About Us
The USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy is committed to continuous learning and innovative solutions to accomplish our mission: to enhance human health and quality of life.
Accordingly, we are preparing the next generation of physical therapists to deliver the highest level of care to society. We are leaders shaping the future of health care.
The USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy's faculty roster includes 11 Catherine Worthingham Fellows, which is the highest membership category in the American Physical Therapy Association. This distinction gives us the highest concentration of Catherine Worthingham Fellows in the nation.
The USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy has more than 200 faculty members; 60 percent of them are board-certified clinical specialists.
1st program in the nation to directly confer a PhD degree, representing the division’s long-held focus on biokinesiology, the integrative study of biological bases of human movement, both normal and disordered.
We have built a unique and influential community of faculty, students, staff, patients and other partners, and continually leverage our combined strengths in research, education and clinical service to help create healthier individuals and communities.
Our degree programs allow graduates to choose an educational path to help them reach their goals and become leaders in the field. The majority of our students are enrolled in our pioneering, three-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), which is delivered in both hybrid and residential formats. We also offer one of the top programs in biokinesiology — the study of the biological bases of movement, with a master’s degree and a PhD.
We offer four leading residency programs preparing advanced practitioners in the following areas: neurological, orthopedic, pediatric and sports physical therapy. Our broad variety and large volume of continuing education opportunities also help professionals gain access to the latest advances in the field.
Faculty research emphases include musculoskeletal biomechanics, motor behavior and neural control, motor development, and exercise science and muscle research. Students are exposed to a variety of basic science and clinical research experiences.
The Health Sciences Campus, where the division is located, is surrounded by the vast USC+Los Angeles County Medical Center, three large private hospitals, and numerous outpatient clinics and diagnostic centers. Our location within this exceptional medical community offers physical therapy students an exhilarating academic experience in an intellectually rich and culturally diverse environment, and offers patients access to state-of-the art care.
The division is administratively housed within the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.
