Offered By: Physical Therapy Program - AZ
Program Director: Kellee Harper-Hanigan, PT, DPT, PhD, GCS, WCC, FNAP
College of Health Professions
College Dean: Cassandra Peel, PhD, MSW
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) - AZ addendum (rev. 05/15/26)
The Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, culminating in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) qualification, is a 114-credit, professional degree program delivered through a hybrid model of online didactic and in-person hands-on instruction in the Phoenix Metro area in Arizona. The curriculum is delivered via an integrated sequence of asynchronous online sessions, online interactive synchronous sessions, in-person immersion laboratories, and on-ground clinical experiences. To complete the program, students are required to enroll full-time for 6 consecutive 16-week terms, including summer, for a total of 96-weeks of instruction over a 2-year period. Each 16-week term is subdivided into two 8-week sub-terms, of which 6-weeks is dedicated to asynchronous and synchronous didactic instruction, and 2-weeks is dedicated to in-person immersion laboratories. For clinical education courses, a full 8-week sub-term is dedicated to each of the first two full-time clinical experiences, while a full 16-week term is dedicated to the terminal clinical experience. For the didactic portion of the curriculum, asynchronous sessions are completed on the students’ own time. Synchronous sessions are generally scheduled Monday through Friday from 8 am - 5 pm MST, although they may be scheduled on weeknights depending on program needs. In-person immersion laboratories are scheduled Monday through Sunday, depending on the number of laboratory hours associated with each laboratory-containing course, and may be scheduled at any time including during the evenings and on national and University holidays as required.
Doctor or Physical Therapy - AZ (Phoenix Metro) Student Handbook
Doctor or Physical Therapy - AZ (Phoenix Metro) Clinical Education Handbook
DPT AZ will develop transformative leaders in integrative and whole-person care, who champion equitable and sustainable healthcare through humility and collaboration.
DPT AZ prepares competent, caring, professional, and innovative Doctors of Physical Therapy who lead with integrity and deliver evidence-informed, equitable, and integrative healthcare. We foster an inclusive, collaborative learning environment imbued with kindness, humor, and determination, by engaging faculty, staff, and students in meaningful service within the program and the community. Our graduates thrive as leaders on interprofessional teams, advancing whole-person health.
The DPT AZ program constitutes a blended model delivered through a mix of asynchronous and synchronous instruction classified as online interactive delivery, and in-person immersion laboratories classified as on-ground delivery. All 36 courses contained within the curriculum include at least 6 weeks of didactic instruction (online interactive delivery). A total of 21 courses within the curriculum include an immersion laboratory component which requires in-person attendance in Arizona during weeks 7 and 8 of each 8-week sub-term (on-ground delivery), with the exception of Term 4.1, Term 5.2, and Term 6.1/6.2. The total number of days of in-person attendance in Arizona is 74 days, divided as 55.5 immersion laboratory days in Year One, 13.5 immersion laboratory days in Year Two, and 5 days for graduation-related activities during week 8 of Term 6.2. The number of days of in-person attendance in Arizona are subject to change based on student progression and program needs, with students receiving advanced notification should such changes occur. Three full-time clinical education experiences complete the curriculum, occurring during Term 4.1 (8 weeks in duration), Term 5.2 (8 weeks in duration), and Term 6.1/6.2 (15 weeks in duration).
| |
Term
|
Didactic instruction
(online interactive)
|
Immersion Laboratories
(on-ground in AZ)
|
Full-time Clinical Education Experiences
(at an approved clinical site within the U.S.)
|
|
Year One
|
1.1
|
6 weeks
|
5.5 days
|
-
|
|
1.2
|
6 weeks
|
10.5 days
|
-
|
|
2.1
|
6 weeks
|
7.5 days
|
-
|
|
2.2
|
6 weeks
|
10.5 days
|
-
|
|
3.1
|
6 weeks
|
10.5 days
|
-
|
|
3.2
|
6 weeks
|
11 days
|
-
|
| |
|
|
Year Two
|
4.1
|
6 weeks
|
-
|
8 weeks
|
|
4.2
|
6 weeks
|
5.5 days
|
-
|
|
5.1
|
6 weeks
|
8 days
|
-
|
|
5.2
|
6 weeks
|
-
|
8 weeks
|
|
6.1
|
6 weeks
|
-
|
8 weeks
|
|
6.2
|
6 weeks
|
5 days - Graduation
|
7 weeks
|
| |
TOTAL
|
72 weeks
|
74 days
|
31 weeks
|
Substantive, regular, monitored, and planned interaction between students and course faculty will occur throughout the didactic portion of the curriculum through an integrated sequence of asynchronous online sessions, online interactive synchronous sessions, and in-person immersion laboratories.
Consists of recorded, faculty-authored micro-lectures designed to promote regular and substantive interactions between students and course faculty through structured, faculty-initiated learning activities and timely feedback. Lectures introduce important concepts, professional behaviors, and patient management skills related to the course and walk students through clinical examples that prepare them for deeper discussion and hands-on practice. Lecture content is available in audio/visual and transcript format to support diverse learning preferences, and students may pause, rewind, and replay content to enhance understanding. All materials remain available throughout each course, allowing students to revisit concepts as needed. Each lecture is typically embedded with coursework activities such as a short, low-stakes coursework activity such as a case-based quiz, brief documentation exercise, recorded movement analysis, skills demonstration upload, or short reflection. These activities require the student to apply newly learned material and serve as a primary mechanism for substantive interaction, as course faculty review the student work, monitor student progress, and provide individualized or group feedback to guide student learning. Faculty review and respond to submitted coursework activities within the agreed timeline, initiate contact with students who haven’t submitted required coursework or who are showing pattern errors, and post group feedback on coursework activities prior to the associated live synchronous session. This ongoing cycle of coursework activity completion and faculty feedback ensures regular and substantive interaction and allows course faculty to identify areas requiring clarification prior to live sessions.
