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Physical Therapy (MPT)

The Master of Physical Therapy educates reflective practitioners who are prepared to meet the challenges of client-centered, evidence-based physical therapy practice.

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A physical therapist bends slightly to talk to an elderly patient seated with a walking aid in front of her.
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    Faculty

    • College of Rehabilitation Sciences
    • Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
    • Faculty of Graduate Studies

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    Degree

    • Master of Physical Therapy

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    Expected duration

    • 2 years

  • Graduates of the Master of Physical Therapy program demonstrate professional accountability and collaborative practice in diverse environments. They apply an evidence-based approach to physical therapy, seeking out new and relevant research, while evaluating and integrating the information applicable to client-centered practice.

    Fully accredited

    The Master of Physical Therapy program at the University of Manitoba has completed the accreditation review process administered by Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada (PEAC). The status of Accreditation – Fully Compliant was granted to the program for the period until April 30, 2026. 

  • A physiotherapist works on a patients foot.

Program details

The MPT program consists of an integrated schedule of academic and clinical components that take place over a two year period.

Expected duration: 2 years

Tuition and fees: Two year’s tuition, then continuing fees in subsequent years (refer to Graduate tuition and fees)

The Master of Physical Therapy curriculum includes a combination of seminars, lectures, clinical skills, laboratory sessions, peer teaching, case studies, tutorials, problem solving exercises, independent study, collaborative group work, and development of a professional portfolio.

Clinical education is interspersed throughout the program and progresses from basic to advanced.

The first year of the program takes place over 43 weeks and consists of:

  • 31 weeks of academic study and
  • 12 weeks (6 weeks and 6 weeks) of clinical placements.

The second year of the program takes place over 42 weeks and consists of:

  • 24 weeks of academic study
  • 18 weeks (6 weeks, 6 weeks and 6 weeks) of clinical placements and
  • a group capstone project interwoven throughout.

Sample course offerings

  • PT 6100: Foundations of Physical Therapy (5 credit hours)   
  • PT 6124 Physical Therapy and Hospital Based Care  (4 credit hours)
  • PT 6140 Neuromusculoskeletal Anatomy for Physical Therapy (3 credit hours)  
  • PT 6250: Integrated Practice for Neuromusculoskeletal Conditions (3 credit hours)   
  • PT 6260: Physical Therapy Practice and Professional Issues 1 (3 credit hours)
  • PT 6291: Neuromusculoskeletal Clinical Education 1 (6 credit hours)
  • PT 7121: Clinical Skills for Physical Therapy Neurological Conditions (5 credit hours)  
  • PT 7124: Clinical Skills for Physical Therapy in Cardiorespiratory Conditions (5 credit hours)  
  • PT 7292: Neurosciences Clinical Education (6 credit hours)
  • PT 7294: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Clinical Education (5 credit hours)
  • PT 7410: Exercise Prescription and Manual Therapy for Physical Therapists (3 credit hours)  
  • PT 7500: Physical Therapy Evaluation/Research Project (6 credit hours)

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

Professional portfolio

In addition to successfully completing each of the program courses, physical therapy students are expected to create and maintain a professional portfolio.

Portfolios can include:

  • degrees and transcripts
  • health records
  • CPR/first aid certificates
  • samples of work selected from assignments and projects
  • feedback and evaluations from course work and fieldwork
  • self-evaluation
  • course objectives and outlines
  • learning logs
  • goals related to learning and professional development
  • summary of participation in activities
  • projects
  • volunteer work

Admission requirements

The following are minimum requirements for entry into the Master of Physical Therapy program. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

The Master of Physical Therapy is a graduate program, which means that you must complete an undergraduate degree, including several required and recommended courses, before you can be considered for admission.

In addition to the admission requirements described here, all applicants must meet the minimum admission and English language proficiency requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

An acceptable English Language Proficiency test score is required, if applicable. Please note that Physical Therapy requires scores above the FGS minimum requirement, as follows:

  • CanTEST - A minimum band of 4.5 in Listening, Reading and Oral Expression and a minimum of 4.0 in writing.
  • IELTS - A minimum overall score of 7.0 and must include all components of the test (i.e., listening, reading, writing and speaking).
  • TOEFL (iBT) - A minimum total score of 92 is required, with no sub-score lower than 21.

Only the above test types will be accepted.

Prerequisite course equivalencies for other institutions

Prerequisite Courses University of Manitoba Université de St. Boniface University of Winnipeg Brandon University Canadian Mennonite University Athabasca University
Human Anatomy (3 credit hours)

BIOL 1410 or

PHED/KIN 2320 with PHED/KIN 3320 or

KPER 2320 with KIN 3320

BIOL 1411

BIOL-1112/6

15:132 or

94:132 or

15:171 with 15:172

BIOL 1360

BIOL 235
Physiology of the Human Body (3 credit hours)

BIOL 1412 or

BIOL 2410 with BIOL 2420

BIOL 1413 or

BIOL 2411 with BIOL 2421

BIOL-1112/6 or

KIN-2204/3

Same requirements as Human Anatomy

BIOL 1370

Same requirements as Human Anatomy
Introductory Biology (3 credit hours with genetics)

