PTH - Physical Therapy
PTH 526 Human Anatomy for the Physical Therapist (6 Credit Hours)
This course will provide a comprehensive overview of human anatomy, with an emphasis on arthrology, histology, osteology, and gross neuromuscular and vascular anatomy of the limbs and trunk. It will incorporate foundational muscle physiology, kinesiology, and biomechanical principles as they relate to physical therapy practice. Lab sessions will complement lectures with instructor-led problem-solving to enhance the application of content.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 528 Introduction to the Profession: Becoming a Physical Therapist (1 Credit Hours)
This course will introduce key concepts and practices necessary for success as a physical therapy professional-in-training. Program-related content will include an orientation to program expectations, processes, operational activities and program culture. Profession-related content will include the physical therapy scope of practice, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and its resources, professional practice expectations and guidelines, the role of the PT in the healthcare continuum and key conceptual frameworks spanning all areas of patient/client care (e.g., clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, communication, disability).
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 529 Introduction to Healthcare Education (1 Credit Hours)
This course will introduce key concepts of graduate-level teaching and learning to facilitate student success in the UNE Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Students will explore the meaning of health and healthcare through activities in which they reflect on their own health in cognitive/learning, cultural, economic/financial, physical, and social/emotional domains. Course content will include an emphasis on resources and supports for personal and academic success in graduate school.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 532 Tissue Biology for the PT (2 Credit Hours)
This course provides a foundational understanding of human tissue biology as it relates to the practice of physical therapy. Students will explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie normal tissue structure, function, adaptation, and repair across muscle, connective, integumentary, and nervous systems. Emphasis will be placed on the Physical Stress Theory as a framework for understanding how tissues respond to mechanical loading, disuse, and injury. Additional topics include an introduction to the immune system and pharmacological principles relevant to tissue healing and recovery. Through integrated lectures and applied examples, students will develop the biological reasoning necessary to inform clinical decision-making in patient care.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 533 Principles of PT Practice (2 Credit Hours)
This course introduces students to the foundational concepts, expectations, and professional practices essential for success in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and the physical therapy profession. Students will explore the roles and responsibilities of physical therapists within the healthcare system and develop the professional behaviors and habits necessary for effective practice. Course content emphasizes learning strategies for success in graduate education and the development of personal and professional identity formation as a physical therapist. Early exposure to clinical settings provides students with opportunities to apply principles of self-reflection, goal setting, and patient-centered care in preparation for subsequent coursework and clinical education experiences.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 534 Foundations in Clinical Rehabilitation (6 Credit Hours)
This course introduces students to the foundational knowledge, concepts, and skills that form the basis of physical therapy practice across the continuum of care, through lecture, laboratory, and experiential learning. Students will gain hands-on experience in foundational patient assessment and introductory patient care skills. Faculty will guide students in professional practice expectations, documentation, communication, patient safety, and evidence-based clinical reasoning. Emphasis is placed on integrating scientific principles with professional behaviors to promote safe, effective, and patient-centered care.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 551 Science of Movement 1 (6 Credit Hours)
This first course in the 5-course Science of Movement series will focus on the anatomy, kinesiology, and biomechanics of the lower extremity. Basic peripheral and central nervous system structure and function will be covered to enable students to examine and evaluate movement dysfunction from a neurologic origin. Physiology, pathophysiology, imaging and pharmacology relevant to the health conditions covered in curriculum case examples will be covered as appropriate. The Physical Stress Theory will be introduced and emphasized as the key principle driving the change or adaptation in the neuromusculoskeletal tissues and cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 552 Patient/Client Management 1 (5 Credit Hours)
This first course in the 5-course Patient/Client Management series will include an introduction to systems review, examination, evaluation, and interventions with a focus on lower extremity functional mobility. Students will be introduced to appropriate performance-based and patient-reported outcome measures as well as best-practice in documentation relevant to curriculum case examples. Students will practice patient-centered communication skills.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 553 Health and Human Development 1 (2 Credit Hours)
This first course in the 5-course Health and Human Development series will focus broadly on health across the lifespan within cognitive/learning, cultural, economic/financial, physical, and social/emotional health domains. Students will explore healthcare systems, models of health, competencies for interprofessional practice, human development, and healthy aging. Content will be informed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, the World Health Organization, the Interprofessional Education Collaborative, the American Physical Therapy Association, patient cases, and students’ personal experiences.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 554 Prof Roles & Responsibilities 1 (2 Credit Hours)
This first course in the 5-course Professional Roles & Responsibilities series will focus on the therapeutic process for developing rapport with patients/clients experiencing significant disability. Students will explore the potential impact of disability on the psychological and social state of patients/clients, their family members, and caregivers, with the goal of increasing awareness, understanding, sensitivity, respect, and ultimately, clinical outcomes. Course content also will include social justice in healthcare; disability theories and constructs; justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI); disaster and trauma healthcare; migrant health; and the varied roles of physical therapists around the world. Students will explore related policy, resources, and service models.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 555 Clinical Education 1 (1 Credit Hours)
