Best Physical Therapy and Therapist Masters Programs in Georgia

Division of Physical Therapy School of Medicine logo.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree is a professional doctorate designed to prepare physical therapists for practice in an evolving health care environment. societal and health care roles and responsibilities have grown to that of an independent practitioner.

Students in the Division of Physical Therapy at Emory earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. The program of study is thirty-five months in length commencing in June and ending three years later in May. For all degree programs, the majority of credits required for graduation must be earned in the School of Medicine at Emory University. study focuses on the normal structure and function of the human body, principles of movement science across the life span and process skills (interpersonal communications and teaching-learning) integral to effective practice. Beginning the third semester, study of pathophysiology and disease processes is integrated with clinical problem solving clinical science courses. Following General Medical Conditions (Spring semester, year-1), Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation (Summer, year-2) and Adult Neurorehabilitation and Pediatric Rehabilitation (Fall, year-2), students go into the clinic for 2 weeks to observe and participate in the care of clients demonstrating symptoms and conditions studied in the classroom. Before students are awarded their degrees, they must successfully complete 30 weeks of full time clinical internship at sites which represent the diverse environments in which physical therapists practice. Three full-time internships, each 10 weeks long, occur in the second and third years. Emory students choose from selected clinical education sites in the metropolitan Atlanta area and greater Georgia, as well as outstanding facilities around the nation. After graduation, all physical therapists must take a state licensure examination. Graduation from an accredited physical therapy program is required to take state licensure examinations in physical therapy.

Applicants are evaluated on the basis of probable academic success in the program experience and knowledge of physical therapy and, personal attributes such as good judgment, empathy, maturity, reliability, emotional stability, and effective interaction with people.

Successful applicants will demonstrate knowledge of the multiple roles of physical therapists in health care and a commitment to physical therapy as a profession. All potential applicants should observe physical therapists at work in different settings and maintain a record of these experiences. The variety of clinical settings observed, the total time the student has spent with physical therapists, and the number of hours of experience are used to evaluate experience in physical therapy.

The final deadline for receiving applications is March 15, 2023.

Applications will be reviewed with a rolling admissions process until the program is full. Interviews are anticipated to begin in September. To be considered for an interview, applicants must have a completed PTCAS application. There are forty seats available in the class and it is highly likely that the incoming class will fill during the fall months. Once the class is full, a selection of remaining qualified applicants will be placed on a ranked wait list.

Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in college course work, and minimum of a 3.0 in all prerequisite courses.

All courses required for the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program, both didactic and clinical, must be completed at Brenau University. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Brenau does not grant advanced placement, credit for experiential learning, or transfer credits from another program or institution.

Physical therapy education requires that the accumulation of scientific knowledge be accompanied by the simultaneous acquisition of skills, professional attitudes and appropriate behavior. The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree awarded by Brenau University certifies that the individual has acquired a broad base of knowledge, skills and attitudes requisite for the practice of physical therapy.

In order to acquire the knowledge and skills to function independently in a broad variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care, candidates for the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree must have abilities and skills in five areas: observation communication motor conceptual (integrative and quantitative) and behavioral social.

The Physical Therapy program at Georgia Southern University is a full-time doctoral program offered on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah, Georgia. There are 36 students admitted to each class. The program consists of nine semesters of academic coursework, including three full-time clinical affiliations (with a minimum of 31 weeks of full-time clinical practice) and several additional clinical experiences.

Upon completion of the program, all students are awarded a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. All program graduates are eligible to take the National Physical Therapy Examination and apply for state licensure in all jurisdictions.

Courses introduced during the first year use a systems approach with cases in musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, neuromuscular and integumentary physical therapy. As closely as possible, courses are coordinated so that students are instructed in the anatomy, pathology and diagnosis related to specific joints or systems of the body at the same time.

During the third semester, students are given the opportunity to practice and integrate their professional skills in a simulated clinic course, case management.

During the second year and early third year of study, students explore practice topics in greater depth within the context of a life span approach, covering content from diseases of children to impairments associated with aging. These advanced courses are followed by two final full-time 11-week clinical experiences, with a return to campus for final coursework at the end of the program.

The curriculum is further integrated by team teaching, a feature of several of the courses.

Employed as physical therapists within one year of licensure.

Please review information pertaining to our admission criteria, application process and tuition and fees. View current detailed information GS DPT student costs and debt. This will provide prospective students the ability to compare financial information across programs since the format is standardized and required for all programs beginning August 1, 2022. You are also encouraged attend one of our information sessions (which includes a tour of our facilities).

The Rehabilitation Sciences anticipates that graduates of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program will seek individual state licensure from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy.

The Rehabilitation Sciences has determined that the required classes and educational activities of this academic program will qualify a graduate of this program to take the exam for a physical therapy license in the 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands.

Rehabilitation Sciences Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus Rehabilitation Sciences Dept # 4902 11935 Abercorn Street Savannah, GA 31419.

Many of the clinical programs offered by the Waters College of Health Professions require a clinical internship or practicum experience to fulfill degree requirements. Pursuant to the University legal agreements, participants in clinical experiences are required to abide by the workplace rules of the clinical site. At this time, we expect that these new requirements may significantly impact our ability to locate a placement for students who remain unvaccinated. As always, WCHP will continue to make every effort to place students at clinical sites. However, please be aware that we may be unable to locate a site to accept unvaccinated students, which may cause a delay or inability to progress and complete the program of study.

Physical therapy is a dynamic profession with an established theoretical and scientific base and widespread clinical applications in the restoration, maintenance, and promotion of optimal physical function.

Physical therapists are health care professionals that diagnose and manage movement dysfunction and enhance physical and functional abilities. Physical therapists (PTs) treat individuals of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives.

Physical therapists must be licensed in the state where they wish to practice. After completing an accredited doctoral physical therapy program, individuals must pass the National Physical Therapy Examination to become licensed.

The APTA vision statement for the physical therapy profession is: Transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.

Augusta University offers a 3-year doctoral program in Physical Therapy, which is comprised of 9 semesters, including 36 weeks of clinical experience.

Physical therapy students and professor in a classroom.

Applications must be submitted through the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS).

As a program accredited by CAPTE, graduates of the Augusta University Doctor of Physical Therapy program are eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). When earning a passing score on the NPTE, a physical therapist is then eligible to apply for licensure to practice physical therapy in any state within the United States or US owned territory.

Other educational programs offered by the Physical Therapy:.

CAPTE only evaluates entry-level DPT programs for accreditation and does not accredit transitional DPT, post-professional degree program, residency or fellowship programs. The residency programs offered by Augusta University are evaluated for accreditation by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education. information ABPTRFE and the accreditation status of any residency or fellowship program is available at their website.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is the first doctorate degree offered at the University of North Georgia. The DPT program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Since the inception of the Physical Therapy program at the University of North Georgia in 1992, the program has been committed to the recruitment of students who are dedicated to addressing the educational, professional and community needs of all citizens, particularly through rural practice. In 2006, the program expanded its mission to include recruitment of students who are committed not only to rural practice but to all other medically underserved communities as well.

The physical therapy department at UNG delivers for its students.

Program length is 143 credit hours taught in nine consecutive semesters.

Major in a Minute Doctor of Physical Therapy Video Transcript.

All application materials are to be received prior to the deadline. If program capacity is met prior to established admission deadlines, we will stop accepting applications for admission and cancel remaining incomplete applicants. Completing your application earlier is better.

to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

DPT applicants apply through Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) which allows applicants to use a single, web-based application and one set of materials to apply to multiple programs.

PTCAS is a service of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Full academic year of general biology with labs (for biology majors) AND an advanced course in biology (not botany or ecology).

Full academic year of human anatomy physiology (for biology majors with labs) and either one general biology course (not botany, ecology or environmental biology) and an applied health science course that has A P as a prerequisite (e.g., exercise physiology, kinesiology, etc.).

One course in statistics: Math Elementary Statistics or Psychology Behavioral Science Statistics.

Demonstrate evidence of appropriate interest in and knowledge of the profession, 100 hours of exposure in a physical therapy treatment environment is required for admission, applicants are expected to be familiar with various settings in which physical therapy is practiced and to provide clear evidence of their commitment to physical therapy as a career choice. Satisfaction of this expectation will be determined through the professional judgment of admissions personnel.

Applicant responsibility is to follow PTCAS and program-specific instructions.

Student paper transcripts are accepted only when issued to the student in a sealed envelope and submitted to Graduate Admissions unopened.

International transcripts must have a course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, Inc. (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. Evaluations should be submitted from the evaluation service to Graduate Admissions. Applicants who have received degrees outside of the United States may be required to submit proof of English proficiency. Applicants will be notified if a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score is required. If required, scores must be sent directly from the testing agency. Personal copies and photocopies are NOT accepted. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two calendar years from the test date. Required minimum scores are, TOEFL internet based 79, TOEFL computer based test 213, TOEFL paper based test 550, IELTS 6.5.

Graduate Admissions will retrieve transcripts of coursework completed in-residence at UNG. You do not need to order official transcripts from UNG.

Interviews are conducted by invitation from the Physical Therapy Admissions Committee in August, September, and October at the Dahlonega Campus.

Policy requires all applicants accepted for admission or readmission to UNG seeking in-state for tuition classification provide validation of residency and lawful presence in both the state of Georgia and the United States.

Students accepted in the DPT program are required to have health insurance.

An international student is someone who has not been granted or does not have U.S. citizenship or permanent U.S. residency. In order for these students to study in the United States, they must obtain an F-1 visa.

International students are not admissible for the summer term. This program only admits new students in the summer term and therefore, does not permit F-1 visa student admission.

Courses that are retaken (multiple attempts) will be averaged and considered within the GPA. that is up to you as you consider the benefit that re-taking the course will have on your GPA.

There are a total of 10 prerequisite courses required. Applicants must complete a minimum of eight of these prerequisite courses prior to applying to the UNG DPT program.

Although we do accept course credits accomplished through advanced placement (AP) credits, it is recommended that no than one major course of the 10 prerequisite courses be completed via AP credit. This is particularly problematic if the coursework on the transcript is simply scored pass or fail as we cannot use it to calculate a prerequisite GPA score.

Applicants must complete all prerequisite coursework prior to beginning classes in the UNG DPT program. Classes typically begin mid-May of the year following application.

If your school and or course is not listed, you may need to check with our admissions team via email.

However, programs based in the sciences often contain coursework that is prerequisite to the DPT admission process. Thus, choosing a major like biology, physics or exercise physiology science, kinesiology, biomechanics will parallel those courses most closely and potentially streamline the process.

That being said, healthcare involves quite a bit of business in the current system so a business degree may be helpful. A minor in a language may be helpful to you if you plan to serve in areas in which that language is primarily spoken.

Classes typically begin mid-May of the year following application.

We currently require 100 hours of shadowing or other PT-related work experience. These may be accomplished through paid or unpaid volunteer experiences. You may consider unique opportunities such as shadowing a PT presenting at a support group, a PT serving a camp for children or adults with special needs, and outpatient facilities. Students often use tech or aide positions to gain experience in an outpatient PT facility. Extended care facilities (nursing s) and elementary, middle and high schools often involve background checks and offer limited availability particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applicants should have experience in a variety of settings. This means that you should not simply shadow or work at only one type of facility (ortho or neuro or peds). different age populations, different impairments (ortho, neuro, cardiac, wound care, ertc.). We want to know that you understand the multiple facets of the PT profession. your degree will indicate that you are a general DPT as opposed to being degreed or licensed in a single type of PT.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early, particularly if UNG is your first choice. Although we are no longer able to offer the early admission option through PTCAS, we will begin considering applications after the initial August 15, 2022 deadline. We will fill the class with candidates as we progress throughout the application timeline. October 1st is the hard deadline after which we cannot consider any further submissions. If your application is complete and verified at that time, you will be considered. However, applicants may not continue to submit any further files after October 3, 2022.

Overall, we know that this is an important decision for you and for the UNG DPT program. Please seriously consider your decision as each student selected takes an important spot that is sought after by multiple applicants. It is important to keep the program updated in a timely fashion if any decisions change for any reason.