Although students interested in
physical therapy may select any major, the following are the most frequently chosen: Health Science, Psychology, Sociology, Health and Physical Education, and Biology.
Strong academic performance is considered paramount for acceptance into physical therapy programs; the degree emphasis is secondary. Although many schools list an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 for admission, to be competitive a GPA of at least 3.5 is needed. The prerequisite GPA is usually higher.
Applicants to schools of physical therapy must demonstrate an understanding of the profession they wish to enter. Programs typically require a minimum of 80 -100 hours of full or part time experience (voluntary or salaried) under the supervision of a certified physical therapist. Usually two or more settings are stipulated with acute care often being recommended as one of the settings.
Schools of
physical therapy vary somewhat in their admission requirements. Therefore, it is highly recommended that students contact the particular physical therapy schools to which they wish to apply to gain a thorough understanding of the prerequisites so that their academic programs at Carroll can be planned to accommodate any changes to the recommendations listed below. It is advisable that the selection of
physical therapy schools to which the students intend to apply be done early in the students' academic careers so there is time to make the accommodations.
Recommended Courses
Carroll College recommends the following courses for those preparing to enter a physical therapy program. These represent minimum requirements for most schools. Additional courses may be necessary depending on the school of physical therapy selected by the student.
Biology ( 3 courses):
- BI 171 Biological Principles I (some schools require a second general biology course)
- BI 201 - 202 Human Anatomy & Physiology
Chemistry ( 2 courses):
- CH 101 - 102 General Chemistry
Physics ( 2 courses):
- Phys 201 - 202 Physics I & II (or Phys 205 - 206 Engineering Physics I & II)
Math ( 2 courses):
- MA 117 Difference Equations & Linear Algebra (or MA 121 Differential Calculus I)
- MA 207 Statistics
Psychology (2 courses):
- PSY 105 General Psychology
- PSY 203 Developmental Psychology (or PSY 306 Abnormal Psychology)
Other Requirements:
Computer literacy is assumed. Students may be asked to provide documentation of their proficiency. Certification in Advanced First Aid and CPR is required by most schools. Communication and English composition prerequisites are included in the Carroll Core requirements. A small number of schools allow courses in Comparative Anatomy and Vertebrate Physiology to substitute for Human Anatomy and Physiology.
