Pre-Physical Therapy

This specialization provides the opportunity for you to incorporate an in-depth understanding of the human body in motion into a science-laden curriculum thereby enabling you to develop skills in exercise prescription, proper techniques for performing and monitoring exercises, exercise adaptations required for special populations, and interpersonal communication skills.

Physical therapists provide rehabilitation services, injury prevention and health care maintenance through private clinics, clinical programs, and community organizations. A strong GRE score and satisfactory completion of pre-requisites, not receipt of a specific undergraduate major, are key to a successful PT school admissions decision. We provide you with practical skills and exposure to therapeutic modalities while simultaneously training you how to prevent injury and many diseases through properly performed physical activity and exercise. This will prepare you for success in PT school, and give you a broad background of employable skills from which you can draw.

Exercise Physiology is a field that investigates the effects that exercise and physical activity have on the human body – from the cellular level to one's overall perception of well-being and ability to engage in activities of daily living. In addition to completing the 17 credits in the physical sciences (including Chemistry, Physics, and Biology) required for a major in Exercise Physiology, you will gain the necessary interpersonal communication and exercise prescription skills when you pursue your pre-PT interests. Our Exercise Physiology curriculum prepares you with an in-depth understanding of how to properly utilize exercise and physical activity to improve the daily quality-of-life for otherwise healthy or clinical populations.

Our rigorous curriculum prepares you to perform and interpret assessments of personal and family medical histories, cardiorespiratory responses to exercise, medication-exercise interactions, body composition, as well as muscular strength and endurance. Furthermore, you will receive instruction on how to work with those requiring adaptive physical activity, as well as how to care for and prevent physical-use injuries. Your undergraduate curriculum culminates with a semester-long, full-immersion internship experience; many of our Exercise Physiology students have successfully completed their internships in outpatient and inpatient Physical Therapy clinics – this attracts favorable attention when part of an application to PT school.