Aquatic therapy university

Continuing Education Approval for ATU Courses

Which courses are approved for Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, & Therapeutic Recreation
Continuing education acceptance varies by state. Always confirm with your board for compliance.
Physical Therapy approval
40 States aCCEPT CE + 6 states self-approval OPtION available

RESTRICTED STATES:

These states require state-specific provider approval, NYSED-style approval, or board-controlled sponsorship
  • Minnesota (State-specific provider or course approval required; when ATU offers in-person courses in Minnesota, ATU completes the applicable approval process)
  • New Jersey (State-specific provider or board-recognized approval required; when ATU offers in-person courses in New Jersey, ATU completes the applicable approval process)
  • New York (NYSED approval or NYSED-recognized sponsorship required; for in-person courses conducted in New York, ATU completes the required approval process)

INDIVIDUAL APPROVAL STATES:

To obtain approval in these states, contact your state board or submit an individual course application.

💡 Tip: these links go directly to the official application or approval page you’d submit if you need to individually apply for approval.

CE ACCEPTED BY:

This list includes: State PT boards that do not require provider or course pre-approval; States that allow out-of-state or substantially equivalent continuing education; States using licensee self-reporting and audit-based review; and states that have pre-approved ATU courses.
  • Alabama (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • Alaska (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Arizona (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Arkansas (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Colorado (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • Connecticut (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • Delaware (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • District of Columbia (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • Florida (accepted under Florida Board rules; CE Broker reporting; ATU holds approval for designated courses)
  • Georgia (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Hawaii (state-specific approval required; individual course approval available by advance request)
  • Idaho (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Indiana (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Iowa (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • Kansas (accepted under board rules; registration or documentation may be required)
  • Kentucky (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Maine (no PT continuing education requirement)
  • Maryland (accepted under board rules; APTA/APTA-component approval commonly used)
  • Massachusetts (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Michigan (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Mississippi (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Missouri (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Montana (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Nebraska (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • New Hampshire (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • North Carolina (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • North Dakota (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Oklahoma (accepted under board rules; registration or documentation may be required)
  • Oregon (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Pennsylvania (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Rhode Island (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • South Carolina (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • South Dakota (no PT continuing education requirement)
  • Texas (accepted under Texas Board rules; ATU holds approval for designated courses)
  • Utah (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • Vermont (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Virginia (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Washington (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
  • Wisconsin (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Wyoming (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility)
  • Continuing education requirements vary by state.
  • Course acceptance is determined by individual state licensing boards.
  • Always verify with your board for compliance.
    • Continuing education acceptance varies by state. Always confirm with your board for compliance.
    Occupational Therapy approval
    42 States aCCEPT CE + 6 states self-approval OPTION available

    RESTRICTED STATES:

    These states require state-specific provider approval, NYSED-style approval, or board-controlled sponsorship
    • New York (Requires NYSED approval or recognized sponsorship; when ATU offers in-person courses in New York, ATU will complete the required approval process)
    • Montana (CE acceptance is based on named approving organizations. IMPORTANT: Montana does recognizes the maintenance of current NBCOT certification as fulfilling their CE requirements and ATU courses are recognized by NCBOT, so this would be a pathway to acceptance of CE.) (Also when ATU offers in-person courses in Montana, ATU will complete the applicable approval process.)

    INDIVIDUAL APPROVAL STATES:

    To obtain approval in these states, contact your state board or submit an individual course application
    • Delaware (licensee responsibility; subject to audit; $45 fee only if a course is submitted for individual board review)
    • Florida (licensee responsibility; self-reporting via CE Broker; $0 Basic account; no per-course approval fee)
    • Maryland (licensee responsibility; subject to audit; $30 fee only if individual course approval is requested)
    • New Mexico (licensee responsibility; subject to audit; $25 fee only if individual course review is required)
    • Ohio (licensee responsibility; subject to audit; $25 fee only if individual course review is requested)
    💡 Tip: these links go directly to the official application or approval page you’d submit if you need to individually apply for approval.

