Physical Therapy
Admission To The DPT Program

Residency Considerations

 

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply regardless of residency, though preference is given to applicants who are current residents of Nebraska. Questions regarding residency status should be directed to the Office of Academic Records (402/559-6468).  You must be a US Citizen, Canadian Citizan or permanent resident to be eligible.

 

Grade Point Requirements

 

All applicants are required to present a minimum overall quality grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale. 

 

Required courses must be taken for letter grades.  Credits for courses in which grades below "C-" were received are not accepted in fulfillment of the program prerequisites. Grades below "C-", while not accepted for transfer, are still calculated as part of the grade point average for determining admittance.

 

Course Requirements 

 

By July 15 preceding the intended fall semester date of enrollment, applicants must have successfully completed a minimum of 90 semester hours (135 quarter hours) of academic courses at an accredited college or university. Please note: A maximum of 66 semester hours (85 quarter hours) will be accepted in transfer from community colleges.

 

The courses listed below are prerequisites for the professional program in physical therapy at UNMC. Candidates must satisfactorily complete the college courses below and show proof of completion by July 15 of the intended year of enrollment.  It is expected that the candidates will take sequential courses to complete these first three required areas:

 

Red Check image1 YEAR ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
Must be lecture/lab courses in human or vertebrate anatomy and physiology.
May be fulfilled by completing one course in Anatomy and a second course in Physiology or by taking Anatomy/Physiology I and Anatomy/Physiology II.

Red Check image1 YEAR CHEMISTRY
Must be lecture/lab courses.

May be fulfilled by taking General Chemistry I and II or General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry or General Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Red Check image1 YEAR PHYSICS
Must be lecture/lab courses (General Physics I and General Physics II).
Must include mechanics, heat, light, sound and electricity. Physical Science will not fulfill this requirement.

 

If an applicant will not complete a baccalaureate degree prior to matriculation, an additional requirement is a minimum of 3 upper level courses in a major area of study. These candidates must identify their major emphasis of study and satisfactorily complete a minimum of three upper-level courses toward that major by July 15 of the intended year of enrollment.

 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to take a balance of electives consistent with a liberal arts education, while pursuing depth of study as typically demonstrated by a discipline major. The preferred applicant will demonstrate an academic record that reflects a balance of course work in the humanities and the social and natural sciences.

 

Foreign Applicants and Foreign Transcripts

 

Only U.S. citizens, permanent U.S. residents, and Canadian citizens are eligible for admission. All prerequisite coursework must be completed at an accredited U.S. institution. No foreign transcripts will be accepted for evaluation.  Non-native English-speaking students must sit for the TOEFL exam.  Scores need to be submitted at the time students apply and a minimum score is required. 

 

Examination Requirement

 

All applicants are required to present scores for the Graduate Record Examinations, (GRE) general test. Information about the GRE may be obtained from Educational Testing Service, PO Box 6000, Princeton, NJ 08541-6000, (www.gre.org). Specify that copies of results should be forwarded under College Code R6896.

 

NOTE: The GRE should be taken early enough to insure that scores reach UNMC by the October 15 application deadline (no later than 4 weeks prior to deadline.)

 

Exposure to Physical Therapy Practice

 

There are no formal requirements for volunteer, observation, or employment experiences in the field of physical therapy. However, as with all career choices, a broad exposure to the field is to the applicant's personal benefit, and as such is encouraged.