Coordinator:
Christine Stiller
3077 Human Health Building
(248) 364-8661
cstiller@oakland.edu
Program Description
The post-professional Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is designed for physical therapists who have an entry-level Bachelor of Science in physical therapy or a Master of Physical Therapy or a Master of Science in Physical Therapy. The program consists of a set of courses that allows physical therapists who have obtained a Bachelor of Science in physical therapy, Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) or Master of Science in Physical Therapy (MSPT) to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. These courses will transition an entry-level BSPT, MPT or MSPT physical therapist to a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.
The Commission on Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) does not accredit post-professional physical therapy education programs; thus, the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy is not accredited by CAPTE.
Admission terms and deadlines
Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.
- July 15 for fall semester
- November 15 for winter semester
- March 15 for summer semester
Readmission and program transfer
Requests for readmission and program transfers must be completed and approved prior to the beginning of a semester.
International application deadlines
International applications are reviewed for fall and winter admission only. To ensure adequate time for review, international applications must be completed at least six months before the desired date of intended enrollment in the University. All international application materials must be submitted by May 1 for fall admission and by September 1 for winter admission. International applicants are not eligible for Special Graduate classification.
Special Graduate classification
Applicants who are seeking a graduate degree or graduate certificate, but are unable to meet the deadline for filing all required application materials or credentials for graduate admission, may contact the department and request Special Graduate temporary admission. The applicant must submit an Application for Admission to Graduate Study, plus a copy of a transcript providing evidence of a bachelor’s degree awarded and any specific evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study as required by the department. Up to 12 credits may be earned in the Special Graduate classification. Admission as a special graduate student in no way assures subsequent admission to a degree or graduate certificate program.
Students may request special graduate classification beginning with the dates below.
- August 1 for fall semester
- December 1 for winter semester
- April 1 for summer semester
Note: Special Graduate classification will not be granted after the first week of classes in a semester
Application requirements
To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all of the following University and Program application documents by the published application deadlines:
University graduate application requirements
- Online Application for Admission to Graduate Study
- Official transcripts providing evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution, OR a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing.
- Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate-level coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree. International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service.
- As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate’s degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor’s degree.
- Two official and original Recommendation for Graduate Admission forms.
(Note: Some programs require more than two recommendation forms. Refer to the program application requirements listed below for the total number of recommendations and specific requirements for the recommendations.)
- Proof of English language proficiency
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International supplemental application and supporting documentation must be submitted before international applicants can be issued the Certification of Eligibility (I-20). This certificate is required to apply for a student visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate.
Program application requirements
- Applicants must have earned an entry-level physical therapy degree. The entry-level degree may be a Bachelor of Science in physical therapy, a Master of Physical Therapy, or a Master of Science in Physical Therapy degree from a regionally accredited institution or proof of a U.S. equivalent degree for foreign educated applicants.
- Applicants should have a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0.
- Professional vitae or resume
- One-page narrative goal statement outlining academic and professional goals
- Applicants must provide proof of licensure as a physical therapist in the U.S. or Canada.
- Applicants must provide documentation of at least two years of employment in the U.S. as a physical therapist for applicants with a master’s degree and five years of employment in the U.S. as a physical therapist for applicants with a bachelor’s degree. Documentation should include the name and contact information of the employer, as well as dates of employment.
Applicants with an undergradute GPA less than 3.0 with the appropriate academic background and strong letters of recommendation may be considered for admission with limited standing. Applicants who qualify for this admission status must complete a minimum of 8 credits of graduate-level work with a GPA of 3.0 or above within the first year of their program, to be advanced to full admission.
Admission review and assessment
Admission to graduate study at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.
Transfer credits
Graduate transfer credits from other regionally-accredited institutions will be accepted as long as the student has followed all procedures for transferring graduate credit as outlined in the Oakland University Graduate Catalog. A maximum of 6 credits may be approved for transfer credit to the tDPT.
With approval of the program coordinator and Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning, accepted applicants who have previously earned credits as part of one of the Oakland University post-professional certificates in the School of Health Sciences may apply those credits to the transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. The graduate certificate credits must be earned within the time limit for completing the tDPT degree.
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