Live, faculty-led class meetings held via Zoom or other online platforms as needed, which occur once or two times per week for the duration of the didactic portion of each course. These sessions involve real-time, faculty-guided engagement, dialogue, and feedback, which builds directly on the students’ asynchronous preparation. Course faculty review submitted work in advance and use trends in performance to guide instruction, ensuring that learning activities are responsive to student needs. During sessions, students will participate in live activities such as case discussions, clinical reasoning exercises, documentation practice, interprofessional communication simulations, and collaborative problem-solving. Students may be asked to explain their diagnostic reasoning, determine when referral is appropriate, decide which components of care may be directed to support personnel, select outcome measures, or practice verbal patient handoffs, for example. Through questioning, discussion, and guided feedback, course faculty engage students in substantive interactions that promote analysis, synthesis, and clinical decision-making.
In-person, hands-on learning activities where students practice and refine clinical skills under direct faculty supervision in a laboratory or clinical simulation environment. These sessions represent a critical setting for regular and substantive interactions, as course faculty provide considered observation, instruction, and real-time feedback while students perform clinical tasks. Prior to each laboratory, students are typically required to upload videos demonstrating assigned clinical skills. Course faculty review these submissions and provide feedback, ensuring substantive interaction before students arrive and allowing them to address identified deficits. This preparatory process contributes to regular interaction by establishing an ongoing feedback loop between the student and course faculty across learning environments. During the laboratory, students will participate in guided activities such as manual joint mobilizations, vital sign assessment, administration of functional outcome measures, simulated interprofessional communication, patient and caregiver education, and work with peers or community volunteers. Course faculty provide constructive coaching, corrective instruction, and individualized feedback as students practice, ensuring that learning is interactive, applied, and closely supervised. Students are expected to arrive prepared by reviewing assigned materials and practicing required skills to ensure safe and efficient participation. During the laboratory, students rotate roles as clinician, patient, and observer; give and receive peer feedback; and apply faculty guidance to improve technique, communication, and clinical reasoning. Course faculty are also able to assess professional behaviors, patient management skills, and clinical decision-making and provide real-time feedback. Ongoing, regular interaction with course faculty during immersion laboratories supports the students’ development into safe, competent, and reflective clinicians.
This program is a hybrid delivery program. While many courses are held online, many courses will require in-person attendance. On-ground courses are held in Arizona. See Clinical Experiences in the University Catalog. See State Authorization information in the University Catalog.
- Demonstrate Clinical Competence in Evidence-Informed Patient/Client Management: Graduates will integrate examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention skills using contemporary evidence, clinical reasoning, and patient/client values, preferences, and circumstances to design and deliver safe, effective, high-quality care across the lifespan and healthcare continuum.
- Provide Caring, Inclusive, and Culturally Humble Care: Graduates will demonstrate empathy, kindness, respect, and cultural humility while creating welcoming environments that honor diversity, promote belonging, and support individualized, patient-centered care.
- Practice with Professionalism and Integrity: Graduates will uphold ethical principles, legal standards, and professional responsibilities while demonstrating honesty, transparency, reliability, and sound judgment in all professional and community interactions.
- Demonstrate Innovation, Adaptability, and Self-Reflective Practice: Graduates will engage in continual professional growth, integrate emerging technologies and evidence into practice, self-reflect on performance and adapt accordingly, and demonstrate adaptability, creativity, and resilience in evolving healthcare environments.
- Advance Health Equity and Social Responsibility through Community Collaboration: Graduates will recognize and address health disparities related to social determinants of health, advocate for equitable access to care for all, and collaborate and participate in community and professional initiatives that promote justice, wellness, and patient-centered public health.
- Engage in Effective Education, Communication, and Interprofessional Collaboration: Graduates will communicate clearly and respectfully with patient/clients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals using appropriate education and communication methods, and will actively contribute to integrative, team-based, whole-person care that optimizes patient/client outcomes.
- Demonstrate intellectual humility by contributing to Quality Improvement, Scholarship Initiatives, and the Advancement of the Profession: Graduates will participate in the collection, analysis, and application of outcomes data to improve patient/client care; engage in scholarly enquiry and quality improvement initiatives; and support the advancement of physical therapy through leadership, service, and dissemination of knowledge.
Applicants for the DPT degree must submit the following through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS):
- Completed application.
- Official transcripts from all accredited, post-secondary institutions attended. Transcripts must provide evidence of completed or pending graduation from a bachelor’s degree, which includes a minimum of 25 core prerequisite credits, at the time of PTCAS application. For full admission, a total of 38 core prerequisites is required, as detailed below. This means that an applicant may be working toward completing the additional 13 core prerequisite credits at the time of application, but all 38 core prerequisites are required to be completed before matriculation into the program.
- Personal statement detailing reasons for pursuing the DPT degree (i.e., career plans, background, previous experience, interest, and/or values).
- Program-specific requirements.
If the University does not hold authorization or exemption to provide both online (didactic) and in-person (clinical) components of the DPT degree in the student’s state, the student will not be eligible for admission to the DPT AZ program.
