• Massage techniques are among the methods used by physical therapists.Lower body massage as part of a full body Thai massage. image by Deborah Benbrook from Fotolia.com
  
  The best physical therapy schools in the state of Virginia are also among the best in the nation. Two of the top three physical therapy schools in the state ranked among the top 60 programs in the 2008 "U.S. News & World Report Rankings." These highly respected programs offer students the opportunity to obtain graduate-level education in physical therapy practice or research.
  
  

Virginia Commonwealth University

• Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is home to the state's top physical therapy program. "U.S. News & World Report" ranked the program at No. 24 among all physical therapy schools in the nation in 2008. VCU is prominent partly because it offers both a doctor of physical therapy degree (D.P.T.) and a Ph.D. in the field. The D.P.T. is an entry-level doctoral program for students with no prior background in the physical therapy field. Students must generally have a strong background in the sciences before being admitted to the program; otherwise, they must fulfill some prerequisite obligations before starting coursework.
  
  The Ph.D. program has three areas of concentration: health related sciences, rehabilitation and movement science and physiology/physical therapy. In addition to these two doctoral programs, VCU also offers a transitional D.P.T. program for students with an undergraduate background in the field who are practicing physical therapists and want to pursue the doctoral degree.
  
  Virginia Commonwealth University
  Department of Physical Therapy
  1200 E. Broad St.
  Richmond, VA 23298
  804-828-0234
  vcu.edu/pt/
  
  

Old Dominion University

• At No. 57 in the "U.S. News & World Report" rankings, Old Dominion University (ODU) is the second highest rated physical therapy program in the state of Virginia. ODU offers a three year entry-level D.P.T. program that resembles the program at VCU. The primary difference between the two programs is that ODU does not offer a Ph.D. in the field.
  
  Despite the lack of a research degree, ODU is home to the Center for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, a research facility devoted to clinical research and the treatment of neurological disorders. The D.P.T. program at ODU requires 117 credit hours for completion. Areas of study include biomechanics and kinesiology, clinical problem solving and the psychosocial aspects of patient care, among others.
  
  Old Dominion University
  School of Physical Therapy
  3118 Health Sciences Building
  Norfolk, VA 23529
  757-683-4519
  hs.odu.edu/physther/
  
  

Hampton University

• Hampton University is one of three non-ranked physical therapy programs in the state of Virginia offering graduate-level education. Hampton offers a three-year entry-level D.P.T. program that requires courses in various fields such as differential diagnosis, neuromanagement and pharmacology.
  
  Hampton University
  Department of Physical Therapy
  Hampton, VA 23668
  757-727-5260
  hamptonu.edu
  
  

Shenandoah University

• Shenandoah University also offers the entry-level D.P.T. program. Although unranked by "U.S. News & World Report," the university offers the most extensive array of degree programs among the unranked schools. Shenandoah offers a transitional D.P.T. in addition to the entry-level program, along with a joint-degree program leading to a master of science in athletic training and the D.P.T.
  
  Shenandoah University
  Division of Physical Therapy
  333 W. Cork Street, Fifth Floor
  Winchester, VA 22601
  540-665-5559
  su.edu/pt/
  
  

Marymount University

• Marymount University is the state's final graduate-level physical therapy program. Marymount offers the entry-level D.P.T. program with a curriculum designed to last three years. Students receive extensive clinical training as part of the program, in addition to many hours of coursework in areas such as the evaluation and management of patients with neurological disorders, clinical neuroscience and evidence-based practice.
  
  Marymount University
  School of Health Professions
  2807 N. Glebe Road
  Arlington, VA 22207
  703-284-5980
  marymount.edu