Choosing the Best Undergraduate Degree for Physical Therapy Preparation

Are you ready to start a journey towards a rewarding career in physical therapy? It’s essential to consider the significance of your principal when pursuing a career in physical therapy. Choosing the best bachelor degree for physical therapy is the first step toward a rewarding career in rehabilitation, movement science, and patient care. The right undergraduate program sets the stage for DPT admissions, clinical experience, and a strong academic foundation. A degree that aligns with PT school prerequisites makes the journey smoother and prepares students for the challenges and rewards of this growing profession.

Why Your Bachelor’s Degree Matters

PT schools evaluate candidates based on a combination of academic performance, coursework, and hands-on experience. The most competitive applicants demonstrate:

A strong GPA (3.5+ preferred for top DPT programs).
Completion of prerequisite courses such as anatomy, physiology, physics, chemistry, and psychology.
Observation and hands-on experience in physical therapy settings.

Selecting a bachelor’s degree that aligns with PT school requirements can streamline the application process, improve acceptance odds, and provide valuable clinical exposure before graduate school.

Common Majors for Aspiring Physical Therapists

While some majors provide a more direct path, pursuing physical therapy with various undergraduate degrees is possible. Consider your interests, strengths, and the specific requirements of physical therapy programs. While many degrees can lead to a successful career in physical therapy, some majors give you an advantage in your education and training. Aspiring physical therapists often choose kinesiology and biology. Less common majors can give them unique skills that set them apart.

Biology

One of the most common majors for aspiring physical therapists is biology. This major comprehensively explains the human body’s anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics. This field of study gets into human anatomy, physiology and biomechanics providing students with the scientific foundation for the profession. By getting a biology degree one gets knowledge of genetics and medical terminology - both are essential components of physical therapy. Similarly getting a degree in biology provides insights to genetics and medical terminology that’s important in physical therapy practice.

Kinesiology

Kinesiology is the study of human movement, making it an excellent choice for those pursuing a career in physical therapy. Kinesiology takes a well-rounded approach to health sciences, encouraging students to learn about biology, chemistry and physics. Kinesiology is the best major for pre-physical therapy students as it covers required courses and you’ll get to meet DPT faculty.

Health Sciences

Health sciences majors are designed to prepare students for careers in healthcare. Health sciences majors encompass a broad education in healthcare related topics such as anatomy, physiology and healthcare administration. These majors are great for students who want to be physical therapists as they cover various subjects that prepare them for physical therapy school and clinical practice. A major in this field combines anatomy, physiology and healthcare management to give students a wide range of knowledge necessary for physical therapy. By getting into these areas health sciences majors lay down solid foundation that helps students academically and practically when they enter physical therapy.

Exercise Science

As an exercise science major, you’ll gain in-depth knowledge of exercise physiology, biomechanics, and fitness assessment. As far as majors for physical therapy go, exercise science takes the principles of kinesiology and boils them down even further. An exercise science major gives a comprehensive understanding in areas such as exercise physiology, biomechanics and fitness assessment which are vital for physical therapy.

Psychology

While less conventional, a psychology major can also be a valuable choice for physical therapy. Gaining an understanding of human psychology provides insight into the motivations behind an individual’s actions, a crucial competency for applicants to physical therapy programs. For physical therapists, a degree in psychology may seem unusual but is valuable. It gets into the emotions surrounding pain which is crucial for delivering care to patients. Psychology education helps physical therapists communicate and support their patients during rehabilitation periods.

Alternative Majors and Unique Skillsets

Less common majors can give them unique skills that set them apart. Pursuing an unusual major can broaden one’s perspective, promote critical thinking and empathy which are key to delivering great patient care. A unique major will also set you apart as an applicant and perhaps even give you additional useful skills as a therapist.

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Creative Writing

Having a background in creative writing can greatly improve communication skills which are essential for physical therapists as they interact with patients, explain treatment plans and chart patient progress. In physical therapy, explaining complex ideas clearly is very valuable.

