Pre-Physical Therapy
Although baccalaureate degrees in physical therapy are offered at some institutions, the requirement for beginning practice in the field is shifting to the master’s degree. An appropriate example is the master’s degree program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Because the entrance requirements to the physical therapy MS programs vary from school to school, students should communicate directly with the schools of their choice to ensure appropriate undergraduate course scheduling at Faulkner. At UAB applicants who hold a Bachelor’s must have completed the following:
(a) two years of biology (general and anatomy and physiology)
(b) one year of inorganic chemistry;
(c) one year of physics;
(d) one year of mathematics (calculus and statistics);
(e) one year of English
(f) three psychology courses.
In addition, students are advised to take additional courses in zoology, organic chemistry, and biochemistry. This is a demanding curriculum and students need to maintain high GPA’s (a minimum 3.0 average in each category listed above) plus a minimum score of 1000 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to be competitive in the application process. At Faulkner University these requirements can be met by completing 132 semester hours in the BS degree plan. Some students may prefer to meet the minimum entrance requirements for Physical Therapy school by completing an alternative set of requirements for the BA degree.
Because professional school requirements change with time students are obliged to communicate with the professional schools of their choice for current official entrance requirements. There are many physical therapy schools with varying admission requirements. View the admission requirements for physical therapy schools within Alabama.
View the BS degree plan for pre-physical therapy.
View the BA degree plan for pre physical therapy.
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