IMPORTANT UPDATE: Due to academic challenges associated with the COVID-19 crisis, prerequisite courses receiving CREDIT during Spring 2020 through Summer 2022 will be accepted. A letter grade is not required for prerequisites taken during this period.
Baccalaureate degree completed, or realistic plan of completion, before beginning of physical therapy classes. You may major in any field that maximizes your talents and interests; there is no preferred major.
Overall GPA of all baccalaureate work of 3.0 or better. If applicant has multiple degrees, the GPA of the more recent degree completed is used as qualifier. Completed graduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or better will qualify an applicant with a low undergraduate GPA.
Completion of all prerequisite courses, or realistic plan of completion, before the beginning of physical therapy classes if one or more prerequisite course(s) is incomplete at the time of application. Prerequisite courses include:
- Fundamentals of Chemistry I, II (CHEM 110/120 or 115/230) or equivalent (one-year series with labs).
- General College Physics (PHYS 111/112 or 121/122) or equivalent (one-year series with labs).
- Human Anatomy and Physiology (EXSC 221/222) or equivalent (with lab). (At some universities human anatomy and physiology will be offered within the biology department. While human anatomy and physiology are preferred, students may substitute vertebrate or comparative anatomy and physiology.)
- Introduction to Applied Statistics (MATH 160) or equivalent.
- One course in psychology or sociology emphasizing human behavior or disability. Puget Sound courses that fulfill the requirement include Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 101); Developmental Psychology (PSYC 220 or 221); Psychological Disorders (PSYC 320); Deviance and Social Control (SOAN 206); or Disability, Identity, and Power (SOAN 370).
All prerequisite courses must be taken for a grade. You must earn a grade of 3.0 or higher in *each* Anatomy and Physiology course, and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher in all prerequisite courses. (IMPORTANT UPDATE: Due to academic challenges associated with the COVID-19 crisis, prerequisite courses receiving CREDIT during Spring 2020 through Summer 2022 will be accepted.) If your prerequisite courses have been completed more than 10 years prior to application (i.e. before Fall 2013), you may request a waiver of this rule in the Questions section of the application. You must demonstrate how you kept the prerequisite knowledge current.
Exposure to practice of physical therapy (either volunteer or paid) under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist is required. There is no minimum number of hours, but the applicant must demonstrate knowledge across the spectrum of the profession in writing submitted for the application.
