Explore ASU MSPO Program
The in-person curriculum connects foundational coursework in movement science and
patient care with assessment, treatment planning, implementation, and follow-up. Students
learn alongside physical therapy, occupational therapy, and rehabilitation counseling
students, while building clinical judgment through patient model experiences, hands-on
lab and clinical work, and evidence-informed research.
- Apply learning early and often. Lab work and clinical site visits begin in the first semester. Through scaffolded,
spiraled learning, students revisit key concepts and skills at increasing levels of
complexity, building knowledge and confidence in applying them to patient care.
- Practice patient-centered care. Patient model experiences help students build communication and evaluation skills
and connect treatment decisions to patients’ needs and goals
- Learn with other health professions. Collaborative instruction and interprofessional coursework help students understand
how prosthetic and orthotic care fits within a broader rehabilitation team.
- Prepare for clinical practice. Students develop skills in documentation, insurance, and clinic operations, and complete
student-led research projects that may be presented at conferences.
What Can You Do With a Master’s in Prosthetics and Orthotics?
With faculty support, graduates pursue paid residency positions. In recent graduating
cohorts, all or nearly all ASU graduates have secured positions before graduation.
Residency continues the learning process through supervised clinical practice, direct
work with patients, and ongoing professional development as graduates prepare for
independent practice and certification.
As prosthetist-orthotists, graduates work with patients and rehabilitation teams to
assess functional needs, establish goals, and develop, implement, and monitor individualized
treatment plans. Care may include custom devices, patient education, follow-up, and
adjustments as a patient’s needs change.
After completing the required residency, graduates can pursue national certification
by completing the required examinations. Nationally certified ASU alumni work in pediatric
and specialty hospitals, Veterans Affairs facilities, independent outpatient clinics,
and universities, as well as in clinical management roles. Some alumni have also pursued
Ph.D. degrees to expand their impact in research. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
projects employment of orthotists and prosthetists to grow 13% from 2025 to 2035,
much faster than the average for all occupations.
Places Alumni Work
- Pediatric hospitals
- Veterans Affairs facilities
- Clinical care networks
- Independent outpatient clinics
- University education roles
- Clinical management roles