Business Administration

Studying business administration gives prospective physical therapists essential management and administrative skills that are key to managing clinics, handling staff and running operations smoothly. With a background in business administration, future physical therapists will have the wherewithal to make sound decisions when it comes to running their practice.

Preparing for the Application Process

You can apply to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at top-ranked physical therapy schools with an undergraduate degree in any field. You don’t need to pursue one of the five physical therapy undergraduate majors we reviewed. However, most DPT programs require the completion of specific prerequisite courses.

Prerequisite Courses

Most DPT programs require the completion of specific prerequisite courses. For example, students applying to the DPT program at the University of St. If you use your electives to complete the prerequisite courses, you should be able to transition from any degree into one of the many accredited universities for physical therapy.

The Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS)

The Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS) allows applicants to use a single application and one set of materials to apply to multiple PT programs. The goal is to facilitate the admissions process for applicants and programs, promote the physical therapist profession and educational programs to a broad spectrum of applicants, and provide rich applicant data for institutional, regional, and national analysis. Not all professional PT programs participate in PTCAS. The PTCAS application is available in July. Begin to fill out application.

Standardized Tests

Most PT programs require applicants to submit GRE scores. In addition, some programs require that the GRE test scores must not be more than 5 years old. Should be taking the GRE or waiting for the release of your score from an earlier test. Not all PT schools require the GRE, so check individual program requirements early in the application process.

Transcripts

Arrange for PTCAS to receive an official transcript from every US college and university you attended. PTCAS will not verify or forward your application until all official US transcripts, application, and correct fee payment are received.

Letters of Recommendation

The reference requirements vary across programs, and not all programs require references. PTCAS will not determine if you have met the reference requirements for a particular program. Request References early! Most require a letter of recommendation from at least 1 physical therapist so it’s good to make those connections early.

Observation Hours

PT schools encourage or require applicants to have volunteer or paid experience related to Physical Therapy. Having work or volunteer experience in a healthcare setting may be an important factor in the admissions process. If you are a physical therapist assistant (PTA), enter your paid experience. It is up to each program whether or not it accepts paid experience. Your selected programs can view your experiences, regardless of whether the hours were verified by a physical therapist. Not all programs require PT observation hours or a signed form as part of the admissions process. Review the Directory for program-specific requirements. PTCAS will not determine if you met the requirements for your selected programs. All applicants must be able to demonstrate some understanding of the work and professions of physical therapy gained through paid or volunteer experience in a variety (e.g. outpatient, inpatient, rehabilitation) of physical therapy settings working under the direct supervision of a licensed physical therapist. The clinical observation hours must be completed and electronically verified in PTCAS by the application deadline. Applicants are strongly encouraged to plan ahead to obtain a mix of both inpatient and outpatient experiences. Keep in mind that many inpatient facilities have long waiting lists for volunteers which can range anywhere from 6 months to over a year. All applicants are encouraged to research facilities in their area for more opportunities to obtain clinical observation experiences under a licensed physical therapist. Applicants may also research skilled nursing facilities that may have opportunities to work under the direct supervision of a licensed physical therapist. Not all programs require PT observation hours or a signed form as part of the admissions process. Review the Directory for program-specific requirements. PTCAS will not determine if you met the requirements for your selected programs. If you have shadowing experience, enter all of your paid or volunteer physical therapist observation hours on the application. If you have observed a PT in more than 1 setting, select “Add New Entry” for each additional experience. If you are a physical therapist assistant (PTA), enter your paid experience as well. It is up to the individual program whether or not it accepts paid experience.

Additional Tips for a Strong Application

Participating in healthcare related volunteer work and internships can greatly boost your application to physical therapy programs.
By getting direct experience applicants show commitment to the profession.
These opportunities give students practical knowledge while giving them an idea of what daily life as a physical therapist is.
Getting direct clinical experience is crucial for those who want to become a physical therapist as it allows them to be involved in patient care and practical application of concepts learned in physical therapy.
Volunteering at medical facilities including hospitals or rehabilitation centers allows patient interaction and understanding of different therapeutic approaches.
Participating in both volunteer work and internship programs will boost your resume and give candidates the resilience to navigate through physical therapy school and their future career.
Mix up your experience by volunteering at various settings or getting involved with non-profit organizations that help those with disabilities.
Join pre-PT student groups or organizations like the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
Volunteer with community wellness programs, adaptive sports teams, or rehab-focused non-profits.