This first course in the 5-course Clinical Education series will introduce principles of clinical education ethics, legal standards, personal leadership, and clinical readiness to prepare students to enter a full-time clinical experience. Course content will include concepts of self-reflection, professional goal setting, and professional identity formation as a foundation for clinical practice. As part of the course, students will engage in early clinical learning in local physical therapy settings.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 557 Clincal Education Experience 1A (2 Credit Hours)
This first full-time clinical education experience will take place in clinical settings representative of contemporary physical therapy practice. The experience will focus on the physical therapy management of patients/clients with commonly seen health conditions across the lifespan. The experience will introduce and progress students’ clinical knowledge and skills in areas of ethical practice, professionalism, communication, inclusivity, clinical reasoning, health and wellness, prevention, procedural clinical skill development, business management, and personal responsibility.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 561 Science of Movement 2 (6 Credit Hours)
This second course in the 5-course Science of Movement series will focus on upper extremity and lumbar spine anatomy, kinesiology and biomechanics. Cardiovascular and pulmonary physiology and pathophysiology will be covered to enable students to examine and evaluate movement dysfunction originating in cardiopulmonary systems. Study of upper and lower extremity movement function will continue with a deeper examination of the kinetic chain. Physiology, pathophysiology, imaging, and pharmacology relevant to the health conditions described in curriculum case examples will be covered as appropriate. The Physical Stress Theory will continue to be emphasized as the key principle driving the change or adaptation in the neuromusculoskeletal tissues and cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 562 Patient/Client Management 2 (5 Credit Hours)
This second course in the 5-course Patient/Client Management series will expand student knowledge and skills for conducting systems review, examination, evaluation, plan of care, and intervention procedures related to the clinical presentations covered in curriculum case examples and aligned with PTH 561 course content. Topics will include outcome measures, documentation, intervention selection, and patient-centered communication that are consistent with the body regions covered in PTH 561 Science of Movement.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 563 Health and Human Development 2 (2 Credit Hours)
This second course in the 5-course Health and Human Development series will expand student understanding of health and development across the lifespan. Using curriculum case examples as a guide, students will continue to explore the five domains of health: cognitive/learning, cultural, economic/financial, physical, and social/emotional, and their impact on healthy development. The course will strengthen concepts related to healthcare systems, models of health, inter- and intra-professional practice, prevention, and health promotion.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 564 Professional Roles & Responsibilities 2 (2 Credit Hours)
This second course in the 5-course Professional Roles & Responsibilities series will focus on foundational concepts of scientific inquiry and evidence-based practice (EBP). Using curriculum case examples as a guide, students will access and critically evaluate physical therapy, rehabilitation, and medicine literature using EBP guidelines and their developing understanding of clinical research methods. Topics will include hierarchy of evidence, ethics of clinical research, sampling, experimental design and control, psychometric properties, and statistical inference.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 565 Clinical Education 2 (1 Credit Hours)
This the second course of a 5-course series will progress the student’s understanding of master adaptive learner concepts and the development of personal and professional value systems. Students will continue introductory clinical learning in local physical therapy settings to reinforce early didactic clinical skill development.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 598 Global Health Experience: Guatemala (1 Credit Hours)
In this course students prepare for and participate in an international opportunity. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the World Health Organization’s Rehabilitation 2030 Call to Action will be utilized as frameworks to explore current global health issues, healthcare, and culture. This course builds and expands on students’ knowledge and understanding of physical therapy as a global/international profession and broadens their understanding of the scope of physical therapist practice. Constructs such as cultural humility, social responsibility, and social justice will be used as frameworks for addressing course objectives. Students are expected to synthesize the skills learned in previous courses and apply them to the experience.
The course culminates in an immersive experience in Guatemala, where students will learn about physical therapy education and practice, healthcare delivery, and culture through a wide variety of cultural, professional, and healthcare specific learning activities. Students may observe and/or assist with provision of care as directed by the clinical site, under the supervision of the physical therapy faculty/clinicians.
This experience will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and humility and develop their professional skills with a variety of populations and in a variety of settings.
Guatemala Specific Information: This course is designed to provide physical and occupational students with an experiential service learning opportunity and culture immersion in Guatemala. Students will learn about the local culture, health system, fields of rehabilitation, and population health priorities within Guatemala. The immersion experience (7-14 days) includes visits with rehabilitation specialists, tours of local hospital and clinic facilities, engagement with college faculty and students in the field of rehabilitation sciences, and hands-on engagement with patients receiving rehabilitation services. Students will be encouraged to routinely debrief and self-reflect upon experiences both as a small group and individually in order to address their personal and professional goals.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the Physical Therapy department.
