2023-2024
Pre-Physical Therapy (Advising Track)
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science: Life Science (Richard Bland College of William and Mary)
Associate degree
Program description
Students interested in the pre-physical therapy advising track must be on track to complete all prerequisite coursework, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and be on track to receive a baccalaureate degree by the time of applying to be considered for admission to PT school. Students interested in PT school should consult with a pre-professional health & STEM career adviser to learn about requirements that are specific to the schools to which they hope to apply.
Declaration of the pre-physical therapy advising track through the VCU Career Services PPH & STEM team does not constitute admission to the VCU Physical Therapy program. Students must apply separately to the physical therapy school of their choice at the appropriate time.
Students with an interest in preparing for PT school must declare an academic major and should declare and maintain their pre-physical therapy advising track. Students do not earn a pre-physical therapy degree. Students unsure of their academic majors initially should clarify their academic interests through regular conversations with their advisers. Pre-Physical therapy students are encouraged to major in fields of greatest interest to them. To declare a pre-pt advising track, please see the Canvas PPH Hub.
Career opportunities
Physical therapists (PT) evaluate and record a patient's progress. Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain. They are often an important part of preventive care, rehabilitation, and treatment for patients with chronic conditions, illnesses, or injuries. PTs may specialize in fields such as cardiology, pulmonology, geriatrics, neurology, orthopedics, sports medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, or obstetrics.
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Healthcare Researcher
- Physical Therapist
- Professor
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
n/a
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- MATH 151
- STAT 210
Science required
- 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
- No
Additional tuition/fees
- No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- A minimum GPA of 2.7 is required to apply to become a pre-professional health student and to stay on the pre-professional health advising track.
VCU Major Maps
Transfer major map
2023-2024
Pre-Physical Therapy (Advising Track)
Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science: Life Science)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Attend RBC Orientation.
- Schedule an appointment with your Learner Mentor to discuss your degree and class plan.
- A stellar GPA is vital to being a competitive student. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Review the resources on the VCU Healthcare Pathways website, especially the Pre-Physical Therapy Advising Guide.
- Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Review admission requirements for the VCU DPT program.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Review volunteer and shadowing opportunities on the VCU Healthcare Pathways website.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Register to vote.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Explore possible career opportunities for pre-physical therapy students.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Review volunteer and shadowing opportunities to find healthcare volunteering and information about shadowing.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
- Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Maintain a high GPA. Use tutoring resources to get ahead. Be prepared to earn good grades at VCU.
- Be prepared for academic challenges by meeting with your Learner Mentor and understanding RBC Student Support available.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Apply to VCU.
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing options for next year.
- Select a VCU major.
- Participate in the VCU STEM Transitions: Transfer Success Program after you’re admitted to VCU.
- Consider applying to the Summer Academic Enrichment Program (SAEP).
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Volunteer with a vulnerable, under-represented and/or underserved community. Reflect on the challenges these populations might face with their healthcare.
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
- Consider learning a foreign language.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
- Find healthcare experience that’s paid, volunteer or shadowing experience - answer the question, "is this really what I want to do?"
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
Recommended courses
2023-2024
Pre-Physical Therapy (Advising Track)
Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science: Life Science)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements. | ||||
| ENGL 101 | Rhetoric and Research I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENGL 102 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. | UNIV 111-112 | 3 | General education |
| ENGL 102 | Rhetoric and Research II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MATH 151 | Pre-calculus II | MATH 151 | 3 | General education (Pre-PT requirement) |
| MATH 217 | Statistics | STAT 210 | 3 | Elective (Pre-PT requirement) |
| BIO 151 + Lab | Biological Science I + Lab | BIOL/Z 151 | 4 | General education (Pre-PT requirement) |
| BIO 152 + Lab | Biological Science II + Lab | BIOL/Z 152 | 4 | Elective (Pre-PT recommendation) |
| BIO 205 + BIO 206 | Human Anatomy and Physiology (both courses must be taken to be equivalent to VCU’s courses) | BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 | 8 | Elective (Pre-PT requirement) |
| CHEM 101 + Lab | General Chemistry I + Lab | CHEM/Z 101 | 4 | General education (Pre-PT requirement) |
| CHEM 102 + Lab | General Chemistry II + Lab | CHEM/Z 102 | 4 | Elective (Pre-PT requirement) |
| PSY 210 | Survey of Psychology | PSYC 101 | 3 | General education (Pre-PT requirement) |
| Complete general education and elective requirements for associate degree | VCU equivalents | 21 | General education | |
| Richard Bland credits transferred to VCU | 60 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU. | |||
| The courses listed below are required or recommended for pre-physical therapy students. Students must also select a VCU major and complete the major requirements. The minimum number of credits required for a bachelor's degree at VCU is 120 credits. | |||
| PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 | General Physics I or University Physics I | 4 to 5 | Elective (Pre-PT requirement) |
| PHYS 202 or PHYS 208 | General Physics II or University Physics II | 4 to 5 | Elective (Pre-PT requirement) |
| PSYC 304 or PSYC 407 | Life Span Developmental Psychology or Psychology of the Abnormal | 3 | Elective (Pre-PT requirement) |
| Physical therapy schools across the U.S. have different prerequisites for admission. The list below shows courses required by various schools beyond the courses listed above for the VCU physical therapy doctoral program. Students should discuss career plans with their pre-professional health adviser for additional guidance. | |||
| BIOL 200 | Quantitative Biology | 3 | Elective (Pre-PT recommendation) |
| BIOL 308 | Vertebrate Histology | 4 | Elective (Pre-PT recommendation) |
| HPEX 250 | Medical Terminology | 1 | Elective (Pre-PT recommendation) |
| HPEX 375 + HPEZ 375 | Physiology of Exercise and Laboratory | 4 | Elective (Pre-PT recommendation) |
| Courses required for VCU major and electives VCU students are strongly encouraged to take cell biology as well as other upper-level biology courses. Admission to the D.P.T. program is highly competitive. Taking upper-level biology and/or engineering courses will enhance a student’s application and make them more competitive. | 35 | Major | |
| REAL | The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. | 0 | Major |
| Minimum number of credits completed at VCU | 60 | ||
| Minimum number of credits required for a bachelor's degree | 120 | ||