommendation forms (available at www.PTCAS.org after starting the PTCAS application – see below):

    • — One from a physical therapist

    — One from an academic reference

  • Submit an application for the DPT Program through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) at www.PTCAS.org

NOTE: A PTCAS APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED. We only review official transcripts of applicants that have applied to us that have been submitted, verified and received by us through PTCAS. 

Admissions Process

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION TO THE PTCAS

The Department of Physical Therapy at LIU Brooklyn participates in the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as PTCAS. Those applying to the DPT program must: 

Visit www.ptcas.org to begin the PTCAS application process

Read the instructions available at the PTCAS Web site carefully

Select "Login to PTCAS" to complete the application process

Select “Long Island University – Brooklyn campus” as a designated physical therapy program 

All international and non-native applicants must take the TOEFL examination. The minimum total score accepted is 79 on the Internet-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 550 for the paper-based test. All international students who attended colleges and universities outside of the United States will need to submit a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript(s) by an accepted international credential evaluation agency. To view accepted agencies, please download the accepted credential evaluator’s list.

All applications will be reviewed and screened. Quality applicants will be notified and scheduled for an interview.

*Due to the fact that basic sciences form the foundation for clinical decisions by physical therapists, proficiency in all prerequisite science courses is paramount. In addition to an applicant's ability to demonstrate competency in the critical science disciplines, the Admissions Committee takes into consideration their ability to do so without having to repeat courses. As a result, applicants must be aware that while a minimum grade of C or better is mandatory for each and every science prerequisite, the Admissions Committee also reviews an "average" science grade for any prerequisite course taken multiple times. In addition, online courses are accepted to fulfill any of the course prerequisites. All course prerequisites must be college-level courses. Advanced placement courses are subject to review and approval, and require a score of 3 or higher for acceptance. Any science prerequisite course taken more than 10 years prior to the application will not be accepted.

**Visit www.gre.org  for more information about the GRE revised general test. The LIU Brooklyn Physical Therapy Department code is 0333 which is needed for the PTCAS to receive your GRE results. Applicants applying for either early or regular decision cycles must have taken the GRE revised general test by the dates listed below.

APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR 2025 ENTRANCE

 

Application Deadline

Note

Decision

March 3, 2025

Applicants must:

— fulfill all application requirements prior to the start of the program in early July (Deadline: June 15, 2025)

— have the GRE general test or the GRE revised general test taken by February 1, 2025.

— This is a firm deadline. The application process will be closed after March 3, 2025.

THIS IS A FIRM DEADLINE. THE APPLICATION PROCESS WILL BE CLOSED AFTER THE DEADLINE INDICATED ABOVE.

Please NOTE:  We have a rolling admissions process which occurs throughout the application cycle.  The application portal through PTCAS OPENS every June-July.

Curriculum

The Doctor of Physical Therapy curricular coursework includes:

  • A three year, 118 credit full time entry-level degree program that spans over 11 academic terms.
  • A clinical education model including 35 weeks of full-time clinical experience in diverse practice settings. Students are required to complete at least one inpatient and one outpatient clinical rotation, with two flexible elective settings. Faculty are involved throughout these clinical experiences to foster professional development and clinical reasoning skills.

In order for a student to progress within the program, students must: 1) complete each course with a grade of “C” or better; 2) maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher throughout the program; 3) attain a semester GPA of 2.75 or greater. 

Please note that a “B” average or a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade-point average is required for awarding of the graduate degree for any graduate certificate.

Click here to download the DPT Curriculum – Department of Physical Therapy.

Click here to download our Community Engagement Statement

Click here to download our Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Statement

Faculty and Staff

Resources and Facilities

Teaching Laboratory

Teaching labs with treatment tables and audio-visual equipment.  Students work together in groups to apply and practice examination, intervention, and other hands-on clinical skills with each other. 



Physical Therapy Research Lab

The Physical Therapy Research Lab is a 1,200 square-foot facility located on the 2nd floor of the Zeckendorf Health Sciences Center. It is used for research projects in the areas of:

  • Clinical assessment of gait and other functional activities
  • Reliability and validity of clinical instruments
  • Health promotion and wellness
  • Alternative therapies
  • Motor control
  • Motion Capture
  • EMG
Anatomy Laboratory

The human anatomy cadaver lab is located on the lower level of the pharmacy building. The facility is used primarily for the dissection of human cadavers. The physician assistant, physical therapy and occupational therapy students use the laboratory to master the study of human anatomy. The laboratory is equipped with models and books to enhance student learning. In addition, a camera system with two 70-inch screens has been installed to further student learning by enhancing visualization of detailed anatomical structures.


Why Study Physical Therapy at LIU Brooklyn?


  • Learn the unique urban health care environment and needs of clients in NYC.
  • Clinical placements and internships at top clinics and healthcare affiliates.
  • Nationally recognized faculty who are professional and academic leaders in the field.





CONTACT

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718-488-1011
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