Physical Therapy [Postprofessional] (Online), DPT

[Post-professional] Doctor of Physical Therapy

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ATSU-ASHS School Information and Policies   Length of Program Tuition and Fees Admissions Graduation Requirements

Non-Degree Program Program Policies Curriculum Courses: Descriptions and Credit Values

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A.T. Still University’s (ATSU) Postprofessional Doctor of Physical Therapy, often referred to in the United States as a transitional program, is a custom degree program configured around the unique needs of each practicing professional, offering maximum flexibility and a full team of support. Offered through ATSU’s Arizona School of Health Sciences, the online physical therapy degree offers curriculum plans that are personalized and student-centric. The program provides flexibility in scheduling as practice and personal life require. Courses may be taken singularly or doubled-up to accelerate degree completion.

ATSU’s Post-professional Doctor of Physical Therapy program is designed for those who desire to maintain their relevancy while they continue practicing in the discipline of physical therapy. You will accomplish this as standards are elevated to doctoral status per the 2020 vision set forth by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Length of Program

The Postprofessional Doctor of Physical Therapy program is typically completed within 1.5 to 2 years, dependent upon the individual’s plan of study, which consists of a blend of required and elective courses totaling 44 semester credits.

Note: Prior to the academic year 2024-25 the Postprofessional DPT credit model was structured on the quarter system.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are billed by the semester at the per-credit-hour rate and are due two weeks before the start of the semester. Rates are subject to change each academic year for all enrolled students. Delinquent tuition penalties accrue at 1.5 percent per month, which is 18 percent per year.

For ATSU programs approved to certify for Title IV funding, a Cost of Attendance (COA) is available which provides estimated amounts for direct and indirect expenses for a period of enrollment. 

Program option	Tuition	Student Technology Fee
Degree Seeking	$506 per credit hour	$40 per credit hour
Non-Degree Seeking	$506 per credit hour	$40 per credit hour

Admissions

Application Process

Applicants will need to create an account at https://apply.atsu.edu for access to the online application. Instructions are included on how to complete the application and submit all required documentation. If you have any questions regarding the online application, please contact ASHS Online Admissions at 877.469.2878 or by email at onlineinquiry@atsu.edu.

Application Deadline

Post-professional Doctor of Physical Therapy applications may be submitted at any time during the academic year and are processed on a rolling admissions basis. Applications are processed routinely to ensure that all class openings are filled for the beginning of each semester.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the Post-professional Doctor of Physical Therapy online program must meet the following requirements prior to matriculation.

1. Applicants are required to meet all ATSU and ASHS general admission requirements.
2. Minimum physical therapy professional program grade point average of 2.70 on a 4.0 scale.
   1. If a 2.70 GPA is not met, refer to Non-Degree Seeking Pathway.
3. Applicants will have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher in physical therapy from a college or university accredited by a U.S. Department of Education institutional accreditor.
4. Applicants who have graduated from a university outside the United States or Canada must provide an official physical therapy degree equivalency evaluation for admission or copy of the official letter from the licensing board showing professional deficiencies for the non-degree seeking applicant. This evaluation report must state the physical therapy degree earned abroad is equivalent to the physical therapy degree in the United States or Canada. This evaluation will be paid for by the prospective student. We highly encourage applicants to speak to one of our admission counselors or program representative prior to ordering a credential evaluation report. The following credentialing agencies are accepted by the Postprofessional DPT:
   1. Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT)
   2. International Consultants of Delaware (ICD)
   3. International Education Research Foundation, Inc (IERF)
   4. World Education Services (WES)
   5. International Credentialing Associates (ICA)
   6. Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (The Alliance)   
      • Recommended if already licensed in Canada
   7. Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)
   8. Any credential evaluation service that is a member of National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is accepted.
5. Applicants will submit official transcripts from all educational institutions attended where a degree was conferred.
6. Additional transcripts from graduate coursework not leading to a degree may be submitted for advanced credit consideration.
7. Applicants will submit proof of licensure, registration, certificate, or professional recognition of eligibility to practice as a physical therapist.
8. A recommendation letter from a professional colleague must be submitted.
9. All students are required to demonstrate proficiency in English when applying to the Arizona School of Health Sciences, A.T. Still University. See the ASHS English Proficiency section for more details.
   1. Option 1: English is your first language.
   2. Option 2: Graduated from a college or university accredited by a U.S. Department of Education institutional accreditor (minimum BA or BS degree)
   3. Option 3: Demonstrate English proficiency by submitting acceptable scores from International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

