The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences' mission is the professional development of health care providers through innovative and individualized education.
History
Stanley V. Paris, PT, Ph.D. in 1966, began teaching continuing professional education courses to physical therapists. These courses carry continuing education units (CEUs) which are helpful in both maintaining and developing professional competency and, in an increasing number of states, for maintaining professional licensure.
In 1979, the University formally known as the Institute of Graduate Health Sciences was founded. The State of Georgia granted the Institute authority to offer a clinically-based post-professional (advanced) Master of Science in Physical Therapy (MScPT) degree. Thus, the Institute became the first independent proprietary school in physical therapy able to confer a graduate degree.
In 1981, the Institute began a certification process in manual therapy wherein candidates, after taking a series of courses, were examined in their written, oral and practical abilities. Successful candidates were awarded a Certification of Competency, which is now a necessary step to attaining our clinically oriented post-professional (advanced) degrees. There are now four certifications.
In 1991, the Institute moved to St. Augustine, Florida. Soon thereafter, the Institute achieved accreditation for its MScPT degree by distance education from the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The United States Department of Education lists the independent Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. The Accrediting Commission is also a recognized member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
In 1992, the Institute started an advanced standing (post-professional) Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. This was a nationwide program that enabled therapists to study in a selected clinical area. The first student graduated from this program in the spring of 1995. (It was replaced in the year 2000 by the Doctor of Health Science (DHSc) degree.)
In 1994, the Institute commenced a first professional degree in physical therapy - the Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) - for those individuals who have achieved a baccalaureate degree with the necessary prerequisite natural and social science courses. This MPT degree is the first to be offered by an independent and proprietary school of physical therapy. This program was accredited by CAPTE in October 1996 and re-accredited in 2001.
In 1996, the Institute of Occupational Therapy was founded to offer a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree. The MOT degree program commenced September 1997. The program provides a series of entry-level courses for the first professional degree of occupational therapy. The MOT program was accredited with no deficiencies by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in April 1999 and was reaccredited in April 2009.
On March 4, 1997, the organization formally became the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. This was a milestone in the University's development. Also in 1996-97, the University entered into contracts to purchase a small private hospital and an adjoining twenty-six acres of land at the Flagler Health Park Campus in St. Augustine, thus creating the University's current physical campus.
In July 1999, the University was given authorization by the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities (SBICU) to award the transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, to restructure the current MScPT degree to a Master of Health Science (MHSc) degree, and to implement a Doctor of Health Science (DHSc) degree. These changes were effective January 1, 2000.
In August 2000, the University was successful in sponsoring a non-profit foundation, The Foundation for Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, to support faculty and student scholarship.
In 2001, the university was given authorization by the Commission for Independent Education to award the first professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) and the transitional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD).
In 2003, the university began to offer the Manual Physical Therapy Fellowship which was approved by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) as a credentialed fellowship in orthopaedic manual therapy in 2003 and re-credentialed in 2008.
The university received accreditation and licensure in 2004 to begin a Flex Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Boca Raton, Florida. The Flex Doctor of Physical Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy (CAPTE) and the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). It is an expansion of the campus based program in St. Augustine and takes twelve trimesters consisting of online education and weekend labs. The Flex Doctor of Physical Therapy program was moved from Boca Raton to the St. Augustine campus in 2010.
In June 2006 the university broke ground on a 98,000 square foot academic and clinic building at the St. Augustine campus. The building will be completed in the fall of 2007. Amenities include seven classrooms, Separate Wet & Dry Anatomy labs, Fitness Center, Occupational Therapy clinic, Physical Therapy clinic, CPE classroom, and 3rd floor Heritage Lounge
The University received approval from the Bureau for Private, Post-secondary and Vocational Education and Commission for the Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education to begin an expansion DPT program in San Marcos, CA in 2007. In January of 2009, the San Marcos campus moved to near-by San Marcos, to a beautiful state-of-the-art 56,000 sqft facility. The MOT and Dual Degree Option began in the Fall of 2009. In December of 2010, our MOT program in San Marcos received programmatic accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).
Dr. Stanley Paris, Founding President retired on August 4, 2007 and Dr. Michael Hillyard, DPA was inaugurated in as the 2nd President of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. The university celebrated the opening of the academic and clinic building along with the retirement of Dr. Paris and the inauguration of Dr. Hillyard. In 2009, Dr. Hillyard resigned and Dr. Paris resumed the presidency of the university.
The university received accreditation and licensure in 2009 to begin to offer the Doctor of Education (EdD) degree. The EdD degree is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and licensed by the Commission for Independent Education.
In 2010 the university received approval from the Commission for Independent Education to restructure the Doctor of Health Science (DHSc) degree. The Distance Education and Training Council approved accreditation of the DHSc degree in 2010.
The University will begin to offer a Master of Orthopaedic Physician Assistant degree in May of 2011. The University received licensure from the Commission for Independent Education and accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) in 2010 to offer this degree.
On April 16, 2011, Dr. Wanda Nitsch was inaugurated in as the 4th President of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences on our San Marcos campus.
In the last several years, the University has been growing at a healthy and rapid pace, adding programs, faculty, and facilities to meet the needs of rehabilitation in this time of great change and challenge. The University will continue to be a leader in providing meaningful educational experiences in area and directions that both therapists and consumers require. Our program extends to such distance destinations as Iceland, Japan and Chile.