Applicants for the DPT degree must meet the following admissions standards:*
- A bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 90 semester credits or higher from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or an equivalent foreign accrediting agency.
- Contingent admission may be awarded with pending graduation from a bachelor’s degree, provided that: (1) graduation will occur prior to matriculation into the program, and (2) the 38 core prerequisites will be completed prior to matriculation into the program.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all submitted coursework.
- A minimum cumulative science grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all science-related coursework submitted.
- 38 Core prerequisite semester credits including:
- 8 semester credits of Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 with lab (completed within the last 10 years)
- 8 semester credits of Biology 1 and 2 with lab
- 8 semester credits of Chemistry 1 and 2 with lab
- 8 semester credits of Physics 1 and 2 with lab
- 3 semester credits of Statistics
- 3 semester credits of General Psychology.
- 40 hours of Observation (paid or volunteer) in a Physical Therapy setting.
- Applicants must meet the Technical Standards as defined in the Technical Standards Form (Appendix A) set by the program to successfully complete the program, with or without reasonable accommodation.
- No GRE is required.
- No Letters of Recommendation are required.
*Exceptions to the admissions standards may be made by the Program Director on a case-by-case basis.
While a competitive academic track record is an important component of admission success, the DPT AZ program follows SCU’s lead and prides itself in a holistic admissions process that intentionally balances academic qualifications with personal attributes that reflect those valued in healthcare, with the aim of fostering a learning community built on shared growth, excellence, and the strength of diverse perspectives.
To decrease the risk of academic qualification bias, the program’s holistic admissions process is supported by a standardized rubric which reflects the intentional balance between academic qualifications and valued healthcare-related attributes. Additionally, Admissions Committee members are trained prior to participation in the applicant review process to improve selection consistency. Final determinations are made by the Admissions Coordinator and the Program Director based on the recommendations of the Admissions Committee.
Successful matriculation into the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is contingent upon fulfillment of the requirements detailed within the sections below.
Upon acceptance to the program, students must submit all program-specific documentation detailed below through the University’s clinical documentation management system, Exxat. Each document must remain current throughout the duration of the program, until completion of the program and conferral of the degree.
- Copy of a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.) demonstrating an age of at least 18 years.
- Technical Standards Form signed by the student.
- Student Immersion Laboratory Participation Informed Consent signed by the student.
- DPT Consent for Release of Information Form signed by student.
- Proof of American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) student membership (for the student’s own cost).
- Completion of University-mandated HIPAA, FERPA, OSHA/BBP, Title IX, and Mandated Reporter training evidenced by uploaded completion certificates for each.
- Documented evidence of a physical examination completed by a licensed healthcare provider qualified to perform such examinations. The examination must verify that the student is able to meet the program’s technical standards and participate in required instructional activities and learning experiences, with or without reasonable accommodations.
- Documented evidence of current immunization status as outlined in the Immunizations section below.
- Criminal background check as outlined in the Criminal Background Check and Drug Screening section below (at the student’s own cost).
- Proof of Medical Insurance as outlined in the Student Health Insurance section below.
- Personal information as outlined in the Personal Information section below.
Immunizations
Students are required to keep all immunization records current within the University’s clinical documentation management system, Exxat. Specific requirements for Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella immunity are outlined within Exxat, and should be referenced accordingly. A Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Tdap) booster must have been received within the last 10 years. Annual influenza vaccination will be required prior to clinical education courses.
Clinical sites may have additional immunization requirements, including COVID-19 vaccination. Non-compliance with site-specific immunization requirements may prevent the student from being able to participate at an assigned clinical site. The program is not obligated to identify a clinical site that will accommodate the student, which means that the student may be at risk of a delayed graduation or of administrative dismissal from the program due to an inability to complete the degree requirements.
The program contracts with Universal to provide criminal background checks and drug screens. Students must successfully complete a criminal background check through Universal prior to matriculation into the DPT program. Additional background checks and/or drug screens may be required by an assigned clinical site, and students will be notified in advance of this requirement where both known and required. If required, site-specific background checks and/or drug screens must be completed in accordance with site-specific policies prior to the assigned deadline to allow for processing time. All costs associated with background checks and drug screens are the responsibility of the student.
Drug Screening Policy
The DPT AZ Program operates within the framework of the University’s Drug and Alcohol Awareness Program. In addition, and consistent with the requirements of affiliated clinical education sites, the program reserves the right to require mandatory random drug screening for enrolled students as a condition of continued enrollment and clinical placement.
Random Screening Process
Random selection will be conducted through a documented, standardized process applied equitably across the enrolled student population. Students selected for screening will be notified directly by the program and will be required to complete screening within the timeframe specified in the notification.
Review of Results
All screening results will be reviewed by a qualified Medical Review Officer (MRO) prior to any programmatic action. The MRO review process provides students the opportunity to report lawfully prescribed medications or other documented medical explanations for a confirmed positive result. No adverse action will be initiated on the basis of an unreviewed or MRO-unconfirmed result.
Student Response and Documentation
If the MRO identifies a confirmed positive result following review, the program will notify the student in writing. The student will have ten (10) business days from the date of written notification to provide documentation or explanation to the program. Documentation may include verification of a lawful prescription from a licensed healthcare provider or other relevant medical documentation.
Adverse Action and Due Process
A confirmed positive result that is not resolved through MRO review or student-provided documentation may constitute grounds for further review under the University’s student conduct process. Any adverse action, including but not limited to suspension from clinical education, remediation, or dismissal, will be taken only in accordance with the University’s established academic standing and student conduct procedures, which include notice, an opportunity to be heard, and a right to appeal. The program will not take unilateral adverse action outside of these established institutional processes.
