Best Online Degree

What is an Online Therapy Degree?

Do you enjoy helping people? Do you want to make a difference in people’s lives? Are you interested in health-related fields, but not quite prepared for an actual medical career as a nurse or doctor? Then an online therapy degree may be the right career path for you.

An online therapy degree is one which will give you the comprehensive academic and professional training and credentials you need in preparation for a rewarding health and human services career.

Working in this field requires specialized education and training in the particular area of interest: occupational therapy, physical therapy, or speech therapy. Most online therapy degree programs require completion of a practicum or field experience; documentation of this is typically required in order to begin practice as a therapist. Most states also require passing a test prior to becoming a licensed therapist, depending on the area of therapy.

What are the job requirements for a therapist?

Therapy is considered to be part of the Allied Health field and any therapist or therapist assistant – whether occupational, physical, or speech – primarily works with people who have sustained some type of injury or physical illness/disability which has limited their ability to use ‘normal’ bodily functions, such as basic motor functions, range of motion, walking, or speaking, among others. Therapists usually collaborate with other health care professionals to take into account each patient’s medical history, in an effort to develop the most effective strategy and plan of care for each patient. Therapist assistants work under the direct supervision of licensed therapists and assist in the implementation of direct care plans, as well as support tasks.

Basic job functions for each type of therapy:

An Occupational Therapist (OT) or Occupational Therapist Assistant (OTA) helps patients learn or re-learn how to perform basic motor functions and reasoning needed for daily living.

A Physical Therapist (PT), or Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), helps patients to restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent permanent physical damage.

A Speech-Language Pathologist/therapist (SLP), or Speech-Language Pathologist /therapist Assistant (SLPA), works with people who have speech-language impairments or disabilities, in an effort to facilitate or restore the ability to speak intelligibly and/or increase their language and communication skills.

Why should you earn this Online Therapy Degree?

If you are interested in a career that is truly rewarding, you will need an accredited degree in order to obtain the necessary credentials to get started in this career. You will also need to complete required field experience or exams for licensure. Earning your online therapy degree will make it even easier, as online programs provide the flexibility and convenience you need to fit in your busy lifestyle, leaving just the practicum or field experience to schedule in.

An associate’s degree is typically all that is required for a therapy assistant position, while a licensed therapist will need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, although a master’s degree is preferred. Rules and laws vary among states, but many just passed new regulations between 2006-2007 requiring master’s degrees for licensed therapists in most fields. While degrees are important and valuable, experience in the related field is even more so. This is why the early practicum or field experience with trained professionals in the area of interest is so crucial. Most states also have ongoing continuing education requirements to maintain licensure.

Salaries range widely, depending on the area of specialization, as well as experience and location; therapy assistants typically are paid by the hour, at a rate that is about half to two thirds of a licensed therapist’s average pay rate [Obtained from Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov].

• The average yearly salary for an occupational therapist is about $63,800, with a range from about $42,300 to $92,200.
• The average yearly salary for a physical therapist is about $69,800, with a range from about $48,500 to $100,000.
• The average yearly salary for a speech therapist/pathologist is about $60,700, with a range from $40,200 to $94,700.