College of Health and Clinical Professions

The College of Health and Clinical Professions shares the overall mission and vision of the Division of Health Sciences. 

Departments and Programs

• College of Health and Clinical Professions
  • MMSC in Physician Assistant Medicine
  • OTD in Occupational Therapy
  • DPT in Physical Therapy
• Department of Athletic Training and Communication Disorders:
  • BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders
  • MSAT in Athletic Training
• Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Nutrition Science:
  • AAS in Histotechnology
  • AAS in Medical Laboratory Technology
  • BAT in Health Professions Technology 
  • BS in Medical Laboratory Science
  • BS in Nutrition Sciences 
• Department of Social Work and Public Health:
  • BSW in Social Work
  • BAAS in Social Work
  • MSW in Social Work
  • BS in Public Health

Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Medicine

The Tarleton State University Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Medicine (MMSc-PAM) is a 28-month continuous, ongoing residential program; committed to creating an academic experience known for its excellence in Physician Assistant education and scholarly activity in establishing best practice sustainable initiatives geared towards eliminating health disparities in rural communities and beyond.

The curriculum encompasses all degree requirements and is designed to prepare graduates for entry-level clinical practice and successful completion of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) examination. All programmatic components must be completed in the prescribed sequence within the 28-month program timeframe. Upon successful completion of all curricular requirements, graduates will be awarded a Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Medicine.

Tarleton State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. This program has been approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Tarleton State University Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Tarleton State University.

Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards
 or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students.

Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

The program’s accreditation history can be viewed on the ARC-PA website at https://www.arc-pa.org/accreditation-history-tarleton-state-university/.

Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Medicine Program Requirements

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. 

The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination attain state licensure.

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at Tarleton State is designed to be completed in eight sequential semesters with a summer entry point. Students are enrolled in a cohort model and complete a sequenced set of courses within a curriculum intentionally developed to embody and advance Tarleton State University’s Mission and Vision. As part of the curriculum, students must complete 24 weeks of Level II Fieldwork and an individually designed 14-week doctoral capstone experience within 18 months of completing the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone may begin only after all coursework, Level II Fieldwork requirements, and all preparatory activities outlined in the ACOTE OTD Standard D requirements have been successfully completed.

Tarleton State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. This program been approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) 

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is an entry-level professional doctoral degree program with a strong foundation in primary care. The curriculum prepares graduates for entry-level clinical practice in physical therapy, with coursework spanning foundational sciences, movement analysis, clinical reasoning, and physical therapist management across systems and populations. Students participate in integrated classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences designed to meet the professional and accreditation standards of physical therapist education. The program has been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and is seeking accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). 

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Tarleton State University is a full-time, post-baccalaureate professional degree comprising 114 credit hours completed over nine semesters, beginning with a summer entry. The program follows a competency-based model with pass/fail grading and is delivered in a cohort format. Students progress through a designated curriculum aligned with Tarleton State’s mission and vision. Upon completion of the didactic coursework, students engage in 31 weeks of full-time clinical experiences to prepare for entry-level physical therapist practice. The curriculum is intentionally designed to ensure students are well-prepared to pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and transition successfully into professional practice.

Tarleton State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. This program been approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required 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 exam 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.

Tarleton State 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 November 1, 2025. 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.

Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Requirements