PTH 599 Special Topics in PT (1-6 Credit Hours)
This course explores topics of interest for first year students in the realm of physical therapy under the guidance and supervision of faculty. The program of study is student-driven and does not duplicate a course offered by the University of New England.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 601 Clinical Practicum I (8 Credit Hours)
A full-time clinical education experience provided in a variety of health care settings within the United States. The experience is structured to provide students with the opportunity to develop competence in the management of patients with musculoskeletal or cardiopulmonary dysfunction.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 602 Scientific Inquiry 2 (2 Credit Hours)
The physical therapy student applies the principles of evidence-based practice to clinical problems. This includes: 1) asking patient-centered questions, 2) identifying, searching, and critically appraising published sources of evidence, and 3) integrating the evidence along with clinical expertise, and the patient's circumstances and preferences into clinical decisions. This course is offered in distance-learning format.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 603 Patho Med Mgt Dis -Child/Adult (3 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to provide the physical therapy student with foundational knowledge of the nervous system. The intent of this course is to enable students to understand relevant pathology and typical medical and surgical management related to common diseases of the nervous system. Emphasis will be placed on the pathophysiology of disease and how it relates to a patient’s clinical presentation and management. Students will integrate this knowledge into best physical therapy practice for patient management as presented in the concurrent courses.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 604 PT Mgt Child Spec Hlth Needs (5 Credit Hours)
PT Management of Children with Special Health Needs is designed to prepare students to practice as entry-level physical therapists working with infants, children and youth with special health needs of multiple body systems, especially the neuromuscular system. Using contemporary models of motor control and evidence-based practice, this course will outline the patient/client management model for children with neuromuscular and other system disorders. Integrated classroom and laboratory experiences incorporating case study methodology are used throughout the course to help students develop necessary competencies for physical therapy practice. Lecture, discussion, laboratory, case presentations, journal article reviews, small group work and clinical experiences provide opportunities for learning.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 605 PT Mgt Adults with Dis Neuro (6 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to prepare physical therapy students to apply the physical therapy patient/client model - including examination and intervention procedures and development of physical therapy care plans - for adults with impairments, activity restrictions, and participation restrictions due to health conditions affecting the neuromuscular system.
Academic Level: Graduate
Corequisites: PTH 605L
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 605L PT Mgt Adults w/ Dis Neuro Lab
Academic Level: Graduate
Corequisites: PTH 605
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 607 Clinical Practicum 2 (8 Credit Hours)
A full-time clinical experience provided in a variety of health care settings within the United States. The experience is structured to provide students with the opportunity to develop competence in the managements of patients with musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, pediatric or neuromuscular dysfunction.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 610 Comprehensive Exam 1 (1 Credit Hours)
PTH 610 is designed to prepare students for and to assess their performance on Comprehensive Examination 1, the first of two cumulative comprehensive examinations during the DPT program. The purpose of the comprehensive examinations is to help students integrate didactic material into the ongoing development of their critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. The examinations are intended to help students acquire and cumulatively maintain levels of competence necessary for successful completion of the program and clinical practice after graduation. Comprehensive Exam 1 covers all curricular content from the first four semesters of the DPT Program.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 611 Science of Movement 3 (5 Credit Hours)
This third course of a 5-course series will focus on the anatomy, kinesiology, and biomechanics of the foot, ankle, and cervical spine. Neuroscience and neuropathology of spinal cord injury, concussion, and vestibular disorders will be covered to enable students to examine and evaluate movement dysfunction originating in the neuromuscular system. Study of lower extremity movement function will continue with a deeper examination of the kinetic chain and focus on lower limb amputation and integrity of the integumentary system. Physiology and pathophysiology will be covered as appropriate for the conditions covered in the case examples along with related imaging and pharmacology. The Physical Stress Theory will continue to be emphasized as the key principle driving the change or adaptation in the neuromusculoskeletal tissues and cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 612 Patient/Client Management 3 (5 Credit Hours)
This third course of a 5-course series on the PT management of patients and clients includes systems screening, examination, evaluation, and interventions for upper and lower extremity, low back, pelvis, central nervous, integumentary, cardiopulmonary, and cognitive conditions. Students will deepen their knowledge and skills related to appropriate outcome measures, documentation, intervention selection, and patient-centered communication skills in patients with multisystem conditions.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 613 Health and Human Development 3 (2 Credit Hours)
