Doctor of Physical Therapy

Doctor of Physical Therapy-Minnesota

Effective April 29, 2025, Augustana University has been granted Full Accreditation Status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703.706.3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 605.202.6175 or email dptadmission@augie.edu.

Initial accreditation for new programs is issued by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education for five years with subsequent entry into the ongoing reaccreditation process at that time.

Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) at fsbpt.org or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website).

Licensure, Reciprocity & Complaints

Doctor of Physical Therapy-Colorado

The Augustana University Doctor of Physical Therapy-Colorado (DPT-CO) 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 phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional 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.

Licensure, Reciprocity & Complaints

Effective April 29, 2025, Augustana University has been granted Full Accreditation Status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703.706.3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 605.202.6175 or email dptadmission@augie.edu.

Initial accreditation for new programs is issued by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education for five years with subsequent entry into the ongoing reaccreditation process at that time.

Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) at fsbpt.org or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website).

Licensure, Reciprocity & Complaints

Health Insurance

All Augustana DPT students are responsible for purchasing and maintaining health insurance coverage throughout the DPT program. Distance education students should seek health services in their local communities. During on-site lab intensives, students will need to seek medical care for illnesses or injuries at local urgent care facilities or emergency rooms. Students are financially responsible for any services rendered by these medical facilities. Students are responsible for maintaining personal health insurance coverage during their entire tenure in the DPT Program.

Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care coverage and services. You can find and enroll in affordable health insurance plans at  healthcare.gov.  You may also find information about Open Enrollment, How to get or stay on a parent’s plan, how to enroll or change health insurance plans, and tips about the Health Insurance Marketplace on this site. 

Please note that students without health insurance cannot participate in patient contact activities both in the didactic and clinical phase, and therefore cannot successfully complete the program.

Immunizations

Before entering the Augustana DPT Program, students must submit proof of health insurance and updated proof of immunizations. Health and immunization forms require completion and signature by a licensed healthcare provider.

Specific related requirements include proof of:

1. Personal health insurance throughout the entire program.
2. Annual Tuberculosis (TB) two-step testing through one of the following: Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), QuantiFERON-Gold Blood Test (QTBG) or documentation from a healthcare provider assessing tuberculosis status with a copy of any diagnostic reports.
3. Hepatitis B vaccine series (three doses) OR immunity by titer.
4. MMR vaccine (two doses) OR immunity by titer.
5. Varicella history, vaccination (two doses) OR immunity by titer.
6. Influenza vaccine (required annually during influenza season - October through May).
7. Tetanus, Diphtheria & Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine within the last 10 years.
8. COVID-19 Vaccine | Students will be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine as currently determined by the CDC and FDA. COVID-19 vaccination is required to begin the program.

Before entering the clinical phases of the program (Year 2), students must update their immunization and health certificate and provide proof of:

1. Updated annual Tuberculosis (TB) testing.
2. Influenza vaccine (required annually during influenza season - October through May).
3. Current personal health insurance throughout the clinical year.
4. For some clinical sites, a physical examination may be required at additional expense.
5. COVID-19 vaccine booster as recommended by CDC, FDA and the specific clinical site.

For more information about immunization of Health Care Workers, go to the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Professional Liability & Workers' Compensation Coverage

Students enrolled in the DPT Program are covered by professional liability insurance for at least one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and three million dollars ($3,000,000) in the aggregate. Students will be provided workers' compensation insurance coverage for clinical education experiences that occur in states where it is required. The Clinical Education contract will specify if the state and clinical education site require students to have worker's compensation coverage. Certificates of insurance are provided to the clinical education sites where coverage is required.

Mission

The mission of the Augustana University Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program is to prepare innovative doctors of physical therapy who are empowered to integrate career and service, devise novel solutions to critical problems and embrace lifelong learning to improve the human experience in a diverse world.

The goal of the curriculum is to develop innovative future DPT who are dedicated to service in the community and profession, committed to academic excellence and passionate in their ongoing pursuit of knowledge and professional development.

Vision

Faculty, staff and students of the Augustana Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program are dedicated to the university's core values and core values of the physical therapy profession and reflect these in word and action. They seek to promote academic, personal and moral growth within a safe, challenging and responsive community. Their professional actions are rooted in science and open to the undiscovered opportunities for improvement of the health of a diverse population.

As part of the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities (NECU), a common calling can be found in “Rooted and Open” to equip graduates who are “called and empowered to serve the neighbor so that all may flourish.”

Augustana’s principles serve as the foundation for assessing the quality of the program and individual performance in achieving the program’s mission.

