Apr 23, 2024  
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)/Athletic Training (M.S.)


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Physical therapy is a challenging and satisfying profession — one with many career pathways from which to choose. One particular pathway is developing a career that specializes in sports medicine. Certified athletic trainers have expertise in preventing, recognizing, managing and rehabilitating injuries that result from athletics and other physical activity. The Dual Degree program DPT/MSAT has been established at Shenandoah University for those students who wish to become members in both professions sharing a common link to become a sports medicine expert clinician. The Dual Degree program offers the student all the courses required to meet the standards to take the physical therapy licensure examination and the athletic training BOC certification examination. Courses are shared between programs where there is didactic coursework that overlaps between the two professions.

The Dual Degree DPT/MSAT has two possible pathways of completion, Track 1 and Track 2.  

Track 1 Admission Requirements

This Dual Degree program involves formal admittance into the DPT and MSAT programs as established on the respective pages of this catalog. Additional admission requirements beyond the formal acceptance into each program are listed below:

  1. No more than five Dual Degree DPT/MSAT students are admitted annually due to availability of clinical affiliation sites for this program.
  2. Applicants must submit a typed letter with the application to the DPT and MSAT programs stating a request for being admitted into the Dual Degree program.
  3. Applicants who wish to pursue the Dual Degree program and who have been formally admitted into the DPT and MSAT programs are ranked on a competitive basis using the admissions criteria established for the DPT and MSAT programs. Admission into the Dual Degree DPT/MSAT program is granted to the top five applicants.

Track 1 Application Deadline

Dual major DPT/MSAT applications must be postmarked by October 1.

Track 2 Dual Degree DPT/MSAT Program

Track 2 Dual Degree DPT/MSAT is a pathway in which an enrolled MSAT student can apply by Fall year 1 of MSAT program. Interested students follow the PTCAS criteria.

Track 2 Admissions Process

Track 2 Dual Degree DPT/MSAT is a pathway in which an enrolled MSAT student can apply by October 1 of Fall year 1 of MSAT program. Interested students follow the PTCAS criteria. 

Degree Requirements

The dual DPT/MSAT degree requirement is successful completion of the credit hours of the combined programs with a grade point average of 2.8 or better.

Pre-Clinical Screening

The Pre-Clinical Screening is conducted at the end of the first semester of study in the Physical Therapy curriculum. Students will be asked to demonstrate understanding of medical terminology and proficiency in medical documentation. Faculty will evaluate each student’s mastery of these topics at the end of the first year fall semester, prior to being approved for matriculation into the physical therapy integrated clinical experiences.

Students must complete the following requirements:

  • Pass a medical terminology competency exam with a grade of 70% or higher;
  • Pass a medical documentation competency exam with a grade of 70% or higher; and
  • Successfully document a patient experience with a grade of 70% or higher.

Students who do not satisfy the Pre-Clinical Screening requirements will not matriculate to the physical therapy integrated clinical experiences.

Physical Therapy Comprehensive Examination

The physical therapy comprehensive examination is administered at the end of the fall semester of the third year and is intended to identify the student’s preparedness to enter his/her full-time clinical internships. Prior to the final two full-time clinical internships, students are required to pass the written and oral components of the comprehensive examination. Successful completion of both components of the comprehensive examination is required of all students as a condition for continued progress through the curriculum.