    CE ACCEPTED BY:

    This list includes: State OT boards that do not require provider or course pre-approval; States that allow out-of-state or substantially equivalent continuing education; States using licensee self-reporting and audit-based review.
    • Alabama (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Alaska (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Arizona (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Arkansas (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • California (content-based acceptance; licensee responsibility)
    • Colorado (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Connecticut (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Georgia (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Hawaii (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Idaho (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Illinois (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility; no provider or course pre-approval required)
    • Indiana (board-approved provider through the Indiana Occupational Therapy Committee; no individual course approval required)
    • Iowa (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Kansas (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Kentucky (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Maine (no continuing education required for routine OT license renewal)
    • Massachusetts (accepted under board rules; licensee responsibility; no board pre-approval required)
    • Michigan (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Minnesota (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Mississippi (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Missouri (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval) 
    • Montana (accepted only if clinician is current in maintenance of NCBOT status; the MT board recognizes the maintenance of current NBCOT certification as fulfilling their CE requirements and ATU courses are recognized by NCBOT)
    • Nebraska (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Nevada (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • New Hampshire (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • New Jersey (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • North Carolina (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • North Dakota (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Oklahoma (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Oregon (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Pennsylvania (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Rhode Island (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • South Carolina (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • South Dakota (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Tennessee (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Texas (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Utah (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Vermont (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Virginia (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Washington (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • West Virginia (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Wisconsin (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)
    • Wyoming (accepted under board rules; no routine pre-approval)


    • Continuing education requirements vary by state.
    • Course acceptance is determined by individual state licensing boards.
    • Always verify with your board for compliance.

    Meet Your Instructors

    Kiki Dickinson

    MPT

    Taylor Kozell

    OTD, OTR/L

    Andrea Salzman

    MS, PT, ATU Director

    Jennifer Tvrdy 

    OTDR/L

    Julianne Alford

    PT

    Fezia Tyebally

    MT, Halliwick Faculty

    Cathy Maloney-Hills 

    DPT, PT

    Emily Dunlap

    PT, PhD

    Brittany Gardner

    DPT, OT

    Debbie Torrellas

    MT
    We meet your Aquatic Therapy Needs

    Training students and professionals alike 

    Enjoy 24/7 access to high-quality e-learning courses developed by expert professionals. E-learning has transformed aquatic therapy education and it is now used in many countries worldwide.

    Live Seminars

    LOVE THE WATER? Want to take a live class?
    ​
    Are you seeking a greater challenge in your continuing education? Was your aquatic therapy certificate too easy? Are you paying too much to keep it active? Our Aquaticist℠ Certificate of Advanced Recognition is challenging, clinical and wallet-friendly.
    ATU trainings contain 16-hour lab-heavy seminars that will leave your head swollen and your legs wobbly. But when you have finished a minimum of 84-hours of evidence-based studies you’ll know that you accomplished something. And so will your boss and co-workers.


    THE ATU CREDENTIAL
    ​
    ATU enables physical medicine & rehab professionals to map out their continuing education pursuits on a 2-5 year plan. Physical and occupational therapists and assistants can seek an ATU Certificate of Advanced Recognition in any one of 4 specialty tracks, including a General Studies option.
    ​
    Each class contains a minimum of 8 hours of lecture and 8 hours of pool lab (worth 1.6 CEUs or more). These credits can all be applied to a final 84-hour ATU Certificate of Advanced Recognition in any of the Tracks listed below. And, with over 25 classes to choose from, it is possible for you to custom design your own series of CE.
    Aquaticist Prerequisites

    ATU courses are taught with the assumption that attendees have at least an entry-level degree or its equivalent in experience. No time is spent on the underlying principles of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. ATU offers therapy professionals a tiered, evidence-based progression of continuing education. Classes are open to PTs/PTAs, OTs/OTAs, and (some classes) speech therapists. Other professionals who are legally permitted to perform aquatic therapy may also attend seminars with the assumption that each professional is required to only apply knowledge within his or her scope of practice.

    Only PTs, PTAs, OTs and OTAs can seek recognition through the Aquaticist Credential training.​ Sample ATU Coursework: Students must log a minimum of 5 classes in a single track, plus take a 4-hour Boot Camp module. For more information on what classes must be taken, see below.

    Our vision

    To be the best online learning platform for aquatic therapy providers around the world,
    from day one as a student until the last day of someone’s career.

    Online Courses

    Completion rate in 2025

    Current Enrollments