The graduate program in Physical Therapy is committed to educating entry-level master's degree physical therapists who are prepared to meet the health care needs of western Wisconsin by providing services throughout the continuum of health care. Program graduates are prepared to assume leadership roles in the health care delivery system as well as community and professional organizations. Clinical fieldwork experiences are an integral part of the program. The program promotes the inclusion of professional behaviors into the curriculum as a graded requirement for many academic courses and all clinical courses. The program promotes teaching styles that encourage students to be active learners, responsible for their own learning and allows entry-level students different options for advanced course work.
Curricular content is centered on evidence-based practice patterns.
Admission to the professional physical therapy program is competitive. Students often present their research findings at state and national Physical Therapy meetings and win awards for their outstanding research presentations. The UW-La Crosse physical therapy program has established clinical affiliations and internships in communities throughout Wisconsin and the United States. Fieldwork experiences are dispersed throughout the first two years of the curriculum. Following completion of the academic portion of the program, students begin their terminal clinical internships.