This third of a 5-course series will continue to strengthen the students’ understanding of health across the lifespan. Concepts learned in the earlier series related to health care systems, social determinants of health, interprofessional practice, prevention, and health promotion will be applied to more complex case scenarios.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 614 Professional Roles & Responsibilities 3 (2 Credit Hours)
This third of a 5-course series introduces the student to international and United States policies that impact healthcare, and more specifically, policies affecting physical therapy practice. It will consist of active learning methodologies designed to provide students with a working understanding of public policy and the skills and resources to advocate effectively for their patients/clients and the profession. The course draws from relevant legislative and regulatory issues before Congress, federal regulatory agencies, and state legislatures and boards, as well as, policy related to social justice, equity, and environmental health. Students will explore related ethical practice concepts and challenges. As appropriate, students will reflect on and discuss these issues in the context of their clinical experiences to date.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 615 Clinical Education 3 (1 Credit Hours)
This third of a 5-course series will continue to progress adaptive learning for the student through an increased understanding of their role on an interprofessional team, applying concepts of psychological safety in both classroom and clinical settings, and developing value systems related to diverse, equitable, and inclusive patient care and collaboration in the clinic. Preparatory work for clinical placements will continue throughout the course.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 616 Science of Movement 3 (6 Credit Hours)
This third course of a 5-course series on the PT management of patients and clients includes systems screening, examination, evaluation, and interventions for upper and lower extremity, low back, pelvis, central nervous, integumentary, cardiopulmonary, and cognitive conditions. Students will deepen their knowledge and skills related to appropriate outcome measures, documentation, intervention selection, and patient-centered communication skills in patients with multisystem conditions.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 621 Science of Movement 4 (3 Credit Hours)
This fourth course of a 5-course series will focus on wrist and hand anatomy, kinesiology biomechanics, and upper extremity function. Neuroscience and neuropathology of neurodevelopment disorders and a deeper exploration of stroke disorders will be covered to enable students to examine and evaluate movement dysfunction originating in the neuromuscular system. Physiology and pathophysiology will be covered as appropriate for the conditions covered in the case examples along with related imaging and pharmacology. The Physical Stress Theory will continue to be emphasized as the key principle driving the change or adaptation in the neuromusculoskeletal tissues and cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 622 Patient/Client Management 4 (3 Credit Hours)
This fourth course of a 5-course series will cover the PT management of patients and clients including systems screening, examination, evaluation, and interventions for neurodevelopmental and acquired brain conditions, peripheral nerve disorders, and common wrist and hand musculoskeletal pathologies. Students will deepen their knowledge and skills of outcome measures, documentation, intervention selection, and patient-centered communication skills in complex patients with multisystem conditions.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 623 Health and Human Development 4 (2 Credit Hours)
This fourth of a 5-course series will deepen the students’ understanding of health and health systems across the lifespan. Students will analyze and critically examine complex case scenarios to better understand the impact of concepts learned in the earlier series related to health care systems, social determinants of health, interprofessional practice, prevention, and health promotion.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 624 Professional Roles & Responsibilities 4 (2 Credit Hours)
This fourth course of a 5-course series explores a variety of key issues that create the context that drives policy, procedure, and physical therapy practice management issues throughout the continuum of care. These issues include: the healthcare system and PT’s place in it, current healthcare issues, leadership, and introductory management concepts. For each of these topics a variety of perspectives will be explored and discussed in order to promote independent and critical thinking.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 625 Clinical Education 4 (1 Credit Hours)
This fourth course in a 5-course series will promote development of personal and professional value systems, address reconciliation of internal conflicts associated with receiving feedback, and will build further self-efficacy by applying positive psychology concepts to enhance clinical performance and prevent clinician burn-out. Preparatory work for clinical placements will continue throughout the course. They will also begin to create a study plan for the National Physical Therapy Examination.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 626 Capstone Experience (1 Credit Hours)
The course builds on and expands the students’ understanding of the broad scope of the role of the physical therapist. Students are expected to synthesize the knowledge and skills learned in the curriculum and apply them to an evidence-informed activity that allows them to grow and set themselves apart in a unique way.