Confidentiality
Drug screening results are treated as confidential medical information. Results will be shared only with the MRO, program officials with a legitimate educational interest, and clinical site personnel as required by affiliation agreements, consistent with applicable federal and state law.
Students are required to maintain active health insurance while enrolled in the program. A copy of the current insurance card(s) should be uploaded through the University’s clinical documentation management system, Exxat, and will require program approval prior to matriculation into the program. Students are responsible for the cost of any and all emergency and/or routine medical services required during both on- and off-campus education activities and on-ground clinical experiences.
Students are required to maintain current personal information within the University’s clinical documentation management system, Exxat, which includes current residential address, cell phone number, email address, and emergency contact information, among other pertinent information.
Students are required to complete all credits at Southern California University of Health Sciences to qualify for degree completion.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy degree may be conferred upon those who have fulfilled the following requirements:
- Completed 114 credits within the following required categories of coursework:
- 19.5 credits in Foundational Sciences
- 49.5 credits in Physical Therapy Reasoning and Skills
- 14 credits in Professional Behaviors
- 31 credits in Clinical Education Experience
- Completed a minimum of 1,085 Direct Patient Care hours and an associated 155 Patient Management Preparation Activity hours.
- Earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Successful demonstration of the knowledge, interpersonal, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem-solving capabilities required for entry-level physical therapy practice, as assessed throughout the curriculum and clinical education experiences.
- Completed all degree requirements within a maximum of 4 years of matriculation into the program.
- Submitted a Petition to Graduate to the Registrars’ Office triggering a final audit of the student’s academic records to confirm that all program requirements for graduation have been met.
|
Course Code
|
Course Category
|
Course Name
|
Year / Term
of instruction
|
Immersion Laboratory (Yes/No/ Clinical)
|
Credits
|
|
DPT 610A
|
PB
|
Professional Competencies I
|
Year 1, Term 1.1
|
No
|
1
|
|
DPT 611A
|
PB
|
Evidence-informed Practice I
|
Year 1, Term 1.1
|
No
|
2
|
|
DPT 616A
|
FS
|
Human Anatomy I
|
Year 1, Term 1.1
|
Yes
|
3.5
|
|
DPT 612A
|
FS
|
Human Physiology & Pathophysiology
|
Year 1, Term 1.1/1.2
|
No
|
3
|
|
DPT 615A
|
PT
|
Physical Therapy Fundamentals
|
Year 1, Term 1.1/1.2
|
Yes
|
3
|
|
DPT 617A
|
FS
|
Human Anatomy II
|
Year 1, Term 1.2
|
Yes
|
3.5
|
|
DPT 613A
|
PT
|
Therapeutic Interventions I
|
Year 1, Term 1.2
|
Yes
|
2.5
|
|
DPT 624A
|
PT
|
Health Promotion & Fitness Management
|
Year 1, Term 1.2
|
Yes
|
2.5
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
DPT 614A
|
PT
|
Movement Science
|
Year 1, Term 2.1
|
Yes
|
2.5
|
|
DPT 625A
|
PT
|
Musculoskeletal Practice I
|
Year 1, Term 2.1
|
Yes
|
4
|
|
DPT 651A
|
FS
|
Integrative Pain Sciences
|
Year 1, Term 2.1
|
No
|
2
|
|
DPT 627A
|
FS
|
Clinical Neuroscience
|
Year 1, Term 2.1/2.2
|
Yes
|
3.5
|
|
DPT 621A
|
PB
|
Evidence-informed Practice II
|
Year 1, Term 2.2
|
No
|
2
|
|
DPT 623A
|
PT
|
Therapeutic Interventions II
|
Year 1, Term 2.2
|
Yes
|
1.5
|
|
DPT 626A
|
PT
|
Musculoskeletal Practice II
|
Year 1, Term 2.2
|
Yes
|
3
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
DPT 632A
|
PT
|
Neuromuscular Practice I
|
Year 1, Term 3.1
|
Yes
|
2.5
|
|
DPT 634A
|
PT
|
Management of the Aging Adult
|
Year 1, Term 3.1
|
Yes
|
2.5
|
|
DPT 635A
|
PT
|
Musculoskeletal Practice III
|
Year 1, Term 3.1
|
Yes
|
4
|
|
DPT 637A
|
PT
|
Cardiopulmonary Practice
|
Year 1, Term 3.1/3.2
|
Yes
|
3.5
|
|
DPT 633A
|
PT
|
Neuromuscular Practice II
|
Year 1, Term 3.2
|
Yes
|
2.5
|
|
DPT 636A
|
PT
|
Musculoskeletal Practice IV
|
Year 1, Term 3.2
|
Yes
|
3
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
DPT 631A
|
PB
|
Mindful Patient Management
|
Year 2, Term 4.1
|
No
|
2
|
|
DPT 645A
|
CE
|
Physical Therapy Practice I
|
Year 2, Term 4.1
|
Clinical
|
8
|
|
DPT 641A
|
FS
|
Pharmacology
|
Year 2, Term 4.2
|
No
|
2
|
|
DPT 642A
|
FS
|
Advanced Diagnostics
|
Year 2, Term 4.2
|
No
|
2
|
|
DPT 643A
|
PT
|
Management of the Pediatric Patient
|
Year 2, Term 4.2
|
Yes
|
2.5
|
|
DPT 644A
|
PT
|
Management of the Complex Patient
|
Year 2, Term 4.2
|
Yes
|
4.5
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
DPT 622A
|
PT
|
Bracing, Prosthetics, & Orthotics
|
Year 2, Term 5.1
|
Yes
|
1.5
|
|
DPT 652A
|
PT
|
Primary Care Physical Therapy
|
Year 2, Term 5.1
|
No
|
2
|
|
DPT 653A
|
PT
|
Advanced Therapeutic Interventions
|
Year 2, Term 5.1
|
Yes
|
2
|
|
DPT 654A
|
PB
|
Business Management & Entrepreneurship
|
Year 2, Term 5.1
|
No
|
2
|
|
DPT 655A
|
CE
|
Physical Therapy Practice II
|
Year 2, Term 5.2
|
Clinical
|
8
|
|
DPT 705A
|
PB
|
Capstone Course I
|
Year 2, Term 5.2
|
No
|
1
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
DPT 661A
|
PB
|
Professional Competencies II
|
Year 2, Term 6.1/6.2
|
No
|
2
|
|
DPT 665A
|
CE
|
Physical Therapy Practice III
|
Year 2, Term 6.1/6.2
|
Clinical
|
15
|
|
DPT 706A
|
PB
|
Capstone Course II
|
Year 2, Term 6.1/6.2
|
No
|
2
|
|
Course Category Abbreviations:
CE = Clinical Education Experience
FS = Foundational Sciences
PB = Professional Behaviors
PT = Physical Therapy Reasoning and Skills
|
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program does not accept transfer credits.
