Pre-PT (Physical Therapy, DPT)
What future students usually study in college, how to get ready in high school, and what the career looks like today. Every fact below names its source.
You become: a Physical Therapist (PT). Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain. [1]
Last checked:
What it is
Physical therapists need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from an accredited program, and DPT programs typically last 3 years. [1]
Physical therapy programs typically require a bachelor's degree, which may be in recreation and fitness or healthcare and related fields, and prerequisite courses such as anatomy, chemistry and physics. [1]
Most DPT programs require applicants to earn a bachelor's degree prior to admission, and the length of professional DPT programs is typically three years. [2]
The Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) allows applicants to use a single web-based application and one set of materials. [2]
Courses to take before applying
The rows below show one named program as an example: the Duke University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Confirm each program’s own list.
| Course | Status | More about this course |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomy | Required in this example programAnatomy is 3 semester or 5 quarter hours, and courses based on human cadaver dissections or prosected human preparations are recommended. [3] | — |
Get ready with these topics: Anatomical position, directional terms and body planes · Tissues: epithelial, connective, muscle and nervous · The axial and appendicular skeleton · Joints and movement · The muscular system and movement | ||
| Physiology | Required in this example programPhysiology is 3 semester or 5 quarter hours. [3] | — |
Get ready with these topics: Homeostasis and feedback loops · Nervous tissue and the nerve impulse · Muscle tissue and contraction · The heart and the cardiac cycle · The respiratory system and gas exchange | ||
| Biological science | Required in this example programBiological science is 6 semester or 9 quarter hours, and a general biology course and/or upper-level courses will be accepted. [3] | Described on the Pre-Med page |
Get ready with these topics: The molecules of life · Cell structure: prokaryotes and eukaryotes · The cell membrane and transport · Cellular respiration · From DNA to protein · Meiosis, mutations and genetic variation | ||
| Chemistry | Required in this example programChemistry is 6 semester or 9 quarter hours of general or upper-level chemistry, such as biochemistry, inorganic or organic chemistry. [3] | Described on the Pre-Med page |
Get ready with these topics: Atoms and electron arrangement · Periodic table patterns · Ionic and covalent bonding · The mole and molar mass · Stoichiometry and conservation of mass · Acids and bases · Quantities, units and rates · Literal equations and formulas | ||
| Physics I and II | Required in this example programPhysics is 6 semester or 9 quarter hours as a Physics I and II sequence, and a biomechanics course can be used to replace the Physics II course. [3] | Described on the Pre-Med page |
Get ready with these topics: Physics skills: units, vectors and graphs · Describing motion: position, velocity and acceleration · Newton's second law: net force, mass and acceleration · Conservation of energy: modeling energy in a system · Electric current, voltage and resistance · Waves: frequency, wavelength and speed · Radians and the unit circle | ||
| Statistics | Required in this example programStatistics is 3 semester or 5 quarter hours, and calculus-based and non-calculus-based courses are accepted. [3] | Described on the Pre-Med page |
Get ready with these topics: Measures of center · Measures of spread · The normal model · Conditional probability and independence · Confidence intervals for a proportion · Significance and p-values | ||
| Psychology | Required in this example programPsychology is 6 semester or 9 quarter hours of general or upper-level psychology courses. [3] | Described on the Pre-Med page |
Get ready with these topics: Research methods: experiments, correlation and ethics · Neurons and neurotransmitters · The brain and nervous system · How memory works · Development: infancy and childhood | ||
Labs are not required but are recommended, all prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better, and AP/IB credits are accepted if they were accepted by your undergraduate institution and show on your transcript. [3]
Typical high school preparation
- A few programs offer freshman entry, recruiting students directly from high school. [2]
Only what a cited source states is listed here.
Pre-Health Foundations: coming soon
The career today
National figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay varies by state, setting and experience. This is not a promise of pay or a job.
The median annual wage for physical therapists was $102,760 in May 2025. [1]
Employment of physical therapists is projected to grow 12 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. [1]
The typical entry-level education is a doctoral or professional degree. [1]
Getting licensed
All states require physical therapists to be licensed, which includes passing a qualifying exam. [1]
Exams on this path
Overview only. For dates, registration, rules and scoring, see each test maker's own site.
NPTE® (after PT school)
The National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants is an essential part of the licensing process. [4]
NPTE® is a registered trademark of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). FSBPT is not affiliated with and does not endorse UpOnly Learning.
Questions people search
Chosen from our search-question research. Every answer is cited.
How many years is physical therapy school?
Physical therapists need a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from an accredited program, and DPT programs typically last 3 years. [1]
Most DPT programs require applicants to earn a bachelor's degree prior to admission, and the length of professional DPT programs is typically three years. [2]
What are the prerequisites for physical therapy school (DPT)?
Physical therapy programs typically require a bachelor's degree, which may be in recreation and fitness or healthcare and related fields, and prerequisite courses such as anatomy, chemistry and physics. [1]
Labs are not required but are recommended, all prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better, and AP/IB credits are accepted if they were accepted by your undergraduate institution and show on your transcript. [3]
What should I major in to become a physical therapist?
Physical therapy programs typically require a bachelor's degree, which may be in recreation and fitness or healthcare and related fields, and prerequisite courses such as anatomy, chemistry and physics. [1]
Most DPT programs require applicants to earn a bachelor's degree prior to admission, and the length of professional DPT programs is typically three years. [2]
Your next step
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physical Therapists. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm. OOH page last modified October 29, 2026 (pay data May 2025; projections 2025–35). Checked .
- American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Becoming a Physical Therapist. https://www.apta.org/your-career/careers-in-physical-therapy/becoming-a-pt. no edition stated (footer © 2026). Checked .
- Duke University School of Medicine, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Prerequisites Overview. https://medschool.duke.edu/education/health-professions-education-programs/doctor-physical-therapy-program/admissions-0. no edition or cycle stated (footer © 2026). Checked .
- Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). National Physical Therapy Exam. https://www.fsbpt.org/Secondary-Pages/Exam-Candidates/National-Physical-Therapy-Exam. no edition stated (footer © 2023). Checked .
Format: Publisher. Page title. URL. Edition or catalog year. Checked date.