Students will carry out a creative, in-depth exploration of an area of PT practice that interests them. They are required to complete a unique project individually or in a small group under the guidance of a Capstone Project Coordinator and with input from a Capstone Mentor. Each project is designed to expand the breadth of their knowledge within the field of physical therapy. The project is carried out over the course of the curriculum and culminates in a presentation.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 627 Clinical Education Experience 1B (4 Credit Hours)
This second clinical education experience advances the student’s clinical knowledge and skills in areas of ethical practice, professionalism, communication, inclusivity, clinical reasoning, health and wellness, prevention, management of patients/clients with diseases and conditions representative of those commonly seen in practice across the lifespan and the continuum of care in settings representative of those where physical therapy is practiced. Students will engage in patient care including technical and procedural clinical skill development, business management, and personal responsibility.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 628 Clinical Education Experience 1 (4 Credit Hours)
This full-time clinical education experience advances the student’s clinical knowledge and skills in areas of ethical practice, professionalism, communication, inclusivity, clinical reasoning, health and wellness, prevention, management of patients/clients with diseases and conditions representative of those commonly seen in practice across the lifespan and the continuum of care in settings representative of those where physical therapy is practiced. Students will engage in patient care including technical and procedural clinical skill development, introduction to business management, and personal responsibility.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 629 Global Health: Rehabilitation in Guatemala (2 Credit Hours)
In this course students prepare for and participate in an international opportunity. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the World Health Organization’s Rehabilitation 2030 Call to Action will be utilized as frameworks to explore current global health issues, healthcare, and culture. This course builds and expands on students’ knowledge and understanding of physical therapy as a global/international profession and broadens their understanding of the scope of physical therapist practice. Constructs such as cultural humility, social responsibility, and social justice will be used as frameworks for addressing course objectives. Students are expected to synthesize the skills learned in previous courses and apply them to the experience.
The course culminates in an immersive experience in Italy, where students will learn about physical therapy education and practice, healthcare delivery, and culture through a wide variety of cultural, professional, and healthcare specific learning activities. Students may observe and/or assist with provision of care as directed by the clinical site, under the supervision of the physical therapy faculty/clinicians.
This experience will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and humility and develop their professional skills with a variety of populations and in a variety of settings.
Students will spend 10 days in Guatemala visiting unique programs serving people with physical disabilities and discussing disability issues with Guatemalan health professionals, clients, and students. Cultural experiences will be included in all aspects of the course. These activities will occur in Antigua and Santiago Atitlan. Preparatory class meetings will take place and will include assigned readings, discussions, and planning.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 630 Global Health: Comparative Health Systems and Education in Iceland (2 Credit Hours)
This elective course offers Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students a comparative analysis of the Icelandic and American healthcare landscapes, examining the distinct intersections of clinical practice, health policy, and professional education. Students will explore Iceland’s centralized, single-payer system—noted for its high efficiency and focus on preventative care—as a foil to the multi-payer, commercially driven model of the United States. Beyond the classroom, the curriculum broadens into a global health perspective, challenging students to evaluate how cultural determinants, economic structures, and socialized versus privatized frameworks influence physical therapy outcomes worldwide. By analyzing differences in PT autonomy, direct access, and academic standards, participants will develop a more nuanced, culturally competent approach to advocacy and practice within an increasingly interconnected global medical community.
Iceland Immersion Description: Through the immersive field experience in Iceland, students will engage in collaborative learning by attending lectures and lab sessions alongside Icelandic PT students, gaining firsthand insight into their specialized pedagogical approach. The students will particiate in site visits to diverse clinical settings and engage in high-level briefings with regional and/or national physical therapy leaders to discuss the legislative and professional hurdles of the Physical Therapy profession in Iceland.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 631 Science of Movement 5 (2 Credit Hours)
This fifth course of a 5-course series will focus on the pathophysiology of chronic progressive and non-progressive disorders that involve multiple systems (e.g., musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, integumentary, immune, and psychological/cognitive) and their impact on movement and physical function. Imaging and pharmacology will be covered for appropriate conditions in the case examples. The Physical Stress Theory will continue to be emphasized as the key principle driving the change or adaptation in the neuromusculoskeletal tissues and cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 632 Patient/Client Management 5 (3 Credit Hours)
This fifth course of a 5-course series will cover the PT management of patients and clients to include systems screening, examination, evaluation, and interventions for chronic progressive and non-progressive disorders that involve multiple systems (e.g., musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, integumentary, immune, and psychological/cognitive). Students will deepen their knowledge and skills related toto outcome measures, documentation, intervention selection, and patient-centered communication skills in complex patients with chronic progressive and non-progressive disorders.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 633 Health and Human Development 5 (1 Credit Hours)
This fifth of a 5-course series will solidify the students’ understanding of health and human development in preparation for practicing as an independent clinician. Students will play a role in the design and/or implementation of a culturally competent health promotion or prevention program. Students will explore real-life application of concepts learned throughout the course series related to health care systems, public health initiatives, social determinants of health, interprofessional practice, prevention, and health promotion.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 634 Professional Roles & Responsibilities 5 (1 Credit Hours)
