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In the near future, nearly everyone entering the physical and occupational therapy fields will
have completed a masters degree program. The course requirements for both programs
include a number of courses in biology and psychology, so students often major in those
areas.
Physical Therapy Programs
Upon graduation from Monmouth, students who wish to become a physical
therapist can choose to enter a professional program to earn a Doctor of
Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. In most institutions, the Doctor of
Physical Therapy is a 3-year program that includes some basic science
coursework and clinical work. Several Illinois schools, including
Bradley University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and
Midwestern University, offer DPT degrees. More information about the
physical therapy profession and schools that offer the DPT degree can be
found at the American Physical Therapy Association web site:
www.apta.org/.
Requirements
Students who wish to enroll in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program
typically have several science requirements for admission to the
program. The BA must be completed prior to matriculation. While many
students intending to apply to the PT programs select a major in the
sciences, a student may choose any major field of study as long as the
courses listed below are completed. It is also recommended that the
required courses are completed prior to application to PT school.
Courses
| Courses* |
Monmouth Courses |
| 2 semesters of
general biology with lab |
BIOL 150
BIOL 151 or BIOL 200 (Cell) |
| 2 semesters of
anatomy/physiology |
BIOL 204 (Anatomy
& Physiology)
BIOL 325 (Advanced
Physiology) |
| 2 semesters of
chemistry |
CHEM 140 (General
Chemistry)
CHEM 220 and 225 (Analytical) |
| 2 semesters of
physics |
PHYS 130 (Physics
I)
PHYS 132 (Physics II) |
| Statistics |
MATH 207 (MATH
106) |
* These are typical course
requirements; check specific schools that you may attend for their
specific requirements.
In addition to coursework, physical therapy schools require 50-100 hours
of documented observation in a clinical setting before beginning the
Doctor of Physical Therapy program. |
