Why study this program?
The Department of Physical Therapy offers a program leading to the Master of Science degree in Physical Therapy (MScPT).
The course-based MScPT program is designed to provide students with the clinical and evaluative skills necessary for the practice of physical therapy. This course-based master’s degree is for students who hold undergraduate degrees in a variety of fields.
The MScPT program is currently offered at three campus locations: Edmonton, Augustana (Camrose), and Calgary. Of the students admitted to the program, a portion are admitted to our Edmonton, Augustana, and Calgary campuses based on student preference. All students begin the program with a one month residency in Edmonton to study anatomy and establish initial face-to-face connections with the colleagues they will be working with via technology throughout the remainder of their program. With the MScPT program’s distributed education model, students at both campuses complete the same core program of required courses. Each campus may offer unique elective opportunities reflective of local expertise and community partnerships in addition to the online electives available to all.
Entrance Requirements
The Department’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.
Prerequisite courses are required and include the following: Human Anatomy (3 units), Human Physiology (6 units), Human Movement (3 units), Statistics (3 units), Human Psychology (3 units), Humanities or Social Sciences (3 units), and Canadian Indigenous History.
The Canadian Indigenous History requirement may be fulfilled through the certificate version of the University of Alberta Indigenous Canada MOOC.
Alternatively, an academic equivalent (3 units) will be accepted. Should students complete a (3 units) course in Canadian Indigenous History this may also count as the Humanities or Social Sciences prerequisite requirement.
Applicants who do not possess a degree or its academic equivalent from an academic institution recognized by the University of Alberta, in which the language of instruction is English must have an IELTS score of 7.5 or higher with no less than 7.0 in each band, or TOEFL score of 102 (internet-based) or higher with no less than a score of 23 for the speaking component, 24 for the listening component, 24 for the reading component, and 27 for the writing component (or an equivalent approved English language examination result).
Human Anatomy must be completed within five years of the admission pre-requisite course deadline.
Activity courses in Physical Education, studio courses in Fine Arts, and practicum courses are not considered part of the required 60 units of admission requirements and are not included in the calculation of the academic score.
With the exception of prerequisite courses, courses completed extra to degree must be senior undergraduate level (typically 300- and 400-level) courses to be included in the admission GPA calculation.
The selection process is competitive and will be based on a combination of metrics that include GPA, interview, and situational judgment test (CASPer) scores. GPA will be based on the most recent 60 units taken prior to January of the admission year. The grade point average of the prerequisite courses may be included in the admissions evaluation process. In addition to academic requirements an interview will be required. While preference will be given to residents of Alberta, approximately 15% of the available seats will be offered to out-of-province and international applicants. A minimum of two seats each year will be designated and offered to qualified applicants of Indigenous ancestry.
Provincial Licensing: In order to be a practising physical therapist in the Province of Alberta, graduates from the course-based MScPT program at the University of Alberta are required to take the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) which consists of both written (Qualifying Examination) and clinical (Physiotherapy National Examination) examinations. The fee for the examination is the responsibility of the student. Information on the cost of the examination can be obtained from the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta. Successful completion of the PCE will enable graduating physical therapists to practice in Alberta. Contact (780) 438-0338 for more information.
The deadline date for submitting applications for admission (including a listing of prerequisites completed and/or in progress) is January 15 for international applications and February 1 for domestic applications. Please contact the Department of Physical Therapy for further admission information. Normally deferral of admission will not be allowed.
Students must complete 96 units in coursework, including 3 units of approved interprofessional coursework, 3 units of elective coursework, clinical placements (31 weeks), and a major project.
Organization
Course-based MScPT courses are organized in blocks, with time periods different from the usual university terms. The start and finish dates for the blocks will vary from year to year. Normally, block classes will begin one week before the usual term. The last day of block classes may extend past the last day of classes for a term. These block dates are available annually from the Department Office.
Each block will include lecture, lab, and seminar time. Students are advised that self-directed learning is an expectation of graduate students and will maximize their learning.
