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How many years of school do I need to become a physical therapist?
#physical-therapy
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Samuel’s Answer
First of all, greetings and salutations! My name is Samuel Colis Achiles. I am a current and recent graduate from Cal State Dominguez Hills, with a major in kinesiology, which also encompasses therapy. From my experience, I can tell that if you are planning on becoming a therapist, then you could take a major in kinesiology, or a major in psychology or social sciences. It is because there are many different types of therapy you can take, such as physical therapy or psychological therapy. All this may fall under social sciences, because therapy involves intimate, individual sessions, with people of varying personalities. From my experience, I would say that to become a therapist, you would need at least 4 years, depending on which courses you’re taking and under what major. That is all the advice I can give you from one student to another, and I hope this helps! Stay safe and do your best!
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Heidi’s Answer
You need a bachelors, plus all the required prerequisites, and a clinical doctorate. This takes approximately 7 years although it could take slightly less or considerably longer based on how efficiently you achieve your bachelors plus Pre-Reqs. You need to thoroughly evaluate your degree plan to maximize efficiency and avoid taking extra hours that aren’t needed. The financial burden can be great for students who don’t formulate a good plan from the very first semester. If you are in HS you should be planning dual credit and AP coursework based on your intended major and the university you plan to attend. This can save you at least a semester up front. Keep in mind you are not going to make 6 figures upon graduation and plan your degree accordingly, avoiding loans to the extent possible, especially in the bachelors work.
Plan your degree for efficiency
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Lynn’s Answer
To become a licensed therapist you would need either a two year degree in Social Work or a one year degree in psychology. Both of these are Masters Degrees. The next level is a PHD or doctorate in psychology. A doctor of psychology is referred to as Dr. The doctorate usually takes five to seven years. The doctor level gets much more training and earns more money.
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Blake’s Answer
You will need to complete a bachelors degree and a masters degree.
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Maryann’s Answer
Hello!
To become a therapist, you must first complete a bachelor's degree, and masters degree. On average, a master's degree takes two years.
The licensure will require you to have a degree in some area of the field, such as Psychology, AND hundreds of hours of practical experience, which is usually a practicum or internship supervised buy a professional. Beyond a bachelor's degree, the therapy training is diverse. Some students pursue a Ph.D level degree, but this is not necessary to clinically practice.
There is a state certification exam for becoming a licensed therapist. So, most students can anticipate completing six to eight years of higher education- about four years for a bachelor's degree, one to two years for a master's degree and clinical training or internship.
Good Luck on whatever path you choose to take!
To become a therapist, you must first complete a bachelor's degree, and masters degree. On average, a master's degree takes two years.
The licensure will require you to have a degree in some area of the field, such as Psychology, AND hundreds of hours of practical experience, which is usually a practicum or internship supervised buy a professional. Beyond a bachelor's degree, the therapy training is diverse. Some students pursue a Ph.D level degree, but this is not necessary to clinically practice.
There is a state certification exam for becoming a licensed therapist. So, most students can anticipate completing six to eight years of higher education- about four years for a bachelor's degree, one to two years for a master's degree and clinical training or internship.
Good Luck on whatever path you choose to take!
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wesley’s Answer
5 to 7 years