Best Physical Therapy Schools in California: DPT and PTA Degree Programs 2020

The College of Health and Human Services at the California State University at Fresno is home to the Physical Therapy Department that offers programs in Physical Therapy such as the Doctorate of Physical Therapy.
Accreditation for the university comes from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
The two on-site clinics at the university allow students to earn practical experience as soon as they begin the program.
The following courses serve as prerequisites for admission into the program: Human Physiology, Human Anatomy, Physics, Chemistry, Psychology and Abnormal Psychology, and statistics.
Other prerequisites include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, an overall GPA of at least 3.0 in Upper-division undergraduate work, and a minimum of 100 hours of observation experience, with 20 of those hours being in a general in-patient care setting. It will also require standardized test scores for the GRE.

With a curriculum designed to prepare professional physical therapists who are a key part of physical rehabilitation, the College of Health and Human Services from the California State University at Fresno offers a comprehensive Doctor of Physical Therapy degree.
This university has received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, with its physical therapy program being accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.
To get admission to this program, one must hold a bachelor’s degree in any field, have at least 100 documented hours of experience under the supervision of a licensed physical therapy professional, and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 among many other requirements.
The program curriculum includes such courses as Pharmacology, Anatomy, Physiology, Tissue Mechanics, Biomech Principles, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Neuro Intervent, and a 6-week clinical practice. The course comprises over 115 units and takes at least 3 years to complete

The San Francisco State University offers a 3-year entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy program. The program receives accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education, with the university itself receiving accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
With a curriculum that built on a strong blend of theory and practice, students must take at least 30 weeks of clinical experiences. They will gain skills in critical thinking which will enable them to work together with patience for effective treatment.
It requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution as a prerequisite for admission to this program, together with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and a GRE score that places higher than the 50th percentile. The curriculum for this program features several topics in anatomy, and clinical health education.

Through its department of physical therapy, the California State University at Northbridge offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program. The program receives accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. The university itself receives regional accreditation from the Western Association of Colleges and Schools.
This program prepares students to provide professional physical rehabilitation services and work in various settings such as rehabilitation facilities, schools, fitness centers, hospices, sports training facilities, and other such settings.
The degree takes 3 years to complete. Prerequisites for the program include a bachelor’s degree in any major, 200 practice hours under a licensed physical therapist and the following courses: Biology, Physiology, Anatomy, Chemistry, Physics, Statistics, and Psychology.
I will equip students who choose this program with the skills they need to become competent physical therapy professionals with the ability to practice independently in any dynamic health care setting.

California State University at East Bay offers a Therapeutic Studies option that satisfies the coursework required for students to gain admission to other Physical Therapy schools.
One must complete 115 units to earn this degree. Coursework includes the following courses: Animal Biology, Light, and Modern Physics, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Force, Mass and Motion, Prevention and Care of Athletic injuries, among other lower division requirements.
Evaluation and Care of Athletic injuries are among the upper division requirements with Motor Learning and Control, Biomechanics, Sports Psychology, Sport in Contemporary Society, and other such courses falling among the core courses.
There are also 6 units worth of performance requirements that each student of this program must complete. This involves the satisfactory completion of activities such as Swimming, Team Sports, Dual Sports, and other fitness activities.
Accreditation for this university comes from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Sacramento State continues to redefine the possible with its 3-year Doctor of Physical Therapy program that prepares professional physical therapists with the requisite skills for providing adequate patient rehabilitation in different settings.
The curriculum for this program is designed to integrate real-world situations into learning, and it requires students to complete 36 weeks’ worth of internships in different practice settings. The university has provided high-quality simulation labs that allow students to learn first-hand how to care for patients in emergency situations.
The University receives accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges while this Physical Therapy program receives its accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy.
Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Psychology, Statistics, Chemistry, Kinesiology, and Exercise Physiology are among the prerequisite courses required for students to gain admission to this program

Also referred to as PLNU, this university offers a major in Pre-physical therapy that gives students who aspire to be professional Physical Therapists a head start in physical therapy. Point Loma Nazarene University makes available through the institution’s Department of Kinesiology.
With topics in athletic training, physical education and exercise science, graduates of this program will have an easier time when they go to physical therapy school.
Excellent and committed faculty who will mentor students and place them in internships within the athletic training department head the program. Students get assisted with letters of recommendation and adequately prepared for admission interviews by their advisors.
Graduates of this program will pursue career opportunities such as being a Doctor, Physical Therapist, and Health Care Professional.
PLNU is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

The Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences at Chapman University offers a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program that has continuously received accreditation since 1928.
The entry-level program is designed for students who aspire to become physical therapy professionals, while the transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy is for those who want to advance their physical therapy education.
The curriculum for this rigorous program requires the completion of 125 credits and begins with the learning of foundational sciences that are then applied to the relevant clinical courses. To complete the degree program, students must take 40-44 weeks of practical clinical experience.
Functional Human Anatomy, Developmental Anatomy and Clinical PathoPhysiology are among the courses included in the curriculum. Others are, Applied Neurophysiology, Kinesiological Motion Analysis, Diagnostic Imaging, Motor Control and Motor Learning Lab, Cultural Diversity and Psychology in Health Care and more.
This university is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Saint Mary’s College offers a pre-professional course in physical therapy for students who are strongly interested in pursuing a career in the field, from a strong Catholic background.
This program is a Health Sciences Major in Physical Therapy that will assist students to get into other physical therapy programs at the master’s and doctoral level.
The program comprises courses in general chemistry, general biology, general physics and additional courses in human anatomy, statistics, human physiology, and psychology.
The Saint Mary’s College of California is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

The Physical Therapy division at this university has been in operation since 1945. The physical therapy program is ranked #1 in the United States by the U.S. News and World Report and continues to set the standards for physical therapy education and research.
This Doctor of Physical Therapy will provide students with the educational foundation for a successful professional career in physical therapy.
It is a 3-year program with the following prerequisite courses: Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Psychology, Physics, Statistics and Mathematics, Psychology and a minimum of 150 hours of voluntary or paid clinical experience in different physical therapy settings.
The curriculum for this program includes such courses as, Cellular and Systems physiology, Clinical Imaging, Musculo-skeletal Anatomy, Principles of Disease, Neuro-Anatomy, Neuro-Pathology, Differential Diagnosis in Physical Therapy and many others.
This program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.