Physical Therapy

To be "pre-PT" means you are embarking on a course of study aimed at preparing you for application to a physical therapy school. At NDSU, students preparing for physical therapy school can choose from several majors that include the necessary Pre-PT coursework. However, students can complete their bachelor degree in nearly any major while completing the appropriate level of coursework for admission to PT school. Students are encouraged to select a major that will interest them, challenge them and ideally have the flexibility to include Pre-PT coursework.

Physical therapy schools do not require a specific major for admission. Science-based majors are highly popular, but you should choose a major that reflects your interest, while completing prerequisite requirements for your physical therapy school of choice.

Please be aware that pre-PT is not an official major. Students are encouraged to select a major based on their area of interest. Most PT schools seek applicants with a strong foundation in the physical and natural sciences and have excelled in the pre-requisites to demonstrate preparedness for PT school.

• 1 Year General Biology- BIOL 150/L, BIOL 151/L
• 1 Year General Chemistry- CHEM 121/L, CHEM 122/L
• 1 Year General Physics- PHYS 211/L, PHYS 212/L
• 1 Year Human Anatomy & Physiology- BIOL 220/L, BIOL 221/L
• 1 year English- ENGL 120 and upper division writing course (ENGL 324)
• 1 semester of Calculus- MATH 146
• 1 semester of Statistics - STATS 330
• 1 semester of Psychology - PSYC 111

* Although this coursework will meet the requirements for some schools, students should research the prerequisites of the schools to which they hope to apply.

• Kinesiology - HNES 365
• Biomechanics - HNES 366
• Physiology - HNES 465/466 or BIOL 460
• Abnormal Psychology - PSYC 270
• Medical Terminology - ASCI 125
• Communication - COMM 110
• 1 Semester Organic Chemistry - CHEM 341/L

• Science and cumulative GPAs
• GRE (Graduate Record Examination) for some schools
• Genuine interest in profession as demonstrated by shadowing or volunteering in the field
• Service-related experiences in people-oriented environments
• Letters of recommendation

Applicants should consider volunteering at a local hospital or clinic to gain practical experience in physical therapy. A minimum of 200 hours of clinical experience in a variety of physical therapy settings is recommended. This can be in a volunteer or paid capacity. A well-rounded sampling of extra-curricular activities or work experiences, both related and unrelated to medicine, will help broaden an applicant's knowledge and development.

Pre-PT students are encouraged to participate in student organizations at NDSU such as the Pre-PT Club and American Medical Student Association and Allied Health (AMSA). These organizations are run by students with similar career goals and provide an opportunity for others to discuss career plans and gather details about the professions they are interested in.

The Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) is a service of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). PTCAS allows applicants to use a single application and one set of materials to apply to multiple PT programs. The list of programs is available at the American Physical Therapy Association.

• American Physical Therapy Association
• Physical Therapy Schools
• Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS)