Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy

45 hours

The Physical Therapy Program at the University of North Georgia (UNG) offers a Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (PPDPT) degree for both US and foreign-trained physical therapists (FTPTs). This program is an extension of the entry-level DPT at UNG which, in addition to degree augmentation, provides the participants with a unique opportunity to learn advanced diagnostic and therapeutic skills in specialty areas. This program also provides this opportunity for the FTPTs to fulfill most content deficiencies for credential evaluations required for Physical Therapy Licensure Examination. However, eligibility for taking the licensure examination in the United States depends on qualifications set by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) for each state and is the responsibility of the applicant to fulfill. Please refer to www.fsbpt.org for detailed information. The courses in the PPDPT program are offered in both in-class and real-time online format. The practical and didactic courses in this program are designed to enhance participant’s level of practice and competency in managing a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Through this program, students are expected to master performance of advanced manual techniques, acquire profound clinical reasoning skills, and become experts in their area of specialty.

Mode of Delivery

The Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy program is a one-year program that is offered through three semesters. This program, taught in English, provides a hybrid method of classroom and real-time online courses. Select didactic and practical clinical courses will be taught on UNG campuses. Other basic science courses with no laboratory requirements will be taught through real-time online webinars.

Curriculum

Each student in the program will be required to complete 45 credit hours consisting of the following (see Plan of Study below for a listing of individual course requirements/options):

1. Core courses: 23 credit hours - These courses cover content areas that were not typically addressed in physical therapy education programs prior to implementation of the DPT as the first professional degree.
2. Specialty clinical practice courses: 19 credit hours - The initial phase of the program will emphasize courses in musculoskeletal physical therapy. As the program develops, additional specialty courses will be added.
3. Elective courses: 3 credit hours - These courses are designed to provide exposure to clinical specialty areas other than the area selected by the student. These courses will be utilized in the future as the foundation for additional clinical specializations. Initially, Alternative and Complementary Medicine in PT will be offered as an elective. As the program grows and demand for other courses increases, additional courses will be developed.

Admission Requirements

Degree-seeking Applicants

Foreign Trained Physical Therapists - Non-U.S. Residents

Application and Application Fee

• Submit the online application for Graduate Admissions. Please allow three business days after submitting your application for processing. You will receive an email from grads@ung.edu after your application has been reviewed for accuracy and updated with submitted documents. Please do not check your application status prior to receiving an email from this office as your online application checklist will not accurately reflect the required items for your program of interest.
• A one-time, non-refundable application fee of $40. Pay with a credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) or electronic check (U.S. banks only) when completing the online application.

Official Transcripts

• Submit official transcripts indicating a baccalaureate or Master’s degree from an accredited institution (as defined under Accredited Institutions in the Academic Information section of the Graduate Catalog) entry-level physical therapy (PT) program with at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale).
• International transcripts must have a degree evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).
• Official evaluations must include certification that the applicant’s bachelor’s or master’s degree earned is equivalent to a degree earned from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the United States and include a cumulative grade point average.
• Evaluations should be submitted from the evaluation service to Graduate Admissions.
• Applicants who achieved a graduate Master’s or higher degree in physical therapy in the United States, will not need to provide a NACES evaluated transcript for coursework or degrees completed at the undergraduate level.

Immunization Form

• UNG requires immunizations of all students attending courses on any UNG campus or campus managed facility.
• Download the UNG certificate of immunization and have it completed by a health care provider.
• Titer test is available through your physician or local health department and may be submitted to confirm the required immunities.
• Additional International Requirements.

Health Insurance

• Students accepted in the Post Professional DPT program are required to have health insurance.
• Visit USG Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) for additional information.

Financial Affidavit and Bank Statements

Proof of English Proficiency

• An English Proficiency Exam is required for International students who have completed their entry-level Physical Therapy education at institutions in which the primary language of instruction was not English.
• Applicants who have completed any secondary education program of which the language of instruction was English or who have completed at least one year of college education in English are exempted from taking a test of English proficiency. Requests to waive the requirement for an approved test of English proficiency must be submitted to the Graduate Admission Office at UNG.  Adequate justification for the waiver should be provided by the applicant.
• Applicants who do not satisfy the language proficiency requirement or the aforementioned exemption conditions are required to take one of the English proficiency examinations listed below and achieve the indicated minimum score:
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), computer-based: 213
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), internet-based: 79
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS):  6.5

Visa Documents

Foreign Trained Physical Therapists - U.S. Residents

The application process and document required for admission for Foreign-trained physical therapists who are either US citizens or have legal residency in the United States is similar to non-residence.

U.S. Trained Physical Therapists

Application and Application Fee

• Submit the online application for Graduate Admissions. Please allow three business days after submitting your application for processing. You will receive an email from grads@ung.edu after your application has been reviewed for accuracy and updated with submitted documents. Please do not check your application status prior to receiving an email from this office as your online application checklist will not accurately reflect the required items for your program of interest.
• A one-time, non-refundable application fee of $40. Pay with a credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) or electronic check (U.S. banks only) when completing the online application.

Official Transcripts

• Submit official transcripts from an accredited entry-level physical therapy (PT) program with at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale).
• Applicants who achieved a graduate Master’s or higher degree in physical therapy in the United States, will not need to provide a NACES or AICE evaluated transcript for coursework or degrees completed at the undergraduate level.
• Proof of a valid license to practice physical therapy in the United States.
• Proof of at least one year of work experience in physical therapy.
• Three recommendations relative to the applicant’s ethics and proficiency in physical therapy practice. Recommendations may be submitted as part of the online application.

Immunization Form

• UNG requires immunizations of all students attending courses on any UNG campus or campus managed facility.
• Download the UNG certificate of immunization and have it completed by a health care provider.
• Titer test is available through your physician or local health department and may be submitted to confirm the required immunities.
• Additional International Requirements.

Health Insurance

• Students accepted in the Post-Professional DPT program are required to have health insurance.

Non-degree Seeking Applicants

Application and Application Fee

• Submit the online application for Graduate Admissions. Please allow three business days after submitting your application for processing. You will receive an email from grads@ung.edu after your application has been reviewed for accuracy and updated with submitted documents. Please do not check your application status prior to receiving an email from this office as your online application checklist will not accurately reflect the required items for your program of interest.
• A one-time, non-refundable application fee of $40. Pay with a credit/debit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) or electronic check (U.S. banks only) when completing the online application.

Official Transcripts

• Proof of a valid license to practice physical therapy in the United or the country of origin.

Immunization Form

• UNG requires immunizations of all students attending courses on any UNG campus or campus managed facility.
• Download the UNG certificate of immunization and have it completed by a health care provider.
• Titer test is available through your physician or local health department and may be submitted to confirm the required immunities.
• Additional International Requirements.

Health Insurance

• Students accepted in the Post Professional DPT program are required to have health insurance.

Proof of English Proficiency - for Foreign-Trained Physical Therapists

Visa Documents for Non-U.S. Residents

• An international student on an F-1 visa needs to enroll for at least 9 credit hours in each semester to be considered a full-time student.

Admission Cycles

• Fall Semester – Deadline March 1
• Spring Semester – Deadline July 1
• Summer Semester – Deadline December 1