Academics
With over 254 accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs in the US, students must check the prerequisite requirements at each school they hope to apply to. The coursework below meets the admissions requirements for the DPT programs in Michigan. The courses do not constitute a major, and some DPT programs may require a bachelor’s degree in addition to the courses listed below. Pre-PT students should consult with a pre-PT advisor to determine which courses most appropriately meet their goals.
Biology
Two courses with lab and anatomy & physiology.
| BIO 1500/1501 - Basic Life Diversity + Lab | 4 cr. |
| BIO 1510/1511 - Basic Life Mechanisms + Lab | 4 cr. |
| BIO 2870 - Anatomy & Physiology | 5 cr. |
| BIO 3200 - Human Physiology* | 3 cr. |
*Counts as the upper-level BIO courses required for students who do not plan to earn a BS/BA and apply to WSU’s program.
Chemistry
Two semesters of chemistry with at least one lab; courses must be content-oriented, and topics must not overlap.
| CHM 1020 - Survey of General Chemistry* | 4 cr. |
| OR | |
| CHM 1100/1130 - General Chemistry I + Lab | 4 cr. |
| CHM 1140/1150 - General Chemistry II + Lab | 5 cr. |
| CHM 1030 - Survey of Organic/Biochemistry* | 4 cr. |
| OR | |
| CHM 1240/1250 - Organic Chemistry I + Lab | 5 cr. |
| CHM 2220/2230 - Organic Chemistry II + Lab | 5 cr. |
*Sequence accepted at WSU only.
Physics
Two semesters of physics with lab.
| PHY 2130/2131 - Physics for the Life Sciences I + Lab | 5 cr. |
| PHY 2140/2141 - Physics for the Life Sciences II + Lab | 5 cr. |
Psychology
Two courses, introductory and human growth and development.
| PSY 1010 - Introductory Psychology | 4 cr. |
| OR | |
| PSY 1020 - Elements of Psychology | 3 cr. |
| PSY 2400 - Developmental Psychology | 4 cr. |
Mathematics
One course in either pre-calculus or calculus.
| MAT 1800 - Elementary Functions | 4 cr. |
| OR | |
| MAT 2010 - Calculus I | 4 cr. |
Statistics
One course.
| STA 1020 - Elementary Statistics | 3 cr. |
| OR | |
| STA 2210 - Probability and Statistics | 4 cr. |
Additional Courses Required at One or More Michigan Schools
| KIN 6300 - Exercise Physiology I | 3 cr. |
| MLS 3330 - Medical Terminology | 1 cr. |
| Sociology or Anthropology (See advisor for options) | 3-4 cr. |
GPA and Grade Minimums
Each program sets a minimum grade limit for prerequisite courses. Cumulative, science, and prerequisite GPA minimums are also required for application. It is an applicant's responsibility to know the grade limits for each program they plan to apply to.
The Michigan Physical Therapy Program Course Equivalents chart may also be helpful for students who plan to apply to more than one program.
To learn more about the DPT programs in Michigan, please visit their websites: