What are the Top Undergraduate Physical Therapy Programs?

Our whole lives, teachers, parents and mentors tell us not to ignore our education, as it will be the key that will open the doors for financial and professional success in the future. While this may not seem very pressing when you were in elementary school and junior high, usually around high school everything seems to become a bit more urgent as parents and guidance counselors start to press you for your thoughts on what you’re going to do with your life. The important thing to keep in mind when choosing an educational path that will lead to a fulfilling career is to find a major that will allow you to combine your talents and your interests. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in physical therapy, this usually means you have a talent for science and math as well as an interest in helping people to live more fulfilling, healthy lives.

The path to any professional career, especially in the medical field is through college. While it used to be traditional for high school graduates to pack their bags and head of to the nearest state university to pursue their degree, these days students of all shapes and sizes have found that there are more options than ever before for pursuing the career of their dreams. No longer is it required that you pursue an undergraduate degree between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two, just like it’s no longer expected that you will move away from home to attend classes. Distance learning courses, online classes, and technical schools have all made a higher education more accessible than ever, especially in the field of physical therapy.

It’s important to point out that the educational requirements for becoming a professional physical therapist involve more than just four years in an undergraduate program. Currently it is necessary to achieve a master’s or doctorate degree in order to receive full credentials as a physical therapist. That being said, there are still preparatory programs that will allow you to complete your undergraduate degree while still learning skills that will be essential in your post-graduate studies and professional practice. There are many national ranking publications available in print and online that will give you a list of the best schools for these programs in the country.

The rankings for the best undergraduate programs in physical therapy change slightly every year, but some schools, like the University of St. Louis, Touro College, Truman State University, and the University of Southern California are consistently at or near the top of the list. When you are evaluating these kinds of ranking reports, make sure you take a close look at the criteria that they used to determine their ratings. In most cases, several criteria are examined and combined to come up with a final placement.