Physical Therapy (Pre-Physical Therapy)

Undergraduate Programs

Description

Physical Therapy is a pre-professional program. The purpose of pre-professional programs is to provide students with the intellectual and academic backgrounds they will need before continuing their education in degrees not offered at Minnesota State Mankato. Acceptance to professional educational institutions is contingent upon academic performance, so students enrolling in pre-professional programs should be highly motivated and realize they are expected to maintain standards of excellence. Advisors play an important role in guiding the students enrolled in such programs so students are urged to contact the advisor before enrolling. 

Majors to Consider with Physical Therapy Concentration:

  • Exercise Science
  • Biology
  • Applied Health Science

Graduate programs generally do not specify what undergraduate major must be completed. They are concerned about your performance within the major (including GPA) and that you have successfully completed all pre-requisite coursework.

Policies & Faculty

Policies

The Pre–Physical Therapy curriculum is primarily a science–oriented curriculum which meets the standard requirements for admission to most physical therapy programs. The majority of schools require a Bachelor’s degree prior to application for admission, although some still accept students following two or three years of college preparation. It is important that students check requirements for their professional school of choice as some require classes in addition to those contained in this concentration. Most programs also require that the student take the Graduate Record Examination and score at a certain level.

Pre-Physical Therapy Concentration Courses

  • BIOL 105 General Biology I (4)
  • BIOL 106 General Biology II (4)
  • BIOL 220 Human Anatomy (4)
  • BIOL 330 Principles of Human Physiology (4)
  • PHYS 211 Principles of Physics I (4)
  • PHYS 212 Principles of Physics II (4) 

 

  • MATH 112 College Algebra (4) AND
  • MATH 113 Trigonometry (3) OR
  • MATH 115 Precalculus Mathematics (4) (Must meet PHYS 211 math requirement (4-8)

 

  • STAT 154 Elementary Statistics (4)
  • CHEM 201 General Chemistry I (5)
  • CHEM 202 General Chemistry II (5)
  • PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychological Science (4)

 

  • PSYC 343 Developmental Psychology (4) OR
  • PSYC 433, 436, and 466 (Child Adolescent and Aging) (12 cr) OR
  • KSP 235 Human Development (3)

 

  • PSYC 455 Abnormal Psychology (4)
  • SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (3) (Recommendation only; see graduate program requirements)
  • HLTH 321 Medical Terminology (3) 
  • HP 265 Orientation to Occupational and Physical Therapy (2)

TOTAL: 58-73 credits

AOTA Website for Accredited Physical Therapy Programs: www.apta.org/ProspectiveStudents/ 

PTCAS: http://www.ptcas.org/directoryprogramslist/ and pre-requisite list at http://www.ptcas.org/programprereqs/

Be sure to check the specific pre-requisite courses of programs you plan to apply to and tailor the above list to meet those requirements.

Contact Information

Advisor (507) 389-2679
Student Relations Coordinator (507) 389-5194

Faculty

Advisor
  • Jeremy Frost, Ph.D.
Student Relations Coordinator
  • Shirley Murray