Program Goals

• Demonstrate a commitment to service and leadership in the institution, community and profession.
• Enroll a student body that results in graduates who support the demand for physical therapists and rehabilitation services at the local, state and national levels.
• Efficiently develop competent, career-focused physical therapists through innovative academic and clinical learning experiences.

Faculty Goals

• Role model meaningful service and professional responsibility to the institution, community and professional organizations.
• Integrate innovative teaching strategies and technologies that support the program’s mission, enhance student learning and optimize outcomes.
• The collective faculty demonstrate a commitment to excellence in teaching, scholarship and clinical practice.

Student Goals

• Students and graduates demonstrate a commitment to evidence-based practice and professional growth through lifelong learning, critical inquiry and mindful practice.
• Function in a professional, caring, ethical and culturally competent manner with a demonstrated advocacy toward the patient, community and profession.
• Provide feedback in support of the program’s mission, enhancement of student learning, innovative technologies and optimization of outcomes.

The Augustana University Doctor of Physical Therapy-Colorado (DPT-CO) 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 phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional 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.

Licensure, Reciprocity & Complaints

Health Insurance

All Augustana University DPT-CO students are responsible for purchasing and maintaining health insurance coverage throughout the program. Distance education students should seek health services in their local communities. During on-site lab intensives, students will need to seek medical care for illnesses or injuries at local urgent care facilities or emergency rooms. Students are financially responsible for any services rendered by these medical facilities. Students are responsible for maintaining personal health insurance coverage during their entire tenure in the DPT Program.

Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care coverage and services. You can find and enroll in affordable health insurance plans at  healthcare.gov.  You may also find information about Open Enrollment, How to get or stay on a parent’s plan, how to enroll or change health insurance plans, and tips about the Health Insurance Marketplace on this site. 

Please note that students without health insurance cannot participate in patient contact activities both in the didactic and clinical phase, and therefore cannot successfully complete the program.

Immunizations

Before entering the Augustana DPT-CO Program, students must submit proof of health insurance and updated proof of immunizations. Health and immunization forms require completion and signature by a licensed health care provider.

Specific related requirements include proof of:

• personal health insurance throughout the entire program;
• an annual tuberculosis (TB) 2-step testing through one of the following: Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), QuantiFERON-Gold Blood Test (QTBG) or documentation from a health care provider assessing TB status with a copy of any diagnostic reports;
• a hepatitis B vaccine series (three doses) OR immunity by titer;
• an MMR vaccine (two doses) OR immunity by titer;
• varicella history, vaccination (two doses) OR immunity by titer;
• an influenza vaccine (required annually during influenza season — October through May); and,
• a tetanus, diphtheria & pertussis (Tdap) vaccine within the last 10 years.

Before entering the clinical phases of the program (year two), students must update their immunization and health certificate and provide proof of:

• updated annual tuberculosis (TB) testing;
• an influenza vaccine (required annually during influenza season — October through May);
• current personal health insurance throughout the clinical year;
• for some clinical sites, a physical examination may be required at additional expense; and,
• a COVID-19 vaccine or booster if required by the clinical site.

Professional Liability & Workers' Compensation Coverage

Students enrolled in the DPT Program are covered by professional liability insurance for at least one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and three million dollars ($3,000,000) in the aggregate. Students will be provided workers' compensation insurance coverage for clinical education experiences that occur in states where it is required. The Clinical Education contract will specify if the state and clinical education site require students to have worker's compensation coverage. Certificates of insurance are provided to the clinical education sites where coverage is required.

The Augustana University DPT-CO Program is ideal for students who value self-directed learning and the hybrid learning environment. Students will complete self-paced asynchronous sessions, synchronous sessions and attend immersive labs in Colorado. The master adaptive learner is best described as a person who has the following characteristics:

Curiosity

• A desire for knowledge that leads to pursuit of that knowledge
• Purposefully looks for challenging and intellectually stimulating activities

Motivation

• The what, why and where of doing something
• Desire to solve problems and/or fill a gap in knowledge
• Driven by a personal interest

Growth Mindset

• A belief that abilities, like intelligence, can improve with dedication and hard work
• Embrace challenges
• Accept critical feedback
• Invest in learning

Resilience

• Process of adapting in the face of adversity
• To cope and recover from life’s challenges

The mission of the Augustana University Doctor of Physical Therapy-Colorado (DPT-CO) Program is to prepare innovative Doctors of Physical Therapy who are adaptive leaders who advocate for healthcare system improvements in primary care, practice in team-based arrangements and embrace lifelong learning to shape healthier communities across diverse populations.