Transition Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Special Announcement

The University has made a decision to close the Transition Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the end of the Fall Semester 2015. The last section of tDPT 801 Orientation to Doctoral Study will be offered in the Summer of 2013. All Misericordia MSPT graduates will be eligible to enroll, provided they have a current license to practice physical therapy. Students currently enrolled in the program will be provided with a phase out schedule of courses including when each course will be offered for the last time. Students will be required to enroll in the courses before they are phased out. If a student is not able to complete the courses within the scheduled phase out period the student will not be eligible for graduation.

On-line Application
Download Application (.pdf)

FAQs (updated July 2012)

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The transition Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT) program has been designed to allow practicing physical therapists to complete the requirements for the DPT degree while maintaining employment.

All applicants must be a Master's level graduate of a CAPTE accredited program, have a current license and at least one year of clinical experience. The t-DPT program is designed to provide students with current information to practice in the field of physical therapy as direct access practitioners.

Applicants may access the application form on-line or by downloading in .pdf format. Links are located on the top of this page.

The program is a total of 14 credits. Courses will be offered in a largely on-line format, with a seminar session on campus for each course. On campus sessions are slated for weekends.

After taking tDPT 801: Orientation to Doctoral Studies, students will be assigned to courses for the rest of the program. Click here for Course Descriptions.

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Projected tDPT Schedules
2013 - 2015
Schedule may be subject to change.(updated: January, 2013)

 

2013 Projected Schedule

Courses	Credits	Summer '13	Fall '13
tDPT 801 Orientation to Doctoral Studies	1	X Last Offer
tDPT 803 Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy	3	X 7/20	X 12/7
tDPT 805 Integumentary Physical Therapy	3		X 12/8
tDPT 807 Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy	3	X 7/20	X 12/8
tDPT 809 Neuromuscular Physical Therapy	3	X 7/21
tDPT 810 Proposal Development	1	X	X
Total	14
	Start	June 3	Sept. 16
	End	Aug. 3	Dec. 14
Tentative on-campus weekend dates		July 20-21	Dec. 7-8

 

2014 Projected Schedule

Courses	Credits	Spring '14	Summer '14	Fall '14
tDPT 801 Orientation to Doctoral Studies	1
tDPT 803 Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy	3		X 7/19	X 12/6
tDPT 805 Integumentary Physical Therapy	3	X 5/3		X 12/7
tDPT 807 Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy	3		X 7/20	X 12/7
tDPT 809 Neuromuscular Physical Therapy	3	X 5/4	X 7/20
tDPT 810 Proposal Development	1	X	X	X
Total	14
	Start	Jan 13	June 2	Sept. 15
	End	May 10	Aug. 2	Dec. 13
Tentative on-campus weekend dates		May 3-4	July 19-20	Dec. 6-7

 

2015 Projected Schedule

Courses	Credits	Spring '15	Summer '15
tDPT 801 Orientation to Doctoral Studies	1
tDPT 803 Cardiopulmonary Physical Therapy	3		X 7/25 Last Offer
tDPT 805 Integumentary Physical Therapy	3	X 5/3 Last Offer
tDPT 807 Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy	3		X 7/26 Last Offer
tDPT 809 Neuromuscular Physical Therapy	3	X 5/3	X 7/26 Last Offer
tDPT 810 Proposal Development	1	X	X Last Offer
Total	14
	Start	Jan 12	June 1
	End	May 9	Aug. 1
Tentative on-campus weekend dates		May 2-3	July 25-26

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tDPT Course Descriptions

• tDPT 801: Orientation to Doctoral Studies (1 credit)
• tDPT 803: Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Physical Therapy (3 credits)
• tDPT 805: Integumentary Physical Therapy (3 credits)
• tDPT 807: Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy (3 credits)
• tDPT 809: Neuromuscular Physical Therapy (3 credits)
• tDPT 810: Proposal Development (1 credit)

 

tDPT 801: Orientation to Doctoral Studies
1 Credit

The first of six courses in the transition Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum. This course is designed as an orientation to the Doctoral curriculum as well as issues related to program content, expectations and delivery. Course content will include distance education principles and procedures, professional standards of practice, professional ethics, advanced clinical decision-making, evidence based practice, service learning and professional socialization of an autonomous practitioner.

tDPT 803: Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Physical Therapy
3 Credits

One of six courses in the transition Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum. This course is designed with the practicing physical therapist in mind. It builds upon PT 801 (Orientation to Doctoral Studies) and focuses on the content area of cardiopulmonary physical therapy across the lifespan. Course content includes integration of moderating variables, screening and diagnostic procedures, professional standards of practice, professional ethics, advanced clinical decision-making, evidence based practice, service learning and professional socialization of an autonomous practitioner.
Prerequisite: tDPT 801

tDPT 805: Integumentary Physical Therapy
3 Credits

One of six courses in the transition Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum. This course is designed with the practicing physical therapist in mind. It builds upon PT 801 (Orientation to Doctoral Studies) and focuses on the content area of integumentary physical therapy across the lifespan. Course content includes integration of moderating variables, screening and diagnostic procedures, professional standards of practice, professional ethics, advanced clinical decision-making, evidence based practice, service learning and professional socialization of an autonomous practitioner.
Prerequisite: tDPT 801

tDPT 807: Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy
3 Credits

One of six courses in the transition Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum. This course is designed with the practicing physical therapist in mind. It builds upon PT 801 (Orientation to Doctoral Studies) and focuses on the content area of musculoskeletal physical therapy across the lifespan. Course content includes integration of moderating variables, screening and diagnostic procedures, professional standards of practice, professional ethics, advanced clinical decision-making, evidence based practice, service learning and professional socialization of an autonomous practitioner.
Prerequisite: tDPT 801

tDPT 809: Neuromuscular Physical Therapy
3 Credits

One of six courses in the transition Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum. This course is designed with the practicing physical therapist in mind. It builds upon PT 801 (Orientation to Doctoral Studies) and focuses on the content area of neuromuscular physical therapy across the lifespan. Course content includes integration of moderating variables, screening and diagnostic procedures, professional standards of practice, professional ethics, advanced clinical decision-making, evidence based practice, service learning and professional socialization of an autonomous practitioner.
Prerequisite: tDPT 801

tDPT 810 Proposal Development
1 credit

One of six required courses in the transition Doctor of Physical Therapy curriculum. During completion of this course the student will develop a service learning proposal that has the potential to be implemented. Service learning is a structured experiential learning experience that provides students with the opportunity to meet academic objectives through provision of community service. When possible, students will work with community members to identify needs and develop and implement projects to address those needs and then reflect on the value of the experience for the community and themselves.
Prerequisite: tDPT 801

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Clinical Associate Benefit Offerings
Click here to review the Clinical Associate Benefit guidelines.
Download Clinical Associate Tuition Award Benefit Request and Authorization Form (pdf)

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Program Director: Kelley A. Moran, PT, DPT, EdD, ATC, CSCS E-mail Phone: 570.674.6467
Susan Barker, PT, PhD Chair, Physical Therapy Department E-mail Phone: 570.674.6422	For questions related to admissions contact: Ms. Larree Brown Center for Adult and Continuing Education Phone: 570.674.6451 or E-mail