Physical Therapy Courses

Degrees Available For Online Physical Therapy courses:
Online physical therapy courses are offered at the bachelor, master's and doctoral level. Online programs are convenient in that students can work at their own pace and these programs are often more cost effective than on campus ones.

A brief description of each of the degree levels is as follows:

• Bachelor's : At the bachelor's level, students get to study several topics that relate to physical therapy, such as biomechanics, physics, physiology, anatomy, strength training ,conditioning, medical terminology as well learning to do proper evaluation and assessment.

• Master's : A Master's degree builds on the basic fundamentals of physical therapy and focuses on courses such as neuroanatomy, prosthetics and orthotics, pediatric,  geriatric, and adult rehabilitation, orthopedic principles as well as exercise physiology . Some states in the US allow master's degree holders to attain licensure and practice physical therapy.

• Doctoral : A doctoral or PhD Degree in physical therapy is an advanced degree, where the courses taught usually expand on previous knowledge of the subject and students get to practice and perform cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, physical therapy intervention as well as spine examination and treatment. Clinical research in physical therapy is also an important area with students learning the ropes of physical therapy administration, as well as clinical and applied research. Generally, in many states of US, physical therapists are eligible to obtain licensure and practice only after earning a doctoral degree.

Licensure And Practice Requirements:
In order to practice physical therapy, students not only need to earn a graduate degree from an accredited institution but also pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in order to become licensed by their particular state. The specific licensure requirements vary from state to state as do the requirements to maintain that licensure.

Career Opportunities, Job Outlook And Pay:
Physical therapists get to work in a number of environments such as private offices and clinics, hospitals, nursing care facilities and even in patients' homes.  The job outlook for physical therapists is quite positive, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reporting an increased employment in this sector by 39 % from 2010 to 2020, a rate which is higher than the average of all other occupations. The median annual wage for physical therapists was $79, 860 for May 2012, as stated by BLS.