The Importance of Academic Advising

Choosing an undergraduate major requires careful thought and intentional decision making. Picking the right major can give you an edge for physical therapy school and clinical practice. Choosing a major that aligns with your passions makes you more committed to the field of physical therapy. When studies are interesting and relevant they fuel motivation and dedication laying the foundation for a fulfilling career path. Ensuring your major is in line with your professional goals means you cover the necessary prerequisites while immersing yourself in knowledge and skills that interest and satisfy you. It’s important for students aiming for a career in physical therapy to meet with academic advisors frequently. By keeping up-to-date with any changes or updates to the requirements for admission to physical therapy programs especially dpt programs students can navigate the application process better. Absolutely! It’s very important to seek advice from academic advisors when choosing a major as they can give you personalized guidance and help you navigate course selection and prerequisites. Their expertise can make a big difference in your academic journey.

The Value of a Well-Rounded Education

Whether your passion is business, dance, or physics, you will probably find a way to make it relevant to physical therapy. Ultimately, I took chemistry and physics after college, but I am grateful that I had the chance to take courses in creative writing, I also took Hebrew and the History of Rock and Roll as an undergraduate. These courses were not only fun, but gave me a more well-rounded education. A different degree can help you to stand out and shows diversity. Be creative. Admissions teams see a lot of the same degrees in their candidates. Biology and kinesiology are by far the most common, but my classmates had degrees in English and other areas.

A Word of Caution

Before you even consider a school specifically for PT, I would just be sure that you have obtained a decent amount of PT observation/volunteer hours (15 or 20+) of different settings and have a firm idea that it is what you can see yourself doing as a career. I advocate for this because with the average student loan debt for a DPT graduate following school being around $100k (APTA 2019 survey), it can be tempting to graduate only to find the highest paying job and potentially experience a high degree of burn out, for the sake of paying back the loans. Thus, I’d also highly advise that you perform some financial literacy courses before undertaking this huge investment. Burn out happens. Make sure your degree sets you up for the “what do I do if I get tired of daily productivity-driven direct patient care after a few years” stage of your career. Because I can guarantee your will hit that wall eventually. Open up your possibilities.

Conclusion

There is no absolute answer for what is the best undergrad major for physical therapy. Overall, your major is only a very small part of your application. Choosing the right undergraduate major is a strategic move that affects your future in physical therapy. Majoring in a traditional field like kinesiology or something less common like creative writing should reflect both your passions and professional goals. Getting advice from academic advisors and gaining hands-on clinical experience are the key to being ready for physical therapy school. Make a list of all the skills and experiences that make you different from other applicants. Any field with specifications of Physical Therapy, Kinesiology, or Athletic Training will be most beneficial because your directly referenced to what you'll be learning for the next 5-7 years. At the end of the day, as long as you get your prerequisites for PT school it is most important that you choose a major that interests you and allows you to succeed, earn good grades, and learn!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best major for getting into physical therapy school?

The best majors for PT school include Health Sciences, Exercise Science, Kinesiology, and Biology. These degrees provide the science prerequisites and foundational knowledge needed for a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program.

Do I need a specific bachelor’s degree to apply to PT school?

No, PT schools accept students from various academic backgrounds as long as they complete the required prerequisite courses in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, physics, and psychology. However, choosing a related major can make the transition into PT school smoother.

How important is my undergraduate GPA for PT school applications?

PT schools typically require a minimum GPA of 3.0, but competitive programs prefer 3.5 or higher. A strong GPA in science courses, along with clinical experience, makes applicants more competitive.

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