This fifth course of a 5-course series will provide students with a range of practical managerial and supervisory techniques with emphasis on their application in settings across the healthcare continuum. Topics will include: the healthcare continuum; teams and delegation; administrative topics including organizational structure, behavior and culture; human resource management; collaboration, consultation; leadership and conflict resolution; basic budgeting and productivity measurement; written and oral communication; marketing/media relations; strategic planning; performance improvement; professional development planning; measuring outcomes and patient satisfaction. Students will build a business plan. Participation in the course provides students with the foundation to contribute to the management and administrative success in any physical therapy setting.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 635 Clinical Education 5 (1 Credit Hours)
This fifth course of a 5-course series will focus on the attributes of the master adaptive learner in the clinical setting to include the planning, learning, assessing, and adjusting phases of learning, in order to employ the skills of a physical therapist to meet the needs of society. Students will further strengthen their skills of student reflection. They will also complete the final preparation necessary for the final full-time clinical education experiences. The student will also finalize a study plan for the National Physical Therapy Exam.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 637 Clinical Education Experience 2 (7 Credit Hours)
This full-time clinical education experience will progress the student’s clinical knowledge and skills in areas of ethical practice, professionalism, communication, inclusivity, clinical reasoning, health and wellness, prevention, management of patients/clients with diseases and conditions representative of those commonly seen in practice across the lifespan and the continuum of care. Students will engage in patient care including technical and procedural clinical skill development, business management, and personal responsibility in settings where physical therapy is practiced.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 695 Scholarship I (1-4 Credit Hours)
This is the first course in a two course sequence in which physical therapy students, under the guidance of a faculty advisor, work on a project that will advance physical therapy. Projects will fall into the following general categories: Research; Leadership/Service; Case Report; and Teaching and Learning. Students will gain experience creating and presenting professional scholarship by reading and evaluating professional, scientific literature and other resources, developing a plan to address a topic, and communicating findings to professionals in the field.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Physical Therapy.
PTH 696 Global Health Experience: Morocco (1 Credit Hours)
In this course students prepare for and participate in an international opportunity. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the World Health Organization’s Rehabilitation 2030 Call to Action will be utilized as frameworks to explore current global health issues, healthcare, and culture. This course builds and expands on students’ knowledge and understanding of physical therapy as a global/international profession and broadens their understanding of the scope of physical therapist practice. Constructs such as cultural humility, social responsibility, and social justice will be used as frameworks for addressing course objectives. Students are expected to synthesize the skills learned in previous courses and apply them to the experience.
The course culminates in an immersive experience in Morocco, where students will learn about physical therapy education and practice, healthcare delivery, and culture through a wide variety of cultural, professional, and healthcare specific learning activities. Students may observe and/or assist with provision of care as directed by the clinical site, under the supervision of the physical therapy faculty/clinicians.
This experience will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and humility and develop their professional skills with a variety of populations and in a variety of settings.
Morocco Specific Information: Students will spend time (7-14 days) in Tangier, Morocco, utilizing the UNE Campus in Morocco as a base for activities. Students will be exposed to unique health care opportunities and programs serving people with rehabilitative and physical disability needs. Students will compare health care systems, service delivery, and be exposed to programming in support of Moroccan Child Welfare as a part of the lived experience. Cultural experiences and activities will be included in all aspects of the course, and students will have the opportunity to experience several rural and urban settings.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the Physical Therapy department.
PTH 697 Global Health Experience: Ireland (1 Credit Hours)
In this course students prepare for and participate in an international opportunity. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the World Health Organization’s Rehabilitation 2030 Call to Action will be utilized as frameworks to explore current global health issues, healthcare, and culture. This course builds and expands on students’ knowledge and understanding of physical therapy as a global/international profession and broadens their understanding of the scope of physical therapist practice. Constructs such as cultural humility, social responsibility, and social justice will be used as frameworks for addressing course objectives. Students are expected to synthesize the skills learned in previous courses and apply them to the experience.
The course culminates in an immersive experience (7-14 days) in Ireland, where students will learn about physical therapy education and practice, healthcare delivery, and culture through a wide variety of cultural, professional, and healthcare specific learning activities. Students may observe and/or assist with provision of care as directed by the clinical site, under the supervision of the physical therapy faculty/clinicians.
This experience will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and humility and develop their professional skills with a variety of populations and in a variety of settings.
Ireland Specific Information: Students will spend time in Dublin, Ireland visiting unique programs serving people with physical disabilities and discussing disability issues with Ireland health professionals, clients, and students. Cultural experiences will be included in all aspects of the course, including learning about the Irish Society of Physiotherapy and the European Region of World Physiotherapy. Preparatory class meetings will take place and will include assigned readings, discussions, and planning. There will be a pre-brief and/ or debrief each day.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the Physical Therapy department.
