Degree Requirements
The Degree Requirements Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (TDPT) program consists of 18 credits (9 classes) for US-educated therapists and 22 credits (11 classes) for foreign-educated therapists. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based practice and addresses core competencies to enrich the practice of physical therapy. Students with professional experience and/or coursework in certain areas may request waivers for up to 6 of these credits (3 courses, indicated in the course description below) by submitting a portfolio documenting their experience. Detailed instructions are included in the acceptance packet. Students submitting a portfolio will be charged a $200 portfolio review fee.
The program is entirely online. Most courses include both synchronous (i.e., all students participate at a specific date and time) and asynchronous (i.e., on your own time) components. Students are only required to take one course per semester, but many take two. Therefore, most students will take approximately two years to complete the program, although this may vary.
Students can start any semester. Most courses can be taken in any order, with the following exceptions:
- PT 505 Clinical Decision Making must be taken before the Clinical Practice Series course. For individuals without a US license PT 505 must be taken first.
- PT 702 Case Analysis is designed as a capstone-like experience, and must be taken last.
Students must maintain a 2.7 cumulative grade point average to remain in good academic standing. Failure to maintain this may lead to dismissal from the program.
The curriculum consists of Core Courses and the Clinical Practice Series. All courses are 2 credits.
Curriculum
Core Courses (all are required)
- PT 504 Teaching Methods (2 credits) Required course for which a waiver is possible (note the course waiver is not guaranteed).
- PT 505 Clinical Decision Making (2 credits)
- PT 508 Medical Screening (2 credits)
- PT 547 Health Promotion (2 credits)
- PT 555 Pharmacology (2 credits)
- PT 556 Diagnostic Imaging (2 credits)
- PT 656 Neuromuscular Tissues and Motor Control (2 credits) Required course for which a waiver is possible (note the course waiver is not guaranteed).
- PT 702 Case Analysis (2 credits)
Additional courses required of foreign educated therapists
- PT 503 Ethics and Law (2 credits) Required course for which a waiver is possible (note the course waiver is not guaranteed).
- PT 528 Health Care Systems (2 credits) Required course for which a waiver is possible (note the course waiver is not guaranteed).
Clinical Practice Series (Choose one course)
The Clinical Practice Series courses emphasize recent advances in a particular specialty area of physical therapy practice. Students choose one course based upon their area of practice, although therapists with specialty certification or significant post-professional training in their area of practice may request a waiver via portfolio submission (see “Portfolio Review/Course Waiver” criteria below). The content in these courses reinforces and reflects principles taught in PT 505 Clinical Decision Making, which is a pre-requisite; however, emphasis is placed on specific recommendations for clinical management (i.e. content rather than process). Each course emphasizes a clinical reasoning process, use of appropriate tests and measures, use of appropriate interventions, and the most relevant outcome measures.
Students may take more than one of the Clinical Practice Series for additional tuition, which will be charged on a per-credit basis.
- PT 705 Orthopedic Physical Therapy (2 credits)
- PT 706 Neurologic Physical Therapy (2 credits)
- PT 707 Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy (2 credits)
- PT 708 Geriatric Physical Therapy (2 credits)
Elective Mini Courses
These brief, asynchronous courses provide an efficient means for students to address credentialing deficiencies on a variety of topic. Please note that these course are separate from, and do not count towards, the DPT. Each course is 0.5 credits, and students will be billed on a per credit basis.
- PT 686A Documentation and Delegation (0.5 credits)
- PT 686B Wound Care (0.5 credits)
- PT 686C Community Reintegration (0.5 credits)
