Physical Therapy
Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA)
CPA is the national professional association; their purpose is to advance the profession of physiotherapy in order to improve the health of Canadians. Membership in the CPA is optional. New graduate physical therapists are eligible for reduced membership rates.
The Competency Profile for Physiotherapists in Canada was developed to describe the essential competencies that physiotherapists must demonstrate upon entry to the profession (for initial registration/licensure) and maintain throughout the course of their careers. These essential competencies must be exercised wherever a physiotherapist practices and in the course of whatever the physiotherapist is practicing.
Saskatchewan Physiotherapy Association (SPA)
The Saskatchewan Physiotherapy Association is the Saskatchewan branch of the CPA; The mandate of the SPA is to advance the delivery of physiotherapy services by promoting excellence in education, research and clinical practice.
Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (CAPR)
CAPR is a credentialling and assessment agency that provides evaluation services on behalf of its Members – the Canadian provincial and territorial physiotherapy regulators (called Colleges). Their key responsibilities include:
- facilitate the sharing of information on regulatory matters among member organizations
- help member organizations fulfill their mandate of protecting the public interest
- administer the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE), a national entry-to-practice standard
Saskatchewan College of Physical Therapists (SCPT)
The SCPT is a self-regulating professional body whose purpose is to serve the public by ensuring safe, competent care from qualified physical therapists. Registration and licensure with the SCPT is mandatory to work as a physical therapist in Saskatchewan.
Physiotherapy Competency Examination
On graduation you will be required to successfully complete a Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE) in order to establish eligibility to practice physical therapy in Saskatchewan and many jurisdictions in Canada. For the most update information on what is involved with the PCE, please refer to the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators website.
Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) Program
The Master of Physical Therapy at the University of Saskatchewan is a full-time program over two and a half years that includes academic course work and 30 weeks of clinical practicum experiences. The program has been designed to offer students a high-quality educational experience that is consistent with national accreditation standards. Students will graduate with the entry-level requirements to obtain a license to practice physical therapy in Saskatchewan and Canada. Initial work expectations of graduates will be, primarily, the provision of direct client care, rather than advanced research and/or administration.
- 55 students are admitted each year
- 8 of these spots are reserved for Indigenous students
The newly refreshed Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) program spans 27 months and is based on the National Physiotherapy Advisory Group Competencies for Physical Therapists. The curriculum consists of nine scaffolding modules of varying lengths. Embedded within the curriculum are six clinical placements, ranging from 1 to 6 weeks in duration. Students have the option to participate in research projects during the program. Please see below for more information.
Graduates will meet the entry-level requirements to obtain a license to practice physical therapy in Saskatchewan and Canada. Initially, graduates will be able to provide direct client care across multiple settings.
With the MPT Student Research Project program, M.P.T. students may obtain first hand training in research methods under a faculty member's supervision.
Full-time, clinical and associate faculty members are also actively engaged in a wide range of clinically-focused research projects. Several faculty members collaborate with other researchers on campus in a variety of disciplines.
The Master of Physical Therapy program at the University of Saskatchewan has completed the accreditation review process administered by Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada (PEAC). PEAC is an incorporated body under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and operates as the accrediting agency for physiotherapy education programs in Canada. The status of Accreditation — Fully Compliant was awarded for the period until October 15, 2027.
A description of Accreditation Status – Fully Compliant is as follows:
- A program is in compliance with 100% of the accreditation criteria within the Accreditation Standards.
- There are no criteria in non-compliance.
- There could be identified concerns that the program must improve upon and report back about in Progress Reports.
- If progress is not made, the program’s accreditation status could be changed to partially compliant or probationary at any time in the six year accrediation cycle.
Students — Important to Note:
- If a program loses its accreditation status, its students may not be considered graduates of an accredited physiotherapy education program.
- Students must be considered graduates from an accredited physiotherapy education program in Canada in order to be eligible to write the Physiotherapy Competency Exam and be licensed to practice physiotherapy in Canada.
- The program's accreditation status is important to graduating students with regards to becoming licensed to practice physiotherapy in Canada. It is recommended that students contact the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators (alliancept.org) for information regarding the process to become licensed as a physiotherapist in Canada following graduation.
More details regarding the definitions of the levels of accreditation are available at http://www.peac-aepc.ca/english/accreditation/levels-of-accreditation.php or by contacting:
Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada
Suite 26 – 509 Commissioners Road West
London, Ontario N6J 1Y5
Phone: 226-636-0632
www.peac-aepc.ca
Clinical Education
Clinical education is the “internship” or “clinical practicum” part of the MPT program. The purpose of the clinical education program is to integrate theory and practice and makes up about one third of the curriculum.
The MPT program includes 30 weeks of clinical placements in both urban and rural settings. Each student should expect to be placed in two or more locations outside of Saskatoon.
Students are expected to cover accommodation and travel costs for placements outside of Saskatoon, which typically last 5-6 weeks each.
2024-2026
| Clinical Placement Course | Duration and Location | Learning Focus |
| CP 1 |
November (1 wk) School of Rehabilitation Science and clinical sites in Saskatoon |
Introduction to clinical placement sites and contexts Exposure to patient and family experience |
| CP 2 |
April-May (5 wks) Clinical site (focus on rural, regional, remote locations) |
Broad clinical experience Manage or help manage a number of patients with a variety of diagnoses |
| CP 3 |
Jan-April (6 wks) Clinical site |
Basic assessment and program planning in core systems |
| CP 4 |
Feb-March (6 wks) Aug-Sept (6 wks) Clinical site |
Understand unique needs of different patient populations or diagnostic groups |
| CP 5 |
Oct-Nov (6 wks) Clinical site |
Manage an increasingly complex caseload with multiple comorbidities, increasing injury and illness severity and some selected cases from specialized populations |
"Clinical placements are where you truly begin to solidify your knowledge from hours of studying and OSCE practice. I wanted to work with athletes when I entered the MPT program and didn’t think that I was interested in any other areas of PT, but I was overwhelmingly surprised by my cardiorespiratory placement in the ICU. It turned out to be my favorite placement, as I grew remarkably and reframed my view on holistic health as a budding practitioner.
My advice to students: Don’t be afraid to take steps out of your comfort zone and try something new. Seek opportunities where you can wedge yourself into a new learning experience!"
- Tyler Blanchette - MPT Class of 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
September 30th each year
Using the last/most recent 60 credit units
Re-take prerequisite courses if the minimum average is not obtained.
Take additional courses to bolster your GPA if earlier course grades bring your GPA down.
Practice the CASPer test on-line with their tools.
We have specific calculators for different schools/locations, including international calculators to do grade conversions.
Attach your unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you have attended to your application. Failure to include all transcripts may result in disqualification of your application.
At this stage, official transcripts are not required. You will be asked to provide official transcripts if you are offered acceptance.
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