The Rutgers Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences currently houses our nationally ranked, entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program and the developing Occupational Therapy Doctorate and Master’s in Speech and Language Pathology. These programs are located on the RBHS-Newark campus and provide interprofessional education, research and clinical practice.

Faculty in these programs are national and international leaders in their field. They are committed to offering students opportunities for scholarship, research and professional leadership. Scholarly work by faculty and students is regularly accepted for dissemination at national and international conferences, and by top journals in our faculty members’ fields of expertise.

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) degree is a 109-credit, entry-level accredited program that will prepare students as generalists to provide high quality occupational therapy services to serve their patients, to be responsive to changes in health care, to expand care to underserved communities, and to engage in scholarship/research in occupational science and occupational therapy.

The Doctorate of Physical Therapy is a three-year, full-time degree program that prepares students for practice in physical therapy. This long-established program – accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education since 1980 – has relationships with clinical facilities throughout the United States and internationally where students can complete their clinical rotations. With a 100% employment rate among graduates (within six months post licensure), for the past five years. Rutgers physical therapists are sought after for residency programs and clinical practice in every practice venue.

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology is a 65-credit, full-time degree program that prepares students for clinical practice in speech-language pathology in a pluralistic society. This unique program emphasizes diversity, healthcare, and inter- professional education and practice. The program offers a Bilingual Competency Recognition option that enables student to assess and treat in Spanish and Korean. The first class of MS-SLP students graduated in 2023 and has a 100% employment rate.

Department Chair:
Nancy Kirsch, PT, DPT, Ph.D., FAPTA