Dec 13, 2024  
2014-2015 Graduate Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy


 

Physical Therapy Program
3077 Human Health Building  (map)
(248) 370-4041 • Fax (248) 364-8660
www.oakland.edu/shs/pt

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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 degree 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.

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
  • 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 undergraduate 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. 

Degree requirements


The Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of 26 or 30 credits in an approved program of study.

1. Students entering with a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy


For students entering with a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy, the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of 30 credits in an approved program of study.

Course requirements (30 credits)


 

b. Certificate courses (15-16 credits)

Students will be required to complete at least 15 credits in graduate certificate courses or an adviser-approved set of coursework which may include physical therapy or non-physical therapy courses. 

  * Must complete the appropriate prerequisites.

** Plan of study must be approved by the student’s adviser.

2. Students entering with a master’s degree in physical therapy


For students entering with a master’s degree in physical therapy, the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program is awarded upon satisfactory completion of 26 credits in an approved program of study.

Course requirements (26 credits)


 

b. Certificate courses (at least 15 credits)

Students will be required to complete at least 15 credits in graduate certificate courses or an adviser-approved set of coursework which may include physical therapy or non-physical therapy courses. 

  * Must complete the appropriate prerequisites.

** Plan of study must be approved by the student’s adviser.
 

Satisfactory academic progress


Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress for all financial aid recipients each semester.

Students who fall behind in their coursework, or fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, may lose their eligibility for all types of federal, state and university aid. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional details.

Good academic standing


All graduate students are expected to remain in good academic standing throughout the entire course of their graduate program. To be in good academic standing, a graduate student must make satisfactory progress toward fulfilling degree requirements, including the completion of critical degree milestones as set forth by the academic program. The student must also maintain a minimum semester and overall GPA of 3.0.

Good academic standing is a requirement for:

  • Holding a Graduate Assistantship
  • Receiving a fellowship or scholarship
  • Advancing to candidacy for a graduate degree
  • Going on a leave of absence
  • Obtaining a graduate certificate or degree from Oakland University.

Additionally, graduate students must meet all department academic standards which may be more stringent than the minimum set forth by the University.

Department requirements: Credit toward the degree will not be given for courses with grades under 2.5 or for any Unsatisfactory (U) grade. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or better to graduate.

Graduate students who are not in good academic standing for any reason are subject to probation and/or dismissal from further graduate study.

Related program information


Plan of study

All accepted applicants, in consultation with their assigned faculty program adviser, must develop a plan of study that details specific courses the students will use to satisfy their degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the faculty program adviser and submitted by the student to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning.

Master’s and graduate certificate students must submit a department-approved plan of study by the end of their first semester of graduate coursework. Doctoral students must submit an approved plan of study prior to completion of the first year of coursework.

Note:  Credit granted for successful completion of a course toward an undergraduate degree program may not be repeated for a graduate degree. If a substitution is approved, the minimum number of program-approved graduate credits will be required. A Petition of Exception - OU Course Waiver/ Substitution requesting the substitution must be approved.

Continuous enrollment

The continuous enrollment policy for doctoral students requires continuous registration of graduate students for at least 1 credit each semester in the academic year to maintain an active graduate student status. This includes semesters in which the comprehensive, preliminary or qualifying examination is taken, defense, and each subsequent term (fall and winter) until the degree requirements are met and the dissertation is submitted to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning.

Some agency and graduate assistantship eligibility may have course-load requirements that exceed the minimum registration requirements of the Continuous Enrollment Policy (e.g., Veterans Affairs, Immigration and Naturalization for international students, and federal financial aid programs). Therefore, it is the student’s responsibility to register for the appropriate number of credits that are required for funding eligibility and/or compliance as outlined by specific agency regulations under which they are governed.

Time limit

If more than seven years have passed since the student has been admitted to the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program and all requirements for degree have not been completed, the student must petition the program coordinator and Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning for an extension. Students who are deemed inactive may be dropped from the program, although they may petition for reinstatement.