Required Courses, including clinical placements (31 weeks)
- PTHER 500 - Movement Analysis
- PTHER 504 - Clinical Therapeutic Exercise
- PTHER 516 - Anatomy
- PTHER 517 - Clinical Placement I
- PTHER 518 - Clinical Placement II
- PTHER 520 - Clinical Placement III
- PTHER 521 - Clinical Placement IV
- PTHER 522 - Clinical Placement V
- PTHER 523 - Clinical Placement VI
- PTHER 524 - Professional Issues I
- PTHER 525 - Professional Issues II
- PTHER 526 - Professional Issues III
- PTHER 527 - Professional Issues IV
- PTHER 528 - Foundations of Physical Therapy
- PTHER 538 - Musculoskeletal I
- PTHER 544 - Cardiorespiratory
- PTHER 546 - Adult Neurology
- PTHER 548 - Physical Therapy and Chronic Disease Management
- PTHER 549 - Musculoskeletal II
- PTHER 555 - Therapeutic Physical Agents
- PTHER 563 - Gross Motor Development and Pediatric Physical Therapy
- PTHER 565 - Aging and Physical Therapy
- PTHER 566 - Introduction to Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology
- PTHER 572 - Basic Concepts in Evidence-Based Practice
- PTHER 573 - Applied Concepts in Evidence-Based Practice
- PTHER 574 - Advanced Concepts in Evidence-Based Practice
- PTHER 577 - Foundations of Primary Care
- PTHER 578 - Advanced Clinical Topics
Elective Course
Approved elective course work totaling 3 units. Courses completed prior to the MScPT course-based program will not be considered for the 3-unit elective requirement
- PTHER 554 - Elective or equivalent
Major Project
Students must successfully complete both components to pass the major project.
- PTHER 900 - Evidence Based Practice Capping Assessment A practical examination of clinical skills within an Objective, Structured Competency Examination (OSCE)
- PTHER 901 - Evidence Based Practice Clinical Capping Assessment A group written case study analysis with individual oral examination.
Clinical Placements
To be eligible for clinical placements the students must meet the following requirements:
- CPR Certification
- Police Information Check (see Fieldwork/Clinical Practice Requirements ).
- Immunization Requirements (see University Infectious Diseases Regulation ).
- Fit Testing for Respirator Mask, as required
- For students requesting Academic Success Centre accommodation and for students returning to the program after a prolonged period of absence due to illness, a medical examination and relevant documentation may be required prior to clinical practice.
Details on these clinical requirements are available in the MScPT Student Manual. Note that all fees and costs for these clinical requirements are the student’s responsibility (e.g., travel, visa, accommodation, health and travel insurance, course registration). Students must be prepared to travel throughout the province in order to obtain the placement experiences that are required for graduation. Students may choose to apply for a national or international placement at designated times.
Students must have completed an acceptable level of clinical performance over the course of the MScPT program in order to graduate. A student could fail a clinical placement and/or be required to do remedial work if there were evidence of:
- Unsafe clinical practice
- Unsatisfactory professional conduct
- Clinical/professional skills are not at a suitable level of performance for graduation
As per regulations, the student would have the right to appeal any conditions put on this remedial work (see Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine’s Appeals Procedures document). A student who fails a clinical placement may appeal that decision. Information regarding appeal procedures is available in the MScPT Student Manual.
The Dean, or supervisor acting on behalf of the Dean, may immediately deny assignment of a student to, withdraw a student from, or vary terms, conditions, or site of practicum/clinical placement if the Dean or supervisor has reasonable grounds to believe that this is necessary in order to protect the public interest. Refer to Practicum Intervention Policy for additional information.
Assistance/Accommodation: Students who may require assistance/accommodation due to personal circumstances and/or conditions affecting mobility, vision, hearing, learning and physical or mental health, should refer to the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine Student Accommodation Procedures document from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine Office and to the Academic Success Centre .
To protect the public, students returning to the MScPT Program from a prolonged leave of absence will be required to successfully pass a screening examination (written and practical) to ensure knowledge and skills are at a proficient level prior to beginning a clinical placement. In the event that students do not successfully pass the screening exam after two attempts, the department’s General Academic Standing Requirements will apply. (see Physical Therapy [Graduate] General Academic Standing Requirements ).
Length of Program
A minimum of 28 calendar months will normally be required to complete the program. Dependent on clinical placement availability, completion of the program may be 31 months. Normally the MScPT program will be completed within a maximum of three consecutive academic years.
Students will move through the blocks sequentially as a cohort. In the event that a course is failed or deferred, there will be an impact on the time required to complete the program.
The maximum time to complete the course-based MScPT program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is six years.
Courses
Graduate courses can be found in Course Listings , under the following subject headings:
Physical Therapy (PTHER)
Rehabilitation Medicine (REHAB)
Fellowships and scholarships may be obtained from a number of external sources (e.g., Alberta Government, CPA, IODE, Arthritis Society, and others). More detailed information on these and other awards can be obtained in Graduate Financial Support, Graduate Financial Aid.
For general information, please visit the Tuition and Fees page on the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research site.The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research administers over $29 million each year in scholarships, awards, and financial support for graduate students, as well as financial and loan advising. Additional scholarships are also available for specific faculties and programs.
Please refer to the detailed program information or email mscpt@ualberta.ca.
General inquiriesPlease check out some of our most frequently asked questions (FAQS) to see if your question has been answered, or contact the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) during our office hours.
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR)
Killam Centre for Advanced Studies
2-29 Triffo Hall
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1