BIOL 1000 or

BIOL 1010 or

BIOL 1020 or

BIOL 1030 or

BIOL 2500

BIOL 1001 or

BIOL 1011 or

BIOL 1021 or

BIOL 1031 or

BIOL 2501

BIOL-1115/3 or

BIOL-1102/6 or

BIOL 2301/3

15:162 or

15:282 or

94:162

BIOL 1310 or

BIOL1330 or

BIOL 1331

BIOL 204
Introductory Psychology (6 credit hours)

PSYC 1200

PSYC 1201 or

PSYC 1211 with PSYC 1221

PSYC‑1000/6

82:160 with 82:161

PSYC 1000 or

PSYC 1010 with PSYC 1020

PSYC 289 with PSYC 290
Child Development (3 credit hours)  

PSYC 2290 or

PHED 2550 or

KPER 3550 or

FMLY 1010 or

NURS 1260

PSYC 2291

PSYC‑2200/3 or

PSYC 3200/3 or

KIN‑2207/3

82:274

PSYC 2200

PSYC 228 or

PSYC 323
Aging (3 credit hours)

PSYC 3070 or

PSYC 2370 or

NURS 2610 or

KIN 2610 or

KIN 3510 or

KIN 4500

Not available

PSYC‑3220/3 or

KIN‑3208/3

82:356

PSYC 2220

PSYC 381
Basic Statistical Analysis I (3 credit hours)

STAT 1000 or

PSYC 2250 or

PSYC 2260

STAT 1001 or

PSYC 2251or

PSYC 2261

STAT 1301/3 or

STAT‑1302/3 or

STAT‑1201/6 or

STAT‑1501 or

PSYC‑2101/3

62:171 or

82:250 with 82:251

MATH 1000 or

PSYC 2040

MATH 215 or

SOCI 301
English (6 credit hours)

ENGL 1200 or

ENGL 1300 or

ENGL 2000 or

ENGL 1340 with ENGL 1400

FRAN 1001 or

FRAN 1071 with FRAN 1091

ENGL‑1001/6 or 

Two of ENGL‑1000/3, ENGL‑1003/3, ENGL‑1004/3  

Two of 30:151, 30:153, 30:161, 30:162

ENGL 1010 with ENGL 1020

Two of ENGL 211, ENGL 212, ENGL 255, or ENGL 302

How to submit a course for prerequisite review

If you are unable to find your course(s) listed in the guide to prerequisite course from other institutions, you can check to see if the University of Manitoba has previously assessed courses from your home institution. Courses that have been assessed for equivalency are located in the University of Manitoba’s Transfer Credit Equivalencies database.

Courses from other Canadian institutions may have been assessed directly by the Master if Physical Therapy program Admissions Committee and are therefore able to be used as prerequisite requirements for the program, but are not included in the database above. If you are unable to find your course(s) listed in the Transfer Credit Equivalency database above, please email the Physical Therapy Admissions Officer at CORS.PTprogram@umanitoba.ca to see if your course has previously been assessed for equivalency by the Department of Physical Therapy.

If your course has not been previously assessed, you will be notified to submit:

Submit the completed Prerequisite Recognition Request form and detailed course syllabus to CORS.PTprogram@umanitoba.ca.

Courses will be reviewed and assessed for equivalency by the MPT Chair of Admissions. Email notification will be provided with the outcome.

In order for prerequisite pre-assessments to take place prior to the November 15th MPT application deadline course requests must be submitted to our office no later than October 1st. 

Applicants with course work not previously reviewed and approved or submitted for pre-assessment (prior to October 1st) are asked to email their course syllabi to our office at CORS.PTprogram@umanitoba.ca at the time of application.

Questions about prerequisites

Please contact us if you have questions about prerequisites.
CORS.PTprogram@umanitoba.ca

How to apply

Applications for the Master Physical Therapy program are accepted once a year for Fall entry. Applications must be completed online and include several parts:

Please read the Faculty of Graduate Studies online application instructions before beginning your application.

Application deadlines

Canadian applicants
Term Application deadline Apply
Fall 2022 November 15, 2021 Application not yet open

Multiple Mini Interviews

The Multiple Mini Interview process is a series of 10-minute interviews that evaluate potential students’ personal characteristics that are important for success in health sciences including:

  • ethics
  • communication
  • team player
  • critical reasoning skills
  • reflective
  • strong interpersonal skills
  • accountability
  • good judgment
  • flexibility
  • empathy
  • maturity

Interviews for 2021 are scheduled for March 13 and 14, 2021.

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Contact us

Admission and application inquiries

Faculty of Graduate Studies
Room 500 UMSU University Centre
65 Chancellors Circle
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

graduate.admissions@umanitoba.ca
Phone: 204-474-9377
Fax: 204-474-7553

Monday to Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program inquiries

College of Rehabilitation Sciences
R106 - 771 McDermot Avenue
University of Manitoba (Bannatyne campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T6

CORS.PTprogram@umanitoba.ca
Phone: 204-789-3897
Fax: 204-789-3927