Graduate Outcomes

By the end of their degree program, graduates shall be able to:

  1. Demonstrate comprehension of the foundational, behavioral and clinical sciences for application to the physical therapy clinical setting.  
  2. Demonstrate the assessment and intervention skills of an entry-level doctoral physical therapist. 
  3. Adhere to principles of critical thinking and evidence-based practice in clinical decision making. 
  4. Communicate to a diverse population in a manner consistent with the APTA Core Values and Code of Ethics in professional and clinical settings.
  5. Adhere to the ethical and legal standards of physical therapy practice. 

Accreditation

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

The DPT program at CSULB is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; telephone 703.706.3245; email: accreditation@apta.org; website: http://www.capteonline.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 562.985.4072 or email CHHS-PT@csulb.edu.

The program’s accreditation was most recently reviewed in 2012 and was reaccredited for 10 years (the maximum).

School Ranking

While the Academic Council of the APTA recognizes that there are proprietary organizations that rank physical therapist education programs, the profession encourages prospective students to provide their own comparisons through careful examination of information on program and APTA web sites, and visits to the campuses to talk with enrolled students and program faculty.

National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) Pass Rates* 

CSULB cohortCSULB 1st time pass rateNational average of 1st time pass rateCSULB ultimate pass rate (one or more attempts)
Class of 202397.1%84.9%100%
Class of 202293.8%85.0%100%
Class of 202197.1%88.4%100%
Class of 2020100%91.2%100%
2-yr avg for most current cohorts (Class of '22 and '23)95.5%86.7%100%

*From the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy

Graduation and Employment Rate

CSULB CohortGraduation Rate*Employment Rate**
Class of 2023100%(in progress)
Class of 202297.1%100%
Class of 202197.0%100%
Class of 202097.4%96%
Class of 201997.0%100%
2-yr avg for most current cohorts (Class of '22 and '23)98.6%100%

*Graduation Rate is the percentage of the students enrolled in the DPT Program who completed the program within 150% of the time normally expected for completion.

**Employment Rate is the percentage of graduates employed as a Physical Therapist within 1 year after passing the licensure examination.