Physical Therapy Requirements

Most physical therapist education programs require applicants to earn a bachelor's degree prior to admission into a professional physical therapy program.

ADMISSION CRITERIA

• Certain coursework
• Good GPA
• Test scores (GRE)
• Experience
• Recommendations

A competitive applicant for PT programs will have taken the recommended coursework (see below), have a GPA of 3.3-3.5, taken the GRE, have good references, and have some PT experience (shadowing, observation, volunteer, etc, ...).

There is some variation in the pre-requisite coursework needed at the undergraduate level.  Below is a listing of LU courses that meet the minimum undergraduate coursework required by most programs. Also listed is some additional coursework that may be required by some programs.

Minimum Pre-Requisites:

• Biol 130 – Cells to Organisms
• Biol 150 – Organisms to Ecosystems
• Biol 310 - Human Anatomy
• Biol 370 - Human Physiology
• Chem 116 – Energetics and Dynamics (may need 115 Structure and Reactivity)
• Phys 141 – Principles of Mechanics
• Statistics (Math 107, 207, or Biol 170) 
• Psyc 100 – Principles of Psychology
• Psyc 270 – Social Psychology

Additional courses for some programs:

• Another biology course
• Another chemistry course
• Another physics course (req by UW-Milwaukee)
• Another math course
• Another one or two psychology courses

Usually a biology major works well for preparing for physical therapy school.  A psychology or chemistry major also works well.

PROGRAM COST and LENGTH

The length of professional physical therapy programs is typically 3 years and the average cost per year for programs in 2017-18 were as follows:

Public: $22,000  

Private: $38,000 

LICENSING

To practice as a physical therapist in the US, you must earn a PT degree from a CAPTE-accredited physical therapist education program and pass a state licensure exam.

PROGRAMS attended by LU ALUMS

Drexel University, Marquette University, Northwestern University, UW-La Crosse