How Long Does it Take to Finish a Physical Therapy Major?

If you’re getting ready to finish up high school or college, you’ve probably been asked, “Now what are you going to do with your life,” more times than you care to remember. It seems so easy for people to ask you to plan out the next forty years of your life in one snap decision, but it’s important to remember that choosing a career or even a major in college is a big choice, and it’s one that only you can make for yourself. If you’re considering a career in physical therapy, you should know that the federal government has noted that this is one of the fastest growing industries in the entire country, and that the number of jobs available for well trained physical therapists is expected to grow rapidly over the next five to ten years.

One of the most important questions that people ask when they are considering which major to pursue in school is how long it will take to achieve their degree. While you might like to think that you would sacrifice nothing to get the best degree available, the fact is that you can’t stay in school forever. It’s important to remember that you are ultimately working toward a professional position and that your degree is just one of the stepping stones that will make that happen. Typically, undergraduate degrees take between four and five years to achieve, depending on the number of advanced placement classes you bring with you from high school.

Many people think that the undergraduate degree is all that they will need to get the job of their dreams, but the fact remains that professions in the medical field typically require an advanced post graduate degree, for the simple reason that you’ll be in charge of people’s health and rehabilitation, and you have to know what you’re doing. For this reason, you’ll have to commit to at least a master’s degree in physical therapy, which will add another two to three years onto your educational path.

Those that are interested in becoming the most successful in the field of physical therapy will choose to take their education all the way and achieve their PhD, or doctorate degree. Depending on the school at which you choose to pursue this program, it will typically take between three and five additional years of study and research. While this might seem like too much school to be worth it, you have to consider that those with doctoral degrees in physical therapy will not only be able to open their own physical therapy practice, they will also be eligible for administrative and teaching positions in prestigious hospitals and universities. These types of positions are typically the most financially rewarding.