Track 1 Requirements


Subtotal: 14 credits


Subtotal: 19 credits


Subtotal: 19 credits


Subtotal: 14 credits


Subtotal: 21 credits


Subtotal: 19 credits


Subtotal: 3 credits


Subtotal: 9 credits


Subtotal: 17 credits


Subtotal: 3 credits


Subtotal: 7 credits


Total: 144 Credits


Track 2 Requirements


Summer, Year 1

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

AT       501     Risk Management and Emergency Care for Athletes        3

AT       511     Prevention and Protective Interventions    1

AT       521     Functional Human Anatomy I          3

AT       523     Therapeutic Exercise I         1                     

AT       531     Examination, Assessment and Diagnosis of the Lower Quarter 3

AT       552     Therapeutic Modalities        3

                        Subtotal Hours          14

Fall, Year 1

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

AT       505     Evidence-Based Practice in Athletic Training        1

AT       571     Sports Nutrition        3

AT       581     Clinical Field Experience I    4

AT       621     Functional Human Anatomy II        3

                        Subtotal Hours        11

Spring, Year 1

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

AT       504     Psychological Intervention/Referral In Athletic Training            3

AT       533     Clinical Medicine       3

AT       653     Ethics/Professionalism in Athletic Training          2

AT       582     Clinical Field Experience II   4

AT       534     Neurocognitive Assessment and Treatment of Head Injuries   1

                        Subtotal          13

Summer, Year 2

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

AT       624     Therapeutic Exercise II        2

AT       631     Examination, Assessment and Diagnosis of the Upper Quarter  2

AT       643     Advanced Rehabilitation of Athletic Injury            3

AT       698     Imaging, Casting and Bracing of Orthopedic Injuries    3

AT        651    Clinical Decision-Making in Emergency Care  1

AT        610     Athletic Training Leadership Seminar  1

AT         667    Capstone Project Development I    1

                        Subtotal          13

Fall, Year 2

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

PT       603     Gross Human Anatomy I      4

PT       607     Examination and Intervention         4

PT       623     Histophysiological Aspects of Movement I            3

PT       643     Evidence-Based Practice:  Introduction to Research Design       3

PT       653     Professional Issues I             3

                        Pre-Clinical Screening

AT      668      Capstone Project Development II     1

                        Subtotal Hours          18

Spring, Year 2

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

PT       604     Gross Human Anatomy II     4

PT       610     Musculoskeletal System I     3

PT       624     Histophysiological Aspects of Movement II           3

PT       656     Integrated Clinical Experience I      1

PT       672     Functional Neuroanatomy   3

PT       694     Medical Fundamentals         1

AT        767     Capstone in Athletic Training    1

                        Subtotal Hours          16

Fall, Year 3

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

PT       709     Musculoskeletal System II    3

PT       721     Pathology       3

PT       751     Integrated Clinical Experience II     1

PT       762     Clinical Conference II            1

PT       771     Adult Neurotherapeutics     4

PT       781     Gait Analysis and Biomechanics      3

AT       593     Clinical Field Experience III for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT            2

                        Subtotal Hours          17

Spring, Year 3

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

PT       703     Pediatric Physical Therapy 4

PT       710     Musculoskeletal System III   4

PT       734     Professional Issues II for Dual Degree DPT/MSAT          1

PT       752     Integrated Clinical Experience III    1

PT       890     Advanced Medical Fundamentals for Dual Degree DPT/MSAT  3

AT       594     Clinical Field Experience IV for Dual Degree MSAT/DPT            2

                        Subtotal Hours          16

Summer, Year 4

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

PT       753     Clinical Internship I   3

                        Subtotal Hours          3

Fall, Year 4

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

PT       744     Amputee Rehabilitation     2

PT       821     Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy            3

PT       831     Professional Issues III          2

PT       861     Clinical Conference III          1

PT       881     Advanced Topics       1

AT       670     Healthcare Administration               2

                      Comprehensive Examination

                        Subtotal Hours          11

Spring, Year 4

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

PT       832     Establishing a Physical Therapy Practice/Direct Access  3

AT       691     AT Clinical Field Experience V for Dual Degrees  6

AT       711     Theories and Practice of Conditioning Athletes    2

AT       774     Senior Seminar          1

                        Subtotal Hours          13

Summer, Year 5

Course                        Title    Credit Hours

PT       856     Culminating Clinical Experience      3

                        Subtotal Hours          3

Total Semester Hours          148

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