Pre-Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is a health profession whose primary purpose is the promotion of optimal human health and function through the application of scientific principles to prevent, identify, assess, correct, or alleviate acute or prolonged movement dysfunction. Physical therapy encompasses areas of specialized competence and includes the development of new principles and applications to more effectively meet existing and emerging health needs. Other professional activities that serve the purpose of physical therapy are research, education, consultation, and administration.
The physical therapist, working in cooperation with other health professionals, serves the individual needs of the client and the health needs of society. The physical therapy profession depends heavily on knowledge and application of the basic medical and behavioral sciences, coupled with specialized knowledge and skills in the clinical arts and sciences.
Physical therapists may work as staff, supervisors, or self-employed practitioners who serve clients directly; as administrators of clinical departments, health agencies, or educational programs; as healthcare agency consultants; as clinical or academic teachers; or as researchers.
They may work in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, schools for children with disabilities, neighborhood health centers, physicians’ offices, nursing homes and convalescent centers, private and public health agencies, sports settings, and universities.
Preprofessional Coursework
Pre-physical therapy students may choose any major but should work with an advisor to plan a course of study that fulfills the pre-physical therapy studies requirements as well as the requirements for the major. Students are advised to declare an educational goal of pre-physical therapy upon entering UIC which will alert them to specific workshops and other pertinent information.
The pre-physical therapy requirements follow and should be completed as part of the undergraduate degree program.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses a | ||
| BIOS 110 | Biology of Cells and Organisms b | 4 |
| Select one of the following general chemistry sequences: | 10 | |
| Matter and Energy | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Inquiry I b,c | ||
| Chemical Dynamics | ||
| Foundations of Chemical Inquiry II b,c | ||
OR | ||
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry I b | ||
| Honors and Majors General and Analytical Chemistry II b | ||
| Choose from one of the following statistics courses: | 3-4 | |
| Introduction to Research in Psychology | ||
| Statistical Methods in Behavioral Science d | ||
| Statistical Methods | ||
| Introductory Sociological Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Statistics for the Life Sciences | ||
| PHYS 131 | Introductory Physics for Life Sciences I b | 4 |
| PHYS 132 | Introductory Physics for Life Sciences II b | 4 |
| PSCH 100 | Introduction to Psychology e | 4 |
| Select one course in developmental or abnormal psychology from the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Psychological and Behavioral Disorders e | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| KN 230 | Anatomy and Physiology Lecture I | 3 |
| KN 231 | Anatomy and Physiology Lecture II | 3 |
| KN 232 | Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory I | 2 |
| KN 233 | Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory II | 2 |
| Total Hours | 42-43 | |
- a
Students completing an undergraduate degree at UIC must complete the General Education requirements. Students should consult the General Education section and their college/department sections of the catalog for more information on fulfilling these requirements.
- b
This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category.
- c
Each of the following pairs of courses will be considered one course in meeting the LAS General Education requirements: CHEM 122/CHEM 123; CHEM 124/CHEM 125.
- d
PSCH 343 is limited to psychology majors. Other options include SOC 201 (for sociology majors), KN 200 (for KN majors), STAT 101 and STAT 130.
- e
This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society General Education category.
In addition, applicants must complete a minimum of 40 hours of documented volunteer or observation experiences in a variety of physical therapy facilities. Current certification in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) with Health Provider Status is recommended prior to beginning the professional program. Students must also have earned a bachelor’s degree prior to enrolling in the program.
The minimum GPA for application to the program in physical therapy is 2.50/4.00 in science and nonscience courses. The competitive GPA, however, is considerably above this level. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within five years of the date of application. Students must apply for admission to the program approximately one year before planned enrollment. Students should call (312) 996-6646 for additional information.