Help people stay healthy or recover from injury or disease. The Doctor of Physical Therapy degree prepares you for a rewarding career centered on transforming the lives of others.
Why Earn a Doctorate in Physical Therapy?
Physical therapy is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best jobs in the health care sector. As a physical therapist, you'll impact people's lives in meaningful ways, from helping them regain movement to managing pain, and promoting wellness. You'll work with people for extended periods of time, developing rewarding relationships.
With a Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) degree, you'll have the option to treat patients across the lifespan from children to adults to senior citizens. You'll be equipped to work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, outpatient clinics and private homes, and in a range of practice areas including neurology, sports training, orthopedics and oncology.
The D.P.T. is the official entry-level degree for the profession.
Why Get Your Doctorate in Physical Therapy at CSUN?
The Finest Training
Our department is at the forefront of physical therapy research, pedagogy and treatment. Our graduates enter the field as thought leaders, capable of guiding organizations, communities and health care professionals. Along with theory and research, you'll learn to use evidence-based practice to meet each client’s specific therapeutic needs.
Hands-on Experience
CSUN has contracts with more than 250 clinical sites throughout the state where students are placed for clinical experience. These include private clinics, acute care hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, schools and extended care facilities. You'll be exposed to a variety of settings in the course of your degree program.
Research Opportunities
You can choose to complete a research project as your doctoral project. Current faculty research areas include 3-D motion analysis, kinesiological electromyography, bone density, wellness and complimentary integrative therapies, vestibular/balance function, orthopedics and pediatrics.
Scholarships
For 20 years, Dodgers great Roy Campanella and his family have supported physical therapy scholarships at CSUN, providing financial support to more than 40 students. In 2010, the Dodgers Dream Foundation decided to expand Campanella's legacy by placing CSUN physical therapy students in internships with the Dodgers. And, there are scholarships available for minority populations who are underrepresented in the field through "Rizing Tide."
What You'll Learn
You'll learn to apply foundational sciences – anatomy, physiology, neurology and pathology – to clinical settings. You'll learn to integrate the best scientific evidence with clinical expertise, client-specific needs and health care system values to provide quality therapy services.
You'll be equipped to communicate in a professional, culturally competent manner to a diverse population in classroom activities and in clinical settings.
Our program will train you to be a skilled physical therapist who is guided by ethical practice standards, reflects on clinical decisions, maintains competence and collaborates effectively with other professionals.
Careers & Outcomes
The need for physical therapists is expected to remain strong as the U.S. population ages and the demand for physical therapy services grows. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment of physical therapists will grow 18% from 2019 to 2029. In that period, an estimated 47,000 jobs are predicted to become available.
Job Opportunities
Licensed physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including:
- Outpatient clinics
- Inpatient rehabilitation facilities
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Homes
- Educational and research centers
- School settings
- Hospices
- Industrial and other occupational environments
- Fitness centers
- Sports training facilities
Meeting community needs
At the Physical Therapy Center for Advanced Clinical Practice, students and faculty conduct research and perform public service. Services range from orthopedics to pro bono services at a downtown Hollywood shelter.
Accreditation
CSUN's Doctor of Physical Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone: (703) 706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: www.capteonline.org. If you need to contact the program/institution directly, please call (818) 677-2203.
Admission Information
To be considered for admission to CSUN as a doctoral student, you will need to:
- Meet university requirements.
- Meet department requirements for the Doctor of Physical Therapy.
- Apply to both the university and the specific doctorate program of interest.
- Do not apply to Cal State Apply. The Cal State Apply supplemental application is for selected applicants only. Applicants must be notified of acceptance prior to submitting a Cal State Apply application.
- Must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Learn more about applying for a doctoral program at CSUN.