Pre-Physical Therapy Course Requirements
Professional schools have a variety of prerequisites required for admission to their programs. On this page, we include information about timelines for pre-physical therapy requirements and the options available.
- Many programs prefer in person coursework, and some programs may not allow online coursework. See individual schools for policies.
- Individual schools may require or recommend additional courses.
- All Prerequisites must be completed with a letter grade of C or higher.
- Schools vary on Credit-By-Exam (AP/IB/CLEP) policies and preferences for prerequisites. Please see "Can I Claim AP/IB Credit?"
- School requirements can change. See individual school websites and admissions guides under “Research Physical Therapy Schools Before You Apply.” We always recommend checking for any updates.
Recommended Pre-Physical Therapy Courses
Most Texas PT schools require:
- Biology: Lecture – 6 hrs; Lab – 2 hrs
- Anatomy: Lecture – 3 hrs; Lab – 1 hrs
- Physiology: Lecture – 3 hrs; Lab – 1 hrs
- General Chemistry: Lecture – 6 hrs; Lab – 2 hrs
- Psychology: Lecture – 6 hrs
- General Physics: Lecture – 6 hrs; Lab – 2 hrs
- Kinesiology: Exercise Physiology or Biomechanics - 3 hrs
- Math: Statistics – 3 hrs
- English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 6 hrs
(PT School Prerequisite Course Timelines is available at the bottom of this page.)
Some physical therapy schools require humanities and social/behavioral science courses. We strongly recommend taking courses in the following areas.
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Ethics
- Analytical problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Writing, interpersonal communications, and presentation skills
- Cultural studies
- Spanish and other language studies relevant to your career goals
UT Austin courses are typically taken to fulfill requirements.
