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).
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:
1 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.
1 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.
1 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.
Note: For the required courses above, we will not accept on line laboratory credit.
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
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 7752. GRE scores for code 7752 will automatically be sent to PTCAS for the UNMC Physical Therapy Education program. Do NOT send GRE scores to the main university or graduate admissions. codes.
NOTE: Due to changes in the GRE, applicants who apply for the 2012 entering class MUST have taken the GRE before July 31, 2011.
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.
Please contact 402-559-4259 for questions or clarifications on requirements.
