Preprofessional Requirements for Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a career requiring a professional degree. Students are required to complete certain undergraduate prerequisite courses in order to be eligible to apply to physical therapy programs. It is essential for students to research and know the requirements for admission to each of the physical therapy programs to which they apply. These requirements are listed in the Course Prerequisites Summary, available through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) at www.ptcas.org, as well as through individual physical therapy program websites. Additional information about preparation for physical therapy programs can be found at www.apta.org
Pre-Health Advising at The Career Center
Admission into physical therapy programs is highly competitive. The Career Center provides pre-professional advising for students who are interested in pursuing physical therapy as a career. This includes discussion of prerequisites and expectations of physical therapy programs, preparation in and outside the classroom, details of the application process, and characteristics of competitive applicants. The Center also coordinates the visits of deans and admissions officers to the campus to provide information about various health professions.
Contact The Career Center at (217) 333-0820 or online at www.careercenter.illinois.edu.Academic Advising
Since students who are interested in the health professions are expected to enter degree programs of their choice, their academic advising is provided by the departmental offices of the curricula or majors that they have selected. Academic Advisors can assist students in making sure they are making appropriate progress towards completing their degree at Illinois.
The following chart represents the MINIMUM course requirements to prepare for Physical Therapy school. Physical Therapy programs may require additional coursework and/or expect students to go beyond minimum preparation. Students are strongly encouraged to research their specific schools of interest!
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
4-10 |
General Biology with laboratory * MCB and IB majors do NOT take MCB 151 or IB 151. Pre-physical therapy students in any major who choose to take upper level labs do not need to take MCB 151 and/or IB 151. |
10 |
Anatomy and Physiology with laboratory |
8 |
General Chemistry with laboratory |
10 |
Physics with laboratory |
3-5 |
Math |
variable |
Courses in Social and Behavioral Sciences (typically Psychology courses) |
| variable | Medical Terminology
CLCV 102 or Self Study |