Pre-Physical Therapy
The educational requirements for admission to a physical therapy program vary from school to school. Many
programs require a BS degree; some will accept applicants after three years of undergraduate education. The following courses are
those required by the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Division of Physical Therapy Education for admission to their
program. These courses also meet the requirements for entry into the Creighton University Program in Physical Therapy. Students
pursuing a pre-physical therapy program are also expected to pursue a college major*.
Competition for places in professional schools of physical therapy is intense and admission is not guaranteed.
- Required Courses
- Take all of the following:
- BIOL 225, Anatomy and Physiology - 4 hours
- BIOL 226, Anatomy and Physiology - 4 hours
- CHEM 160GS, General Chemistry - 3 hours (Prereq: MATH 102GS OR Math ACT score of 20 or better OR permission of instructor)
- CHEM 160LGS, General Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hour
- CHEM 161GS, General Chemistry - 3 hours
- CHEM 161LGS, General Chemistry Laboratory - 1 hour
- ENG 101, Introduction to Academic Writing - 3 hours
- ENG 102GS, Academic Writing and Research - 3 hours
- PHYS 205GS, General Physics I - 4 hours (Prereq: MATH 102GS or MATH 103GS or MATH 115 or above OR Math ACT score of 20 or better)
- PHYS 205LGS, Physics I Laboratory - 1 hour
- PHYS 206GS, General Physics II - 4 hours
- PHYS 206LGS, Physics Laboratory II - 1 hour
- Take 2 of the following:
- BIOL 103GS, General Biology - 4 hours
- BIOL 105GS, Biology I - 4 hours (Prereq: three years of high school science including biology and chemistry and a minimum score of 20 on the ACT OR equivalent OR a college science course OR departmental permission)
- BIOL 106GS, Biology II - 4 hours (Prereq: three years of high school science including biology and chemistry and a minimum score of 20 on the ACT OR equivalent OR a college science course OR departmental permission)
- BIOL 211GS, Human Microbiology - 4 hours
- Take one of the following:
- Take one of the following:
- Take 3 hours of elective courses in social science:
- Appropriate options include courses in anthropology, community health, criminal justice,
cultural geography, ethnic studies, human sexuality, marriage/family,
personal health, psychology, social science, social work,
sociology and women’s studies.
- Additional Requirements
- University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) requires a Bachelor's Degree for admission.
- Creighton University does not require a Bachelor's Degree. Students must identify their major emphasis of study and satisfactorily
complete 9 upper level (300/400) credit hours towards that emphasis prior to matriculation.
- Shadowing/Observation Requirements: Creighton University requires a minimum of 60 hours of observation supervised by a physical therapist.
UNMC has no formal requirement for volunteer, observation, or employment experiences in the field of physical therapy. However, broad exposure
to the field is to the applicant's personal benefit and is encouraged.
- UNMC and Creighton University require students to submit scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
- Students applying to Schools of Physical Therapy outside Nebraska should check with these schools to ensure that other requirements are fulfilled.
*Students pursuing a program of study in pre-physical therapy are expected to choose a
major so that they can be working towards a baccalaureate degree concurrently with the pre-physical therapy program. This requires
a major/minor combination or a comprehensive major as well as completion of the UNK general studies requirements and other degree
requirements as set forth in the college catalog. (Students who are accepted into physical therapy school prior to completing a
baccalaureate degree at UNK may be eligible to receive a BS degree in Health Science if they have
completed all General Studies requirements and have at least 90 semester hours completed in pre-PT
studies.)