PTH 698 Global Health Experience: Iceland (1 Credit Hours)
In this course students prepare for and participate in an international opportunity. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the World Health Organization’s Rehabilitation 2030 Call to Action will be utilized as frameworks to explore current global health issues, healthcare, and culture. This course builds and expands on students’ knowledge and understanding of physical therapy as a global/international profession and broadens their understanding of the scope of physical therapist practice. Constructs such as cultural humility, social responsibility, and social justice will be used as frameworks for addressing course objectives. Students are expected to synthesize the skills learned in previous courses and apply them to the experience.
The course culminates in an immersive experience in Iceland, where students will learn about physical therapy education and practice, healthcare delivery, and culture through a wide variety of cultural, professional, and healthcare specific learning activities. Students may observe and/or assist with provision of care as directed by the clinical site, under the supervision of the physical therapy faculty/clinicians.
This experience will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and humility and develop their professional skills with a variety of populations and in a variety of settings.
Iceland Specific Information: Students will spend time (7-14 days) in Reykjavik, Iceland visiting unique programs serving people with physical disabilities and discussing disability issues with Iceland health professionals, clients, and students. Cultural experiences will be included in all aspects of the course, including learning about the Icelandic Physiotherapy Association and the European Region of World Physiotherapy. Preparatory class meetings will take place and will include assigned readings, discussions, and planning. There will be a pre-brief and/ or debrief each day.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the Physical Therapy department.
PTH 699 Special Topics in PT (1-6 Credit Hours)
This course explores topics of interest for second year students in the realm of physical therapy under the guidance and supervision of faculty. The program of study is student-driven and does not duplicate a course offered by the University of New England.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 700 Practice Management 2 (2 Credit Hours)
This course explores theories and applications of administrative topics including organizational structure, behavior and culture; human resource management; the health care continuum and beyond; collaboration, leadership and conflict resolution; finance; sales/persuasion; written and oral communication; marketing/media relations; strategic planning; patient satisfaction/relations; and integration of business, social and technological concepts and trends with health care practice. Participation in the course provides students with the foundation to contribute to the administrative success in any physical therapy setting. This course fosters a multitude of “softer” or “essential” workplace skills through group projects and presentations, along with individual endeavors.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 701 Patho & Med Mgt Integ Sys (1 Credit Hours)
This course is designed to provide the physical therapy student with foundational knowledge of the Integumentary System. The purpose of this is to enable the student to understand the impact of various pathologies on wound development and healing, as well as the relevant medical / surgical interventions. Students will integrate this knowledge into best physical therapy practice for patient management as presented in the concurrent PTH 703 Physical Therapy Management of the Integumentary System.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 703 PT Mgt Dis Integumentary Sys (4 Credit Hours)
The goal of this course is provide the physical therapy student with the knowledge and skills to meet the expectations of best practices for physical therapy rehabilitation of persons with disorders of the Integumentary System. Disorders of the Integumentary System may be pathologic, infectious, traumatic or surgical in nature. Included in the course is the rehabilitation and physical therapy management of persons with amputations. The course is divided into two units; Unit I is Wound Care and Unit II is Amputations & Prosthetic Devices. This course runs concurrently with PTH 701 Pathology & Medical Management of the Integumentary System.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 704 Dis Prevention & Hlth Promo (3 Credit Hours)
The current scope of physical therapy practice includes the primary prevention of injury and disease and the promotion of health and wellness. The purpose of this course is to prepare the physical therapy student to function in this emerging role. The course will explore disease prevention and health promotion from an epidemiological approach, and the perspectives of various national, state, local and professional association public health agendas and initiatives. Physical therapists often engage in disease/injury prevention and health promotion/wellness activities as educators or consultants, and these roles will be explored through the development and delivery of community-based education or consultation projects.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 706 Public Policy & Phy Therapy (2 Credit Hours)
This course introduces the student to public and legal/ethical issues in the United States, with an emphasis on policy affecting physical therapy practice. The course will consist of active learning activities that are designed to provide the student with the skills and resources to be an effective advocate for their patients/clients and the profession. The course draws from relevant current legislative and regulatory issues that are before Congress, federal regulatory agencies, and state legislatures and boards. Students will reflect on and discuss these issues in the context of their clinical experiences.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 707 Clinical Practicum 3 (8 Credit Hours)
A full-time clinical experience provided in a variety of health care settings within the United States. The experience is structured to provide students with the opportunity to develop competence in the managements of patients with musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, pediatric, or integumentary dysfunction.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 710 Complex Case Management (1 Credit Hours)
The purpose of this course is to identify and analyze patterns, synthesize patient information and perform reflective practice as part of interprofessional clinical decision making. Students will assess and evaluate the management and outcomes of patient/client case examples with a complex array of medical and/or psychosocial conditions and resulting impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. The course is designed as a series of learning activities, including clinical case presentations, through which students reflect on how multisystem impairments impact clinical decision-making.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 711 Comprehensive Exam II (1 Credit Hours)
PTH 711 is designed to assess student performance on Comprehensive Examination 2, the second of two cumulative comprehensive examinations during the DPT program. The purpose of the comprehensive examinations is to help students integrate didactic material into the ongoing development of their critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. The examinations are intended to help students acquire and cumulatively maintain levels of competence necessary for successful completion of the program and clinical practice after graduation. Comprehensive Exam 2 covers all curricular content from the first seven semesters of the DPT Program.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 717 Clinical Education Experience 3 (8 Credit Hours)
This final clinical education experience will deepen and enhance the student’s clinical knowledge and skills in areas of ethical practice, professionalism, communication, inclusivity, clinical reasoning, health and wellness, prevention, management of patients/clients with diseases and conditions representative of those commonly seen in practice across the lifespan and the continuum of care in practice settings representative of those where physical therapy is practiced technical and procedural clinical skill development, business management and personal responsibility in practice settings representative of those where physical therapy is practiced. Students are expected to demonstrate entry-level clinical practice knowledge and skills upon completion of this course.