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program requires that students complete all credits at Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) to qualify for degree completion.
DPT AZ students are expected to maintain a professional appearance that reflects competence, safety, and respect for patients, peers, faculty, staff, and the profession. These standards apply during all scheduled program activities, including community, classroom, immersion laboratory, and online sessions, whether held via Zoom or any other online platform, held within campus facilities, or when engaged in off-campus learning activities within the community.
Standards of professional appearance must be adhered to unless an approved accommodation is granted for medical or religious reasons through the Accessibility and Disability Services Office and/or Student Services Office. Details of the accommodations policy and process and the legal and regulatory framework governing standards of professional appearance are outlined in the DPT AZ Clinical Education Handbook.
Failure to follow the standards of professional appearance outlined within the DPT AZ Clinical Education Handbook and those included within this handbook may be considered a violation of SCU’s Student Code of Conduct, as detailed within the SCU Academic Catalog under “Student Rights and Responsibilities”.
The following requirements apply in all SCU-affiliated education and clinical settings, at all times when a student is present in a didactic, community, patient care, or clinical learning environment.
Identification
Students must wear an official SCU-provided ID badge or nametag that identifies the student by name, identifies their program, and indicates their status as a student. ID badges may not reflect prior credentials, licenses, or professional titles that are not associated with the current program enrollment. Where a clinical site issues its own ID, both the site ID and SCU identification must be displayed unless the site explicitly instructs otherwise.
General Attire Standards
- Clothing must allow faculty, staff, patients, and visitors to easily identify students.
- All clothing must be clean, unwrinkled, and undamaged.
- Attire must be free of images, wording, or logos except those required by the site, program embroidery, the student’s embroidered name, or the required ID.
- Clothing must provide full, opaque coverage appropriate to a professional clinical environment and may not expose undergarments or private body areas in any position when performing typical work tasks (e.g., bending, squatting) or become transparent under clinical lighting or when wet.
- Clothing must not restrict safe and necessary movement, be overly tight or sheer, or expose skin below the neckline or above the upper arm or lower thigh.
Footwear
Closed-toe, closed-heel footwear with non-skid soles that protects the foot is required in most settings. Sneakers, athletic shoes, or aquatic shoes are permitted where allowed by the site. Safety, foot protection, and functional appropriateness are always the primary considerations. Exceptions apply in settings where closed footwear is considered by a clinical site during a clinical education experience to be inappropriate or unsafe based on the specialized clinical context. In such case, footwear appropriate to the setting is required, as determined by the clinical site.
Jewelry
Jewelry must not dangle, protrude, or create entanglement or puncture risk during patient, standardized patient, peer, or faculty interactions and/or when moving and working within the clinical environment. Additional site-specific restrictions may apply during clinical education experiences.
Personal Hygiene and Grooming
- General hygiene: Students must maintain personal hygiene consistent with a clinical healthcare environment, including avoidance of strong odors from any source.
- Fragrance: Perfumes, colognes, scented lotions, and scented aftershave products must not be worn. Unscented personal care products are required.
- Hair: Hair must be clean, groomed, and managed so as not to interfere with patient care or clinical function. Protective and natural hairstyles, including but not limited to locs, braids, twists, and Bantu knots are fully permitted. No restriction is imposed based on hair texture or cultural hair practices.
- Facial hair: Facial hair, if present, must be neatly groomed. Site-specific requirements regarding facial hair for respiratory protection compliance take precedence.
- Fingernails: Natural nails must be clean, well-manicured, and short (extending no more than 2mm beyond the fingertip). If nail polish is worn, when permitted by the clinical site, it must be freshly applied, unchipped, and a solid color or clear. Artificial nails, gel nails, nail wraps, or any nail enhancements must not be worn during direct patient care or when performing tasks that require hand hygiene, per Center for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) infection control guidance.
- Cosmetics: Cosmetics, if worn, must be conservative and not distracting in a clinical education environment; determination of compliance with this standard is made at the site level.
