Pre-Physical Therapy
Introduction
Students interested in a career in Physical Therapy have the option of pursuing any major along with completing specific prerequisites. Physical Therapy schools typically require a minimum of 90 credit hours be completed at the undergraduate level and many prefer the bachelor degree be completed. Students must gain a thorough understanding of the profession through a range of shadowing experiences and earn a competitive score on the GRE. Students should work with the Pre-Med Advisor beginning in the first college year to select appropriate coursework based on their schools of interest, and co-curricular experiences. In addition to the information in this section, please check the general information at the pre-medical and pre-health section of the catalog.
EARLY ASSURANCE PROGRAMS
Canisius College students may apply to Early Assurance programs (4+3) such as the State University of New York Upstate Medical University (Syracuse, NY). Students apply to the Upstate program at the time they apply to Canisius from high school or during the sophomore year at Canisius.
Recommended Pre-Physical Therapy Courses
Academic admission requirements vary by school, but usually include the following courses:
English
One year of English composition (students who entered Canisius prior to fall 2018 may use FYS 101 and ENG 101).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Option 1: | ||
| ENG 111 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| ENG 112 | Writing about Literature | 3 |
| Option 2: | ||
| HON 101 | Honors English | 3 |
| and an Honors Literature course | 3 | |
Biology
At least one year of general biology and one year of anatomy/physiology with laboratories:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Biology | ||
| BIO 111 & 111L | Introductory Biology I and Introductory Biology Laboratory I | 4 |
| BIO 112 & 112L | Introductory Biology II and Introductory Biology Laboratory II | 4 |
| Anatomy/Physiology | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Option 1 (Non Biology majors): | ||
| BIO 114 & 114L | Human Biology: Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology and Human Biology: Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIO 115 & 115L | Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Physiology and Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| Option 2 (Biology majors): | ||
| BIO 324 & 324L | Human Anatomy and Human Anatomy Lab | 4 |
| BIO 340 & 340L | Physiology and Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
Chemistry
One year of general chemistry with laboratory:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHM 111 & 111L | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| CHM 112 & 112L | General Chemistry II and General Chemistry II Laboratory | 4 |
| 1 | Students may take CHM 109, CHM 110, and CHM 111L to fulfill this requirement. |
Physics
One year of introductory physics with laboratory:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| College Physics I and University Physics I Laboratory | ||
| College Physics II and University Physics II Laboratory |
Mathematics
One semester of statistics is required and one semester of calculus is recommended. Chemistry majors must take MAT 141.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | ||
| PSY 201 | Basic Statistics for Behavioral Sciences | 3 or 4 |
| or MAT 141 | Inferential Statistics and Computers for Science | |
| One calculus course is recommended | ||
| MAT 111 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| 1 | MAT 109 and MAT 110 may be substituted for MAT 111 |
Psychology
One semester of psychology. (Note that some schools require additional course in psychology such as PSY 101, PSY 102, PSY 303. Students work with the PreMed Advisor to plan for any additional courses.)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 203 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 3 |
Additional Pre-Physical Therapy Course Suggestions
Exercise Science
Courses in Kinesiology (KIN 235), Exercise Physiology (KIN 336, KIN 336L), and Medical Terminology (HRP 111) are helpful.
Social Science and Humanities
Students should select challenging courses in areas such as philosophy, ethics, literature, behavioral and social sciences, etc. to help develop strong critical analysis and reading skills. Sociology (SOC 110) is recommended.
Elective Courses
HRP 101 allows students to explore different health professions.
HRP 201 and HRP 202 allow students to explore areas of medicine in more depth.
HRP 498 is an internship in medical informatics.