• IELTS: 6.5
• TOEFL paper-based total score: 550 | Minimum 56 on Reading Skills | Minimum 61 on Writing Skills
• TOEFL computer-based total score: 213 | Minimum 22 on Reading Skills | Minimum 26 on Writing Skills
• TOEFL internet-based total score: 80 | Minimum 21 on Reading Skills | Minimum 24 on Writing Skills
• TOEFL Essentials Overall Score: 8.5 | Minimum 8.5 Reading Skills | Minimum 10 Writing Skills

Advanced Credit

Advanced credit (AC) is defined at ATSU-ASHS as credit awarded in professional programs based on a prior learning assessment. As warranted, credit will be awarded and applied toward specific courses in the plan of study. Postprofessional Doctor of Physical Therapy applicants must submit requests for AC by completing the Application for Advanced Standing Credit  and providing supportive documentation. AC is determined by a thorough evaluation of the application material and demonstration of significant relevant experience or education. AC is represented in the Academic Degree Plan.

Non-Degree Seeking Pathway

Non-degree seeking status may be granted to applicants with a cumulative GPA below 2.70. Students who achieve an A or B letter grade in two courses may subsequently apply for admission to the Post-professional DPT program. Additional requirements are listed on the program website and catalog. Admission is not guaranteed by meeting the requirements above. 

Advanced Standing Admission

See the Advanced Credit section of the ASHS General Admissions Requirements .

International Student Admission

This online program is open to international applicants. The Postprofessional DPT program does not offer the Exchange Visitor Program or issue I-20 paperwork to non-immigrant students in order to apply for an F-1 Visa due to USCIS regulations pertaining to fully online programs.

Graduation Requirements

To earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy from the online Postprofessional program, all students must:

• Complete all prescribed didactic and clinical courses and the capstone project (if required).
• Pass all courses with a minimum grade of ‘C’ and maintain a 2.70 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

Attending commencement is not required but highly recommended.

Non-Degree Option

This option is designed for physiotherapists who were trained in countries outside the United States and are in the process of completing U.S. licensure requirements or degree equivalency for the first professional degree in the United States. There are many online Postprofessional Doctor of Physical Therapy online courses, which help meet professional deficiencies as determined by one of the approved credentialing agencies:

• Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT)
• International Consultants of Delaware (ICD)
• International Education Research Foundation, Inc (IERF)
• World Education Services (WES)
• International Credentialing Associates (ICA)
• University of Texas at Austin (Credential reviews for Texas only)
• Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (The Alliance)  *Recommended if already licensed in Canada.
• Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)

*Any credential evaluation service that is a member of National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is accepted.

Non-degree students may complete a maximum of 12 semester credits while enrolled in the non-degree courses. Clinical internships are not offered.

Non-Degree Program Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the Post-professional Doctor of Physical Therapy non-degree online program must meet the following requirements prior to matriculation.

1. Copy of credentialing evaluation for equivalency of degree, or copy of official letter from licensing board showing professional deficiencies.
   1. This is not applicable to those who want to take courses prior to applying to the degree program or those applying to the Non-degree Seeking Pathway of the Postprofessional DPT program. See requirements as noted in the Non-Degree Seeking Pathway section.
2. Applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English when applying to the Arizona School of Health Sciences, A.T. Still University. Written and spoken proficiency in the English language may be demonstrated by one of the following options:
   1. Option 1: English is your first language learned.
   2. Option 2: Graduated from a college or university accredited by a U.S. Department of Education institutional accreditor (minimum BA or BS degree)
   3. Option 3: Demonstrate your English proficiency by submitting acceptable scores from International English Language Testing Systems (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Acceptable minimal scores for ASHS applications are:

• IELTS: 6.5
• TOEFL Paper based total score: 550 | Minimum of 61 - 62 on Writing Skills section | Minimum of 56 on Reading Skills section
• TOEFL Computer based total score: 213 | Minimum of 22 on Reading Skills section | Minimum of 26 on Writing Skills section
• TOEFL Internet based total score: 80 | Minimum of 21 on Reading Skills section | Minimum of 24 on Writing Skills section
• TOEFL Essentials Overall Score: 8.5 | Minimum 8.5 Reading Skills | Minimum 10 Writing Skills 

Non-Degree Curriculum

The Doctor of Physical Therapy non-degree option offers multiple courses that meet educational deficiencies as determined by a credentialing evaluation. The deficiencies are reflective of necessary credit and/or content for specific state or jurisdictional licensing requirements.

Program Policies

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism is the presentation of another’s work as if it were one’s original. Proper and complete citation and reference, in accordance with APA style guidelines, is the majority of program assignments. Specific examples of plagiarism include:

• Cutting and pasting or re-entering information from another’s work into a document without correct citation or attribution.
• Information is attributed to a source other than the original material authored by someone else is submitted as original work.
• Turning in previously prepared work, in part or in whole, is considered self-plagiarism and is unacceptable. In instances where it may be appropriate to include prior work, the student must obtain permission from the instructor to include the prior work.

Information is properly cited but the paraphrasing is not substantively different from the original source Infrequent or missing citations.

Plagiarism Sanctions

All assignments submitted for a grade are subject to review for plagiarism. The consequences of plagiarism vary based on whether the incident is a first, second, or third occurrence.

First occurrence

A first instance of plagiarism is generally believed to result from a lack of familiarity and inexperience using APA guidelines and is perceived as a misuse of sources. The sanctions for a first offense generally are, but not limited to:

• Required completion of the University Writing Center’s Proper use of Resources tutorial
• A grade of zero on the assignment.
• Resubmission of the assignment for a reduced grade.
• Students who choose not to participate in the tutorial or fail to complete the tutorial will receive a grade of zero on the assignment.

Second occurrence

A second occurrence of plagiarism is a more serious academic offense and is not attributed to naiveté, ignorance of guidelines, or a misunderstanding of what constitutes acceptable graduate scholarship at ATSU. The sanction for a second plagiarism offense is, but is not limited, to:

• A grade of F in the course.

Third occurrence

A third occurrence of plagiarism is seen as a student’s chronic inability or refusal to produce acceptable graduate- level scholarship. The sanction for a third plagiarism offense is, but is not limited, to:

• Dismissal from the program.

Academic Warning 

Progression in the Postprofessional DPT program is contingent on continued demonstration of satisfactory completion of program objectives and course content. Lack of academic progression will result in the student receiving a letter of Academic Warning stating specific guidelines to meet satisfactory academic progress. If a student meets the requirements of academic warning, he or she is returned to good academic standing.

Academic Probation

Continued lack of academic progression will result in the student being placed on academic probation. Students failing two (2) courses will automatically be placed on academic probation until they have successfully passed the failed courses and met satisfactory academic progress.

Dismissal

Dismissal from the Postprofessional DPT program may be determined as the result of, but not limited to, the following conditions:

• Failure of three or more courses,
• Continued academic probation,
• Violation of the Student Code of Academic or Behavioral Conduct, or
• Failure to maintain the minimum cumulative of 2.7 GPA.

Additional information on academic probation and dismissal are in the ATSU-ASHS Information and Policy section of this catalog. If a student meets the requirements of the probationary period, he or she is removed from academic probation and returned to good academic standing.

Orientation for Success

The Orientation for Success (OFS) is a self-paced online tutorial and orientation required of all students in the Postprofessional DPT and Non-degree programs. It is designed to provide familiarity and awareness of the program’s learning management system, policies, and multiple resources of the university. Successful completion of the OFS is mandatory prior to entry into the first academic course. The OFS is non-credit bearing and there is no cost. Each student will be enrolled automatically following acceptance to the program or non-degree courses.

Curriculum

The curriculum offers a full spectrum of educational opportunities whose content meets or exceeds that described by the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Preferred Curricular Guide for the tDPT Program. We offer many courses including, but not limited to, differential diagnosis, radiology and imaging, evidence-based practice, and pharmacology.

Courses