Tattoos and Body Piercings
Visible tattoos and body piercings are permitted in SCU-affiliated clinical settings unless a specific site requires otherwise. Tattoos depicting offensive, discriminatory, or graphic content must be covered in all clinical settings. Students must confirm site-specific tattoo and piercing policies before beginning a clinical education experience, as requirements vary.
Permitted Attire (unless a clinical education site dictates otherwise)
- Professional dress consistent with the setting
- Scrubs - solid color, clean, unwrinkled, appropriately sized
- Polo with solid-color dress slacks (black, navy, grey, brown, or khaki)
Program-specific Standards of Professional Appearance
Standards of Appearance: Clinical Education Courses
During courses that involve patient care or standardized patients, including Clinical Education courses, students must adhere to the Standards of Professional Appearance outlined in the DPT AZ Clinical Education Handbook. Standards must be adhered to unless an approved accommodation is granted for medical or religious reasons through the Accessibility and Disability Services Office and/or Student Services Office. Details of the Clinical Education Accommodations Policy and process and the Legal and Regulatory Framework governing Standards of Professional Appearance are outlined in the DPT AZ Clinical Education Handbook.
Full details of the standards of appearance for clinical education are similarly outlined within the DPT AZ Clinical Education Handbook.
Where laboratory or skills-based activities require certain body parts to be easily accessible, students may need to partially disrobe in a manner consistent with effective participation. Acceptable clothing for these activities may include shorts and sports-bras or tank tops, where appropriate. Students may also be required to wear patient gowns when appropriate for immersion laboratory activities. Students will be instructed in the use of a sheet to ensure modesty through appropriate draping during laboratory and/or skills-based activities. An SCU-provided ID badge or nametag is required to be worn at all times.
Students are required to wear either scrubs that are a solid color, clean, wrinkle-free, and properly fitted or business-casual clothing for all practical examinations conducted within the program. Closed-toe, closed-heel shoes with nonskid soles that protect the foot are also required, and sneakers are permitted. An SCU-provided ID badge or nametag is required to be worn at all times.
Students are required to wear either scrubs that are a solid color, clean, wrinkle-free, and properly fitted or business-casual clothing for all community engagement activities conducted within the program. Closed-toe, closed-heel shoes with nonskid soles that protect the foot are also required, and sneakers are permitted. An SCU-provided ID badge or nametag is required to be worn at all times.
Regular attendance is essential to success in this hybrid program and will be monitored and recorded for all classes. Both online interactive synchronous sessions and in-person immersion laboratories are considered required program activities.
- Cameras are required to be on during all synchronous sessions. If a student has a specific reason not to have their camera on during a synchronous session, the student must let the instructor know in advance of the session whenever possible to obtain approval.
- If a student must miss a synchronous session for a valid reason, the student must contact the course faculty member in advance of the session whenever possible. The student is required to watch the recording of the missed session and meet with course faculty to demonstrate understanding of the missed content.
- Frequent requests to miss synchronous sessions will be referred to the Student Success Coordinator for further discussion and may result in remediation.
- Two unexplained synchronous session absences in total for all courses contained within a sub-term of 8-weeks and/or a failure to meet with course faculty to demonstrate understanding of the missed content in the event of an approved absence in any term may result in dismissal from the program.
Attendance at in-person laboratories is mandatory and required.
Reference SCU’s Academic Catalog “Attendance Policy” for further details regarding “Excused Absences, Unexcused Absences, and Online Attendance”.
Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the physical therapy licensure examination, which is required for lawful practice in all states.
Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure examination even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT: www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards. A list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT’s website.
Southern California University is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist education program from CAPTE. The program is planning to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, on May 1, 2026. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the professional/technical phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional/technical courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.
Full-time clinical experiences are offered in Term 4.1 (8 weeks), Term 5.2 (8 weeks), and Term 6.1/6.2 (15 weeks) for a total of 31 full-time clinical experience weeks. These experiences provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills from the didactic curriculum to clinical settings to safely and effectively refine patient management skills under the direct supervision of experienced licensed physical therapists and in collaboration with interprofessional and intraprofessional healthcare teams.
Please consult the DPT Clinical Handbook for full details.
Clinical Education Sites
Clinical Education Experiences are offered through a network of clinical partners locally, regionally, and nationally. All logistical management pertaining to full-time Clinical Education Experiences occurs through the Exxat platform. Each enrolled student is granted access to this platform prior to matriculation into the program and will be accountable for maintaining an updated profile in addition to uploading and maintaining all compliance documentation required.
To meet the program’s goals for the clinical education portion of the curriculum, clinical placements should provide the quality, quantity, and variety of expected experiences required to prepare students for their roles and responsibilities as physical therapists.
Please consult the DPT AZ Clinical Handbook for full details.
Clinical education experiences are designed for students to develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary for professional practice. Each clinical education experience is paired with an associated clinical education course which includes related coursework activities. During clinical education experiences, students participate in patient care and engage in other associated educational experiences under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. Students earn course completion credit by completing a minimum of 1,085 Direct Patient Care hours and an associated 155 Patient Management Preparation Activity hours at approved clinical sites across the three full-time clinical experiences. Additionally, satisfactory completion of written and practical assignments and clinical skills assessments associated with each clinical education course is also required for successful course completion. Students must be in good academic standing, as defined in the SCU catalog and extended within this handbook, and be deemed by the program core faculty as competent and safe to progress to clinical education prior to each clinical education experience.
