Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy, Graduate Certificate

About the Certificate

• Courses utilize a hybrid model of online learning and manual skills laboratory sessions.
• The 12-credit program can be completed in one to three years.
• The program is affordable and competitively priced.
• Students network and connect with nationally recognized faculty and peers.
• All Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Certificate courses are 2-credits.
• Students can take two courses before formal application and matriculation.
• Arcadia University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program is ranked in the top 20 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

The primary goal of this certificate program is to prepare clinicians to practice musculoskeletal physical therapy using current evidence. Consistent with this goal, the program is designed to provide sufficient content, knowledge and skills to prepare students to sit for the orthopaedic clinical specialization examination offered by the American Physical Therapy Association’s Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.

The curriculum consists of six 2-credit courses. Two courses deal with general concepts relevant to the management of all musculoskeletal conditions. The remaining four courses are regional and each includes relevant anatomy, biomechanics, imaging, medical screening as well as current best evidence related to examination and intervention with emphasis on the most prevalent conditions for each region. The regional courses include a laboratory component for development of manual skills.

Laboratory Sessions: The courses in the program utilize a hybrid model of online learning with integrated manual skills laboratory sessions. The manual skills laboratory sessions will occur over 4 weekends per year. The program is highly interactive and capitalizes on the wealth of knowledge clinicians bring with them.

Certificate Requirements

(12 credits)

The curriculum for the Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy Certificate program consists of at six 2-credit courses. There is no required course sequence. A minimum of 12 credits is required.

12 credits (not 18), not required to have mentoring or a job in a clinical setting (so don’t transfer that over from Ortho)

Clinicians can take these courses and be prepared for the same OCS Board exam. 

• PT 656 Neuromuscular Tissues and Motor Control (2 credits)
• PT 680 Evidence Based Practice and Clinical Reasoning (2 credits)
• PT 681 Cervical-Thoracic Spine and Temporomandibular Joint (2 credits)
• PT 682 Upper Extremity: Shoulder, Elbow, Wrist & Hand (2 credits)
• PT 683 Lumbar Spine and Sacroiliac Joint (2 credits)
• PT 684 Lower Extremity: Hip, Knee, Ankle & Gait (2 credits)

Tuition and Fees

Tuition: Summer 2022 $9,790/program