Getting Started @ Porterville College - Guideline for Pre-Majors

Guideline for Pre-Majors

Physical Therapy Major

Please see your counselor or advisor to make sure you get the necessary information in transfering to a four year college.

Career Opportunities

Health Specialties Teacher

Postsecondary

Physical Therapists

Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers

Postsecondary

PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM:
The Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy has been discontinued effective Fall 1997. All students seeking eligibility for admission consideration to the Masters Degree in Physical Therapy must complete a bachelors of science degree in other field and have met all physical therapy prerequisites. Therefore, since that time students were strongly encouraged to obtain bachelors in another health related major for example: biological sciences, kinesiology, or health science.

Currently, you can obtain a Masters Degree in Physical Therapy in the following accredited programs in California:

CSU Fresno
CSU Northridge (Department of Physical Therapy)
CSU Long Beach
CSU Sacramento
CSU San Francisco/UCSF
USC
Chapman University
Loma Linda University
Western University of Health Sciences
Samuel Merritt College
University of the Pacific
Azusa Pacific

With just a 1.1 percent unemployment rate, physical therapists are now experiencing the best employment conditions since enactment of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997.

Physical Therapists are licensed medical professionals who provide services aimed at preventing the onset and/or slowing the progression of conditions resulting from injury, disease, and other causes. There are more than 120,000 licensed Physical Therapists in the US practicing in a variety of settings which include:

outpatient clinics
inpatient rehabilitationfacilities
skilled nursing facilities
homes
educational and research centers
schools settings
hospices
industrial & other occupational environments
fitness centers
sports training facilities.

Here are two CSU’s who offer the Masters in Physical Therapy, and required a bachelors of science degree in addition to meeting the course prerequisites in physical therapy.

Lower Division Major Requirements
Physical Therapy Program Prerequisites	List of course prerequisites	PC comparable courses of the prerequisites	Remarks
CSU Fresno	Chem 1A Chem 1B Chem 2A Chem 2B HS 92 Math 11 Phyan 65 Physic 2A Physic 2B Psych 10	Chem P101A Chem P101B Chem P106 No comparable course No comparable course Math P122 Physio P101 Physics P102A Physics P102B Psych P101A	The Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy has been discontinued effective Fall 1997. Effective Fall 2002 a new major, Interdisciplinary Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, with Pre-Physical Therapy Option, is available. Consult Fresno States catalog or Physical Therapy Department for details.
CSU Northridge	Anatomy 6 Biol 281 Microbio 6 Chem 1 Chem 2 Physic 2A Physic 2B Biol 101 HSCI 390/l Math P105 Psych 150 Psych 3 or 310	Anatomy P110 Physiology P101 Microbiology P106 Chem P101A Chem P101B Physic 102A Physic 102B Biol P110 No comparable course Math P102 Psych P101A Psych P110	Students should select and complete a major in which they have an interest and in which they can also make progress in completing the prerequisite courses for Physical Therapy. Three suggested majors for CSUN undergraduates include Exercise Science in Kinesiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, or Health Education (Health Sciences),

How much do physical therapists typically earn?

Depending on where they are located, typical therapists working full-time will earn about $48,000 a year when they first graduate. This can increase.

Career Opportunities
Health Specialties Teacher Postsecondary Physical Therapists Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers Postsecondary