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Course Code
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Course Name
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Term
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Credits
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Clinical hours
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Location
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DPT 645A
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Physical Therapy Practice I
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4.1
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8
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320 hours
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Approved Clinical Site
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DPT 655A
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Physical Therapy Practice II
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5.2
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8
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320 hours
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Approved Clinical Site
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DPT 665A
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Physical Therapy Practice III
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6.1/6.2
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15
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600 hours
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Approved Clinical Site
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Please consult the DPT AZ Clinical Education Handbook and the clinical education course syllabi for full details.
Substantive, regular, monitored, and planned interaction between students and clinical education faculty (clinical instructors and/or Site Coordinators of Clinical Education) will occur throughout each clinical education experience within the curriculum through experiential practice and associated patient management preparation activities described below, and relevant coursework activities detailed within individual clinical education course syllabi.
A full-time, supervised clinical education experience in which students apply knowledge, clinical reasoning, psychomotor skills, and professional behaviors in the provision of patient-centered physical therapy services. During on-ground clinical experiences, students will participate in direct patient care under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist serving as their clinical instructor. Learning activities include performing components of the physical therapy examination, contributing to evaluation and plan-of-care decisions, implementing interventions, documenting patient care, communicating with patients and caregivers, and collaborating with members of the healthcare team, among other patient care activities. Students are expected to progressively assume greater responsibility for patient management as appropriate for their level of training while consistently demonstrating safe, ethical, and professional practice. Throughout the clinical experience, students must comply with all applicable state laws and regulations governing physical therapy practice, as well as facility-specific policies, procedures, and standards of professional conduct. This experience allows students to integrate academic preparation with authentic clinical practice while developing the competencies required for entry-level physical therapist practice.
Students are required to complete a structured patient management preparation checklist for each patient that they treat during clinical experiences. This activity is designed to promote regular and substantive interactions between the student and their clinical instructor (CI) through ongoing communication, guided clinical reasoning, and targeted feedback that supports safe, evidence-informed patient care. In this activity, students use information from the chart review, patient interview, examination findings, response to treatment, and communication within the care environment to complete a guided clinical reasoning exercise. First, students analyze the available patient data to generate and prioritize a list of differential diagnoses. They then research the most plausible competing explanations for the patient’s presentation and narrow the list based on the patient’s symptoms, systems review findings, red flags, test and measure results, and overall clinical picture. Next, students determine whether the patient would benefit from consultation with, or referral to, another member of the care team and provide a brief rationale for that decision based on the patient’s presentation, safety needs, and plan of care. Students also complete a focused search of the literature to identify a best-practice physical therapy intervention and select a base therapeutic exercise or activity with appropriate progression, regression, and dosing. In addition, students will use appropriate health informatics to complete a medication reconciliation, identify medication-related factors that may influence physical therapy management and suggest any necessary modifications. Students are also required to identify contextual factors that may influence the patient’s participation, access, safety, and/or adherence, and explain how these factors shape the plan of care. Throughout this process, students are expected to engage in substantive interactions with their CI by identifying aspects of the proposed plan of care that require clarification, confirmation, or modification prior to implementation. Students discuss their clinical reasoning, differential diagnoses, referral decisions, and planned interventions with their CI and incorporate feedback into the plan of care. Through consistent regular and substantive interaction with their CI, students refine their clinical decision-making, strengthen their professional communication, and directly support successful patient management outcomes.
The benchmark for progression within the program’s lock-step curriculum is an average grade of ≥ 70% for each individual course.
The benchmark for passing all laboratory-based practical examinations is ≥ 80%.
Letter grade
A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89.99%
C = 70% - 79.99%
F = 0.0% - 69.99%
At the program-level, the benchmark for academic good standing is a cumulative GPA of ≥ 3.0 out of 4.0. The same benchmark applies for clearance to enter each Physical Therapy Practice course.
Cumulative GPAs will be calculated at the end of each 8-week sub-term. Students with a cumulative GPA below 3.0 out of 4.0 will be subject to academic probation and will be placed on an academic development plan (ADP), as described below.
If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.75 out of 4.0 at the end of any term within the curriculum, they will be subject to academic dismissal.
A final cumulative GPA of ≥ 3.0 out of 4.0 is required for graduation from the program and conferral of the DPT degree.
Please reference the SCU Academic Catalog for the University-specific Academic Good Standing policy.
Please consult the DPT AZ Clinical Handbook for program benchmarks related to Clinical Education.
Students with an approved leave of absence as well as any student who fails to meet the Program Benchmark for Each Course, the Program Benchmark for Academic Good Standing, and/or the Program Benchmark for Entry into Clinical Education outlined above, may be subject to deceleration. Deceleration is the process where a student is moved from their original cohort to a subsequent cohort within the DPT AZ program delaying their graduation.
The process by which the student must decelerate will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Program Director in consultation with core faculty and will be implemented based on program capacity.
In order to demonstrate student competency in all areas of the DPT curriculum, students will be administered formative and summative assessments suited to the content of each course.
Assessments can include but are not limited to written examinations, practical examinations, skill checks, low-stakes quizzes, and coursework activities.
While all practical examinations are taken in-person during on-ground immersion laboratories, the majority of written examinations are taken online in the remote testing format using a Lock Down browser called ExamSoft and its associated ExamSoft Monitor/webcam to monitor and proctor students throughout the examination.
