Information for Students Interested in Physical Therapy

You can find more information about physical therapy at the American Physical Therapy Association website. Click here

A Listing of the accredited doctoral programs in physical therapy can be found at the APTA website. Click here

Here is a summary of the prerequisites for entry into a graduate program in PHYSICAL THERAPY.

To be competitive for entry into a doctoral program in physical therapy, students must complete an undergraduate degree, complete a specified set of prerequisites and obtain hours in the field working with physical therapy professionals. To meet the requirements for a number of programs, students typically complete:

• general chemistry series (Chem 121, 122, 123),
• the general physics series (Physics 114, 115, 116),
• anatomy and physiology (Bio 348, 349),
• microbiology (Bio 345/346 or 245),
• some additional biology credits (BIO 204 and/or 205),
• statistics (Math 240 or KIN 307), and
• some psychology (Psych 101 and Psych 230 or 250).
• Exercise science areas such as exercise physiology (KIN 413), biomechanics (KIN 311), kinesiology (KIN 312), motor learning (KIN 410), and growth and development (KIN 308) are also listed as prerequisites or recommended for some programs.
• 200-400 hours of clinical experience

A summary of the prerequisites for physical therapy programs in the country can be found in the document below. Download this into your computer. This information is updated every other year so check the APTA web site for the most recent prerequisites.

Summary of Prerequisite Courses for PT Programs (updated Febraury 2007)

Download the Pre-Physical Therapy Major Guide

If your question isn't answered here, please contact Kathy.Knutzen@wwu.edu.