Physical Therapist Overview - Preparation - Day In The Life - Earnings - Employment - Career Path Forecast - Professional Organizations - Overview PDF - Overview PowerPoint - Overview Podcast

Preparation
Physical therapists need a master's degree from an accredited physical therapy program and a State license, requiring passing scores on national and State examinations.

Physical therapist education programs start with basic science courses such as biology, chemistry, and physics and then introduce specialized courses, including biomechanics, neuroanatomy, human growth and development, manifestations of disease, examination techniques, and therapeutic procedures. Besides getting classroom and laboratory instruction, students receive supervised clinical experience.

Among the undergraduate courses that are useful when one applies to a physical therapist education program are anatomy, biology, chemistry, social science, mathematics, and physics. Before granting admission, many programs require volunteer experience in the physical therapy department of a hospital or clinic. For high school students, volunteering with the school athletic trainer is a good way to gain experience.

Physical therapists are expected to continue their professional development by participating in continuing education courses and workshops. In fact, a number of States require continuing education as a condition of maintaining licensure.

All States require physical therapists to pass national and State licensure exams before they can practice. They must also graduate from an accredited physical therapist education program.

Physical therapists should have strong interpersonal skills so that they can educate patients about their physical therapy treatments and communicate with patients' families. Physical therapists also should be compassionate and possess a desire to help patients.

Accredited Programs
The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education accredits first professional (entry-level) programs in the U.S. for the physical therapist at the master's and doctoral degree levels and programs for the physical therapist assistant at the associate degree level. There are currently 209 accredited physical therapist education programs. Of the accredited programs, 43 offered master's degrees and 166 offered doctoral degrees. Only master's degree and doctoral degree programs are accredited, in accordance with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. In the future, a doctoral degree might be the required entry-level degree. Master's degree programs typically last 2 years, and doctoral degree programs last 3 years. The following table provides links to currently accredited physical therapy programs. 

Alabama Alabama State University The University of Alabama at Birmingham University of South Alabama Arizona AT Still University of Health Sciences Northern Arizona University Arkansas Arkansas State University University of Central Arkansas California Azusa Pacific University California State University, Fresno California State University, Long Beach California State University, Northridge California State University, Sacramento Chapman University Loma Linda University Mount St Mary's College Samuel Merritt College University of California, San Francisco/San Francisco State University University of Southern California University of St Augustine for Health Sciences University of the Pacific Western University of Health Sciences Colorado Regis University University of Colorado Denver Connecticut Quinnipiac University Sacred Heart University University of Connecticut University of Hartford Delaware University of Delaware District of Columbia Howard University The George Washington University Florida Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Florida Gulf Coast University Florida International University Nova Southeastern University University of Central Florida University of Florida University of Miami University of North Florida University of South Florida University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences Georgia Armstrong Atlantic State University in Consortium with Medical College of Georgia and North Georgia College and State University Emory University Georgia State University Medical College of Georgia in Consortium with Armstrong Atlantic State University and North Georgia College and State University North Georgia College and State University in Consortium with Medical College of Georgia and Armstrong Atlantic State University Idaho Idaho State University Illinois Bradley University Governors State University Midwestern University Northern Illinois University Northwestern University Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science The University of Illinois at Chicago Indiana Indiana University University of Evansville University of Indianapolis Iowa Clarke College Des Moines University - Osteopathic Medical Center St Ambrose University The University of Iowa Kansas University of Kansas Medical Center Wichita State University Kentucky Bellarmine University University of Kentucky Louisiana Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport Maine Husson College University of New England Maryland University of Maryland - Baltimore University of Maryland - Eastern Shore Massachusetts American International College Boston University MGH Institute of Health Professions Northeastern University Simmons College Springfield College University of Massachusetts Lowell Michigan Andrews University Central Michigan University Grand Valley State University Oakland University University of Michigan - Flint Wayne State University Minnesota College of St. Catherine College of St. Scholastica Mayo School of Health Sciences University of Minnesota Mississippi University of Mississippi at the Medical Center Missouri Maryville University of Saint Louis Missouri State University Rockhurst University Saint Louis University Southwest Baptist University University of Missouri-Columbia Washington University of St Louis

Montana The University of Montana - Missoula Nebraska Creighton University University of Nebraska Medical Center Nevada University of Nevada, Las Vegas New Hampshire Franklin Pierce University New Jersey Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Graduate School Camden and University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey Seton Hall University The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey New Mexico University of New Mexico New York Clarkson University College of Staten Island/The Graduate Center CUNY Columbia University D'Youville College Daemen College Dominican College of Blauvelt Hunter College/The Graduate Center CUNY Ithaca College Long Island University - Brooklyn Campus Mercy College Nazareth College of Rochester New York Institute of Technology New York Medical College New York University State University of New York Downstate Medical Center State University of New York Upstate Medical University Stony Brook University The Sage Colleges Touro College University at Buffalo, State University of New York Utica College North Carolina Duke University East Carolina University Elon University The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Western Carolina University Winston-Salem State University North Dakota University of Mary University of North Dakota Ohio Cleveland State University College of Mount St. Joseph Ohio University The Ohio State University The University of Findlay University of Cincinnati University of Dayton University of Toledo Walsh University Youngstown State University Oklahoma Langston University University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Oregon Pacific University Pennsylvania Arcadia University Chatham University Drexel University Duquesne University Gannon University Lebanon Valley College Misericordia University Neumann College Saint Francis University Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Temple University Thomas Jefferson University University of Pittsburgh University of Scranton University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Widener University Puerto Rico University of Puerto Rico - Medical Sciences Campus Rhode Island University of Rhode Island South Carolina Medical University of South Carolina University of South Carolina - Columbia South Dakota University of South Dakota Tennessee Belmont University East Tennessee State University Tennessee State University The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Texas Angelo State University Hardin-Simmons University Texas State University-San Marcos Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Texas Woman's University The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston University of Texas at El Paso University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas US Army-Baylor University Utah University of Utah Vermont University of Vermont Virginia Hampton University Marymount University Old Dominion University Shenandoah University Virginia Commonwealth University Washington Eastern Washington University University of Puget Sound University of Washington West Virginia West Virginia University Wheeling Jesuit University Wisconsin Carroll College Concordia University Wisconsin Marquette University University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse University of Wisconsin-Madison

Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.