Doctorate of Physical Therapy 

Start Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Program Length: 31 Months
Class Size: 60 students per cohort
Licensure: Upon doctoral graduation, candidates must pass the National Physical Therapy Exam and seek state licensure in order to practice.

• View Program in Catalog
• View Program Information eBook
• View Program Outcomes
   

Compliments and/or Feedback:

Positive feedback and/or concerns that fall outside of due process should be directed to:

Dr. Kimberly Varnado, Program Director kvarnado [at] csm.edu 402-399-2305

DPT Admissions Decisions

Completion of basic requirements does not guarantee an interview or admission into CSM’s DPT program. CSM’s Physical Therapy Admission Committee uses a selection model to choose which candidates best qualify for the program and practice of the profession from a pool of applicants. Admission is based on quality of baccalaureate academic institution, cumulative and prerequisite GPA, difficulty of prior coursework, and references.

Apply Through PTCAS

In order to submit your application please follow this link to PTCAS. Once you have an account you will be able to find College of Saint Mary in Omaha, NE. Follow the instructions and submit your application materials including: Resume or curriculum vitae, two letters of reference, community involvement, observation hours, etc. Please give about 2 weeks for us to review all of your materials and remember that all communication will be conducted through the email you provide.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy at College of Saint Mary 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 [at] apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 402-399-2640.

State Authorization

College of Saint Mary seeks to make available all online programs/courses to residents of Nebraska and other states, and to allow completion of required clinical or practical experiences in those states. We work through the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) process and with states directly to ensure that when authorization or licensure is necessary, required approvals are secured. Nebraska is a member of SARA and CSM is an approved SARA institution. As such, we adhere to a set of national standards for interstate offering of post-secondary distance education courses and programs. SARA also covers all interstate placements in clinical or practical situations among SARA member states, no matter the nature of the main program. However, not all states are SARA members (i.e. California). While we do monitor the laws in each state, authorization of distance education is a dynamic environment and prospective students should check often for updates. It is the student’s responsibility to understand current circumstances or special requirements in their state of residence.