/ Center for Community and Global Health/ Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy

Pre-Requisite Coursework for Physical Therapy

Interested to find out more about a career in physical therapy? Check out this website here.

Students can enter graduate programs in the health professions with any undergraduate major. However, many courses required for admission to health-professional schools are sequential, so good planning is key.

We have found that most PT schools require or recommend the below courses, however, pre-requisites can vary from school to school. It is a good idea to check directly with the schools you plan to apply to.

Pre-Requisite	LC Course
1-year of Biology w/ lab	BIO 202 (4 credits): Biological Core Concepts: Mechanisms (Pre-req: Bio 110 and Chem 120) and An upper-level Biology course with lab such as: BIO 361 (5 credits): Cell Biology (Pre-reqs: Bio 110, Bio 201, Bio 202, and Chem 120. Math 131, Math 255, or CS 171) or BIO 369 (5 credits): Developmental Biology (Pre-reqs: Bio 110, Bio 201, Bio 202, Chem 120. Math 131, Math 255, or CS 171)
1 semester Physiology	BIO 375 (5 credits): Physiology (Pre-reqs: Bio 110 and Bio 202. Recommended pre-reqs: Math 131, CS 171 or Phys 141)
1-year Introductory Chemistry w/ lab	CHEM 110 (5 credits): General Chemistry I (Pre-req: QR 101) and CHEM 120 (5 credits): General Chemistry II (Pre-req: Chem 110)
1-year Introductory Physics w/ lab	PHYS 141 (5 credits): Introductory General Physics I (Pre-req: Math 131) and PHYS 142 (5 credits): Introductory General Physics II (Pre-req: Phys 141 or Phys 151, and Math 131)
1-year Psychology	PSY 100 (4 credits): Introduction to Psychology (Pre-req: None) and PSY 230 (4 credits): Infant and Child Development (Pre-req: Psy 100) and/or PSY 330 (4 credits): Adolescent and Adult Development (Pre-reqs: Psy 230 and Psy 300)
1 semester additional Psychology or Sociology or Anthropology	Examples: PSY 260 (4 credits): Social Psychology (Pre-req: Psy 100) or PSY 280 (4 credits): Brain and Behavior (Pre-req: Psy 100) or SOAN 100 (4 credits): Introduction to Sociology (Pre-req: None) or SOAN 110 (4 credits): Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Pre-req: None) or PHIL 103 (4 credits): Ethics (Pre-req: None)
1 semester Anatomy	Offered through the Oregon Alliance of Independent Colleges and Universities. See your pre-health advisor for options.
1 semester Statistics	ECON 103 (4 credits): Statistics (Pre-req: QR 101) or MATH 255 (4 credits): Statistical Concepts and Methods (Pre-req: Math 131) or PSY 200 (4 credits): Statistics I (Pre-req: None)
1 semester English Composition	CORE 120 (4 credits): Words

Below is a list of experiences to make oneself a competitive applicant for physical therapy.

Other Experiences	Hours
Clinical experience	Minimum of 100 hours. Inpatient and outpatient experience recommended
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations)	May be required by some programs. More information can be found here

Recommended Timeline for Physical Therapy Doctorate

Here is a recommended timeline to help you navigate the application process for a physical therapy program. Although student-classification years are listed, you can start working towards this program at any time – while this timeline is designed as a helpful template, it can be adjusted based on your personal journey.

Please note that all physical therapy programs are different and may have varying application cycles and requirements, so be sure to research each program you’re interested in.

Winter of Junior Year
Recommended time for applicants to take the GRE	Recommended 2-3 months of studying prior to taking the exam Some programs do not require the GRE GRE is valid for 5 years Can be retaken every 21 days, up to 5 times in a 12-month period
Summer after Junior Year
June PTCAS application opens
November PTCAS application closes	Some schools may have different application deadlines Rolling admissions deadlines may be as early as August or September
Fall of Senior Year
October - November Acceptances begin	This may be weeks or months after you’ve submitted the application, depending on the school You may be contacted by the schools for interviews
Fall after Senior Year
August Start Physical Therapy program