For students who do not meet the minimum required performance standards on written and/or practical examinations, and/or Laboratory Skills Checks, the program-specific remediation policy applies. Remediation policies are designed to support student success, ensure patient and/or client management competency, and uphold academic and professional standards.
All remediation occurrences will be recorded by the Student Success Coordinator in the appropriate student’s records.
- Scoring below 70% on a summative examination (i.e. midterm or final examination) will result in a scheduled, faculty-led structured remediation, followed by a single opportunity to retake a like exam to achieve a passing score.
- The maximum score that a student can achieve on a retake written examination is 70%.
- If a student fails the retake, the higher score of the two failing scores will be recorded as the assessment grade.
Select program-specific clinical readiness skills will be assessed during each immersion laboratory.
- Laboratory skills checks will be graded as Pass (P)/No Pass (NP).
- A result of NP for any laboratory skills check will result in peer-level remediation of that skill and a faculty-led skills check retake during the laboratory immersion.
- Another NP will result in structured remediation with course faculty during the laboratory immersion to ensure skills-related competency prior to the practical examination.
- Practical examinations will take place at end of each lab immersion.
- The benchmark for passing all laboratory-based practical examinations is 80%.
- Tier 1 safety skills will be graded as P/NP. A result of NP for a Tier 1 safety skill will result in skills-specific remediation with a faculty member.
- Scoring <80% for a practical examination will result in same day remediation with a course faculty member.
- After remediation for either a Tier 1 safety skills NP and/or achieving a score <80%, a retake will be required. Achieving another NP on a Tier 1 safety skill and/or <80% will result in failure of the course and an inability to progress to the next term in the lock-step curriculum.
- Standardized grading rubrics will be used for all practical examinations to ensure objectivity.
- The maximum score that a student can achieve on a retake practical examination is 80%.
- In circumstances where a student achieves a score of <80% and course faculty determine that unstandardized testing occurred during the students first examination, course faculty may grant a practical examination retake on a case-by-case basis with the potential for the student to earn a full score (as opposed to the minimum passing grade of 80%).
- Remediation for the Clinical readiness Skills Check which clears students for entry into DPT 645A: Physical Therapy Practice I follows the process described in the Remediation Policy for Practical Examinations described above, with the exception that the Clinical Readiness Skills Check is graded as a P/NP.
- An inability to achieve a grade of Pass after faculty-led remediation and a retake Clinical readiness Skills Check will result in the student not being cleared to attend the first clinical experience. As successful completion of all components of the curriculum is required for progression within the program’s lock-step curriculum, a NP for the Clinical Readiness Skills Check may result in academic deceleration.
Academic Development Plans (ADPs) are intended to support students who may be at-risk academically. ADPs are typically developed by the student’s program of study and are intended to support the student in meeting program-level academic expectations. Please consult the SCU Catalog for full details.
In the DPT AZ program, an ADP will remain in place for at least one sub-term of 8-weeks, and will consist of one or more of the following activities depending on student needs:
- Completion of individualized assignments.
- Participation in mandatory exam preparation workshops.
- Participation in mandated tutoring.
- Participation in mandated remediation.
- Attendance of one-on-one advising sessions with the Student Success Coordinator.
- Attendance of one-on-one coaching sessions with faculty coach.
- Participation in additional skills labs or technique sessions.
- Other activities as determined by the course faculty, faculty coach, student success coordinator and/or Program director.
An ADP is assessed on a Pass/No Pass basis. Successful completion of an ADP is defined as a pass on all of the action items defined in the ADP and a return to Academic Good standing. The designation of Pass will be determined by the Program Director.
Failure to comply with or meet any of the requirements of an ADP may result in further academic disciplinary action such as deceleration or dismissal from the program.
While the program technically allows employment, the intensity of coursework and clinical experiences makes working extremely challenging. Students are discouraged from working while enrolled in the program. Course and clinical rotation schedules will not be modified for students who are employed.
The DPT AZ program laboratories are located within a shared facility and are subject to building access hours maintained by security coverage. Students may access laboratory spaces during the following hours:
- Monday through Friday: 6:30 am to 9:00 pm
- Saturday: 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
- Sunday: No independent student access without advanced program approval due to required advanced coordination with security to facilitate access.
Standard building hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 9:00 pm, and Saturday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Access outside of standard hours, including early morning entry on weekdays and all weekend access, is available within the security-covered windows listed above.
Students requiring laboratory access outside of posted hours must obtain advance approval from the Program Director or assigned designee. Unauthorized access outside of approved hours is not permitted.
DPT AZ students are expected to maintain the laboratory in a clean and organized condition, return all equipment to its designated location, and secure the space upon departure. Any damage, safety concerns, or security issues observed during laboratory use should be reported to program administration promptly.
If a student has concerns regarding the DPT program at SCU’s Phoenix Metro location, they are encouraged to pursue the issue with appropriate faculty and/or University administration.
Please refer to the policy found in the DPT Clinical Education Handbook: “Handling Clinical Education Complaints/Concerns”.
A complaint from an employer of SCU’s Phoenix Metro DPT alumni or from the public will be directed to the Program Director. The Program Director will address and resolve the complaint when immediate remediation is needed. Complaints about the Program Director or Director of Clinical Education can be made directly to the Dean of the College of Health Professions or appropriate SCU administration. Complaints regarding curriculum and program planning will be maintained and reviewed annually as part of the program assessment plan. Additionally, students are encouraged to contact the American Physical Therapy Association and/or the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) via information found on the program’s website.
Please refer to the policy and procedural steps in the SCU Academic Catalog: “Student Grievances.”
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