Pre-Physical Therapy

Health Sciences Department

Pre-Physical Therapy

Pre-professional

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Earn Your Spot

Like many graduate programs in the health professions, getting into a top-notch physical therapy (PT) program is a challenge with a great reward. To meet that challenge, you need strong undergraduate preparation. You’ll get that at Guilford.

As a Pre-Physical Therapy student you may major in any discipline, including Health Sciences, as long as you complete the necessary pre-requisite courses for PT school. You will work closely with your advisers to design an individualized course of study. This allows you to complete the required science and social science courses to prepare for you for admission to your chosen PT program.

Health Science majors also take the Health Science Seminar, a course designed to help you with the graduate school application process, from preparing your personal statement to interview tips and financial planning. During the course, Guilford alumni who are currently in or recently graduated from graduate programs in the health professions often come back to share their experiences with current students. This class should be taken the spring before you plan to apply to PT school.

Take a look at this sample double major for the Pre-Physical Therapy program. This course of study satisfies the pre-requisites for a graduate program in the health professions while also fulfilling major requirements.

Guilford graduates have or are currently attending physical therapy school at Campbell University, Duke University, East Carolina University, Elon University, High Point University, Marymount University, North Georgia University, Northwestern University, Rutgers University, Shenandoah University, Temple University, and Winston-Salem State University.

College Catalog

For more information about courses for the Pre-Physical Therapy program and the Health Sciences Department, visit the online, searchable College Catalog. In addition to the Undergraduate Catalog, information includes academic department and major information as well as academic regulations and resources; admission standards and requirements; and tuition, fees and financial aid information.

Applying to Physical Therapy School

The GRE is the standardized test all students who wish to apply to PT school must take. The exam should be taken in summer of the year in which you plan to apply. For example, if you plan to enter PT school the fall after you graduate, you should take the test before or during the summer of your junior year.

Most PT schools use the online application service PTCAS, which distributes the information to the students’ chosen schools. The completed application should be submitted by mid-summer of the year before the student plans enter PT school. For example, if you plan to enter physical therapy school the fall after you graduate, you should submit the application during the summer of your junior year.

Expert faculty advisers are also readily available to mentor you through the application process.

Prerequisite Course Requirements for Physical Therapy School

Note that admission requirements vary by program. Health Sciences majors should work with their adviser to make sure they are taking the correct pre-requisite courses for the graduate programs they plan to apply to. Biology 111 should be taken during your first year at Guilford.

BIOL 111 — Integrative Biology: Molecules and Cells
BIOL 112 — Integrative Biology: Organisms, Ecology and Evolution
BIOL 341 — Human Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 342 — Human Anatomy and Physiology II
CHEM 111 — Chemical Principles I
CHEM 112 — Chemical Principles II
PHYS 111 — Introduction to Physics for the Life Sciences (or) PHYS 117 Physics I
PHYS 112 — Introduction to Physics for the Life Sciences (or) PHYS 118 Physics II
PSY 100 — General Psychology
PSY 224 — Developmental Psychology
MATH 112 — Elementary Statistics
Admissions requirements for PT schools

Hands-on Learning

Physical therapy related experience is very important, and direct PT observation is required by many PT schools. Students can gain experience through shadowing physical therapists and through internships, summer employment and volunteer work. Both the pre-health professions faculty advisers and CAPE advisers can help students find these experiences.