University of Michigan-Flint

Our tDPT degree program is designed to prepare you to meet the APTA’s Vision 2020 by augmenting your professional education and experience to achieve a standard education for the doctoring profession of physical therapy.

By the year 2020, physical therapy will be provided by physical therapists who are doctors of physical therapy, recognized by consumers and other health care professionals as the practitioners of choice to whom consumers have direct access for the diagnosis of, interventions for, and prevention of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities related to movement function and health.

          - APTA House of Delegates, June 2000

 The transitional DPT bridges the gap between BS PT/MPT degree entry-level practitioners and the current DPT entry-level graduate.  The program offers an opportunity to complement current knowledge and skills with advanced content designed to promote evidence-based practice and a high level of competence and autonomy. 

UM-Flint’s tDPT program is one of the few fully online doctoral programs designed specifically for experienced and working clinicians. The tDPT program is primarily in an asynchronous format, meaning there are no set lecture times and students will access the classroom when it is convenient to do so while meeting daily and weekly assignment deadlines. However, students must keep pace with their course work throughout the program and occasional synchronous discussions may take place over the internet.  We currently use Blackboard as our learning platform as it is user-friendly and accessible for students on the move through the internet. Many additional external links and resources are available on the course resources page, along with hard-copy textbooks.

The University of Michigan-Flint is a  public university situated in Flint, Michigan on a beautiful, 75 acre riverfront campus, and is one of the three campuses that make up the University of Michigan, founded in 1817.

No. This is a fully Online Program.

Most of our UM-Flint students find that our online courses are more rigorous than any traditional class they have taken. You can be assured that the return on your hard work will be immediate as you apply your learning to the real world.  A National Taskforce of the APTA has made well-grounded recommendations about curriculum content to meet expectations of the DPT. These content areas include medical screening, medical imaging, pharmacology, clinical decision-making using the patient client management model, ethical and legal issues in practice, business and marketing, professionalism in an autonomous profession, evidence-based practice, and research/professional scholarship. These constructs serve as core content within our curriculum.

No. You will receive the official, traditional University of Michigan diploma. You will earn the same degree that is earned by an on-campus student.

The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) does not review or accredit transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy programs. UM-Flint is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (HLC of NCA).  Regional accreditation is the highest level of accreditation any higher education institution in the United States can achieve.

Credits from the individual entry-level physical therapy degree and portfolio credit will count toward the degree.   You will have to provide documentation of knowledge and experience to apply to the tDPT program. This includes but is not limited to previous entry-level physical therapy degree credit, proof of licensure and portfolio analysis through the APTA Physical Therapists Evaluation Tool (PTET) to grant credit for professional experience and clinical expertise.  A minimum of 24 credits is required; therefore, depending on the number of credit hours required, we anticipate that typical students will take one to three years.  Graduate Program will assist you with the application process, enrollment calendar and start dates.

Graduates of the MPT degree program from UM-Flint through the APTA PTET portfolio analysis will meet some of the tDPT core curricular requirements. tDPT students will have the choice of using those waived course credits to take electives or chose to enroll in the tcDPT program and use these credits toward the 18 credit hour curriculum in the five areas of clinical specialization offered through the tcDPT to prepare students to create their portfolio and apply to sit for the APTA national clinical specialist examinations in orthopedics (OCS), neurologic (NCS), geriatric (GCS), cardiopulmonary (CCS) and pediatrics (PCS). For more information on the tcDPT Program, See the tcDPT page.

You will take one or two courses per semester, some courses maybe be taught in 7 weeks or 14 weeks during the semester

Some courses do have an earlier pre-requisite and so are designed to be taken in a specific sequence; however, other courses do not have to be taken in any particular sequence.

All courses are online, distance courses requiring online learning except the optional Advanced Practicum (6 credit hours) taken to complete requirements for APTA credentialed residencies.

Course Descriptions - Doctor of Physical Therapy

The course descriptions listed are updated from time to time as information changes and may vary from what is in the printed University Catalog. In the case of any discrepancy, the Online UM-Flint School of Health Professions and Studies Catalog Information will prevail. The University reserves the right to terminate or change these requirements as and when it deems appropriate.

Typical courses likely to turn up as required after your PTET review of your credentials

581 Teaching, Learning and Health Education (3)
512 Neuroscience (2)
513 Physiology of Exercise (3)
546 Pharmacology in Practice (3)
694 Professional Service Learning I (1) orientation/contract
682 Pediatric Diseases, Disorders and Examination in Practice (2)
782 Pediatric Intervention in Practice (3)
783 Geriatrics in Practice (2)
761 Evidence Based Practice Patterns (1)
770 Assistive Technology to Enhance Accessibility (1)  
794 Professional Service Learning II (1) project completed

These scholarly activity / research courses may be required for those who have not completed a research project as part of their professional entry-level degree:
560 Research Methods [includes stats lab] (3)
661 Literature Analysis in Evidenced Based Practice (1)

660 Critical Inquiry Project (3) Outcomes research project

Yes, however, this is limited to two courses or 6 credit hours.

You are expected to have basic computer skills, such as word processing. You will need a computer that utilizes MS windows, MS Office including, MS Word, MS Excel and MS Powerpoint, and Internet connection (broadband is recommended over dialup). Adobe Acrobat Reader for pdf files can be accessed for free via your Internet connection. An online tutorial for PowerPoint will be provided for those not familiar with this program.  See technical computing requirements for UM-Flint’s tDPT for more detailed information on hardware and software requirements. 

Yes.  Since you will not be traveling to campus every week, this saved time may be used for study. The scope of assignments may vary from reading texts, articles, group projects, case studies, completing written assignments, participating in discussions, analyzing video segments, etc. The program's online learning portal is the center of the learning experience. It is here where you will access course information, take the lectures at your own pace and wherever you have a computer,    communicate with your instructor and fellow learners, take quizzes, post assignments and view grades, all from the convenience of your home or office. We currently use Blackboard as our learning platform as it is user-friendly and accessible for students on the move through the internet.  The program is designed to allow time for reading and integration of the materials, as well as on-line threaded discussions with classmates and faculty. 

See the Graduate Programs Tuition and Fees page for the most current information at http://www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms/tuition.htm   

Post-Professional t-DPT students are responsible for tuition, the online course fee, the Physical Therapy course fee, and the mandatory standard fees. Access the university tuition and fee schedule at http://www.umflint.edu/studentaccounts or speak to Graduate Programs. 

There are many types of assistance that graduate students consider:

• Tuition Reimbursement programs with employer.
• Federal loans through the United States Department of Education.  Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for consideration.
• VA benefits – All eligible veterans should be speaking with their local VA office about eligibility. The VA representative for the UM-Flint is located in the Registrar’s Office.
• Federal and state agencies have programs that provide tuition assistance and sometimes subsistence to eligible students.
• UM-Flint Office of Graduate Programs, Graduate Scholarships/Grants 
• Any sources of private funding that students/parents may access. Home equity loans, trusts, savings plans, employment earnings, etc. may be options. 
• Alternative  loans – visit www.umflint.edu/finaid for more information.

To learn more about applying for Federal and Alternative loans, contact the Office of Financial Aid University of Michigan-Flint, 277 Pavilion, Flint, MI 48502-1950 by Phone: 1- (810) 762-3444 with Regular Office Hours:  Monday – Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM, Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00PM  or Fax: (810) 766-6757 (United States and Canada), or by Email: Financial_Aid@list.umflint.edu

This program is designed for the working professional who must balance the demands of work, home, and study. Most students require 15-20 hours of study per week and they creatively carve out that time by studying after the kids are in bed, on weekends, before the family gets up, in those few spare moments at the office, during downtime in an airport, etc.

Yes, you are eligible to apply. The Admissions requirements are located on the Graduate Programs page.