Academic Level: Graduate
PTH 720 Advanced Pediatric PT (1 Credit Hours)
This practical, seminar-discussion type elective course for third year physical therapy (DPT) students follows and builds upon knowledge and skills attained in PTH 604: PT Management of Children with Special Health Needs. The focus of the course is to broaden and enhance the entry level skill set achieved in PTH 604, especially in assessment and interventions for children with neuromuscular and other system disorders and to further prepare students to be autonomous pediatric physical therapy practitioners. Classes are discussion oriented; participation will involve visiting, and possibly performing hands-on techniques with clients, at a minimum of three different community pediatric sites with instructor, exploring research evidence literature based on these experiences and discussing them in class.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 721 Advanced Clinical Orthopedics (1.5 Credit Hours)
This advanced physical therapy course is an interactive learning experience with emphasis on case-based clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, and refinement of examination and treatment interventions. Classroom sessions (15 hours) will be lecture and discussion based, and lab sessions (15 hours) will include practice of manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and education for patients with musculoskeletal disorders.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.
PTH 735 Advanced Neuro PT (1 Credit Hours)
This is a hybrid course designed for third-year physical therapy students who are keenly interested in a team-oriented approach to neurologic physical therapy. The course follows and builds upon knowledge and skills attained in PTH 605 by integrating lab experiences with evidence-based classroom discussions of relevant neurorehabilitation topics. Sessions are organized around examination and intervention strategies for specific problems using a variety of patient scenarios. Permission of the instructor(s) is required.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Physical Therapy.
PTH 795 Scholarship II (2 Credit Hours)
This is the second course in a two-course sequence in which physical therapy students, under the guidance of a faculty advisor, work on a project that will advance physical therapy. Students will gain experience creating and presenting professional scholarship by reading and evaluating professional, scientific literature and other resources, developing a plan to address a topic, and communicating findings to professionals in the field.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Physical Therapy.
PTH 798 Global Health Experience: Italy (1 Credit Hours)
In this course students prepare for and participate in an international opportunity. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the World Health Organization’s Rehabilitation 2030 Call to Action will be utilized as frameworks to explore current global health issues, healthcare, and culture. This course builds and expands on students’ knowledge and understanding of physical therapy as a global/international profession and broadens their understanding of the scope of physical therapist practice. Constructs such as cultural humility, social responsibility, and social justice will be used as frameworks for addressing course objectives. Students are expected to synthesize the skills learned in previous courses and apply them to the experience.
The course culminates in an immersive experience in Italy, where students will learn about physical therapy education and practice, healthcare delivery, and culture through a wide variety of cultural, professional, and healthcare specific learning activities. Students may observe and/or assist with provision of care as directed by the clinical site, under the supervision of the physical therapy faculty/clinicians.
This experience will provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and humility and develop their professional skills with a variety of populations and in a variety of settings.
Italy Specific Information: Students will spend time (7-14 days) in Italy visiting unique programs serving people with physical disabilities and discussing disability issues with Italian health professionals, clients, and students. Cultural experiences will be included in all aspects of the course. These activities will occur in Tuscany and Piemonte. Preparatory class meetings will take place and will include assigned readings, discussions, and planning.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment limited to students in the Physical Therapy department.
PTH 799 Special Topics in PT (1-6 Credit Hours)
This course explores topics of interest for third year students in the realm of physical therapy under the guidance and supervision of faculty. The program of study is student-driven and does not duplicate a course offered by the University of New England.
Academic Level: Graduate
Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Physical Therapy.