not required to complete the general education requirements of the University unless they choose to earn a second bachelor’s degree. Students interested in pursuing physical therapy should seek advisement from the physical therapy faculty by calling the program office to schedule an appointment.
Application procedure and admission to the University does not assure acceptance into the physical therapy program. Enrollment is limited, and the number of qualified applicants may exceed the number of students who can be admitted.
Selection by the admissions committee is based upon a number of factors including overall GPA (calculated for all academic courses attempted up to the point of application to the program), GPA for science courses alone, references and interviews.
Applicants with the best combination of these factors will be selected for the class. Students may apply who have a minimum cumulative GPA and science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 grading scale and meet the minimum prerequisite requirements. Entrance into the program is contingent upon the completion of all prerequisites with a minimum grade of C.
Application forms are available on-line at the physical therapy web site: www.utc.edu/physicaltherapy. The completed application packet must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the deadline posted on the physical therapy website.
Applicants are responsible for assuring the completion of the packet prior to the deadline. Following initial review of the application materials, invited interviews are conducted, and the decision of the admissions committee is mailed to each applicant. Students are asked to verify their acceptance to the program in writing. Classes begin in late August.
Undergraduate students will be admitted to the 3+3 professional physical therapy program prior to beginning the first year of professional course work. While maintaining undergraduate status, students will take graduate courses at the 500-level. Upon successful completion of the first year of the professional program, undergraduate students will be granted a bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Science. Applicants who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution must apply and be admitted to the Graduate School prior to admission to the DPT program.
If a student is admitted to the DPT program, but declines to accept a position in the class to which he or she has been admitted, the student must reapply to be considered for admission to the program at a later date.
2530 - Rehabilitation Science: Physical Therapy (B.S.)
- General Education (see list of approved courses)
- Rhetoric and Composition: Two approved courses in rhetoric and composition (6 hours)
- Mathematics:Mathematics 131 or higher level approved Mathematics course* (3 hours)
- Statistics: One approved statistics course (3 hours)
- Natural Sciences: Biology 121* and Chemistry 121/123* (8 hours)
- Humanities and Fine Arts: Two approved humanities and fine arts courses, one from fine arts and one from either (6 hours)
- Cultures and Civilizations: Option A: Western Humanities I and II and one approved Non-Western cultures and civilizations course OR Option B: World Civilization I, II, III (9 hours total)
- Behavioral and Social Sciences: Psychology 101* and one additional approved course (PSY 241 or HHP 407 recommended) (6 hours)
Major and Related Courses
- Biology 121#, 191, 208
- Chemistry 121/123# and 122/124 or one biochemistry course
- One scientific or medical terminology course (Classics 300 or Physical Therapy 302 recommended)
- One 300- or 400-level exercise physiology course (HHP 317 recommended)
- Mathematics 131 or a higher level approved Mathematics course
- One biomedical or professional ethics course (Philosophy 325# or 425# recommended)
- Physics 103/183 and 104/184
- Psychology 101# and one additional approved course (PSY 241 or HHP 407 recommended)
- One 200-level or higher course emphasizing scientific or professional writing
- Completion of course work required in the first year of the professional school (please refer to The Graduate Catalog)
- Students pursuing only the B.S. degree in Rehabilitation Science with a concentration in Physical Therapy must meet the minimum standards of a cumulative 2.0 GPA overall and a 2.0 GPA in the major to be eligible for the undergraduate degree.
- Minimum of 39 hours in 300, 400, and professional level courses.
- Electives to complete 120 hours
- All general education requirement for the B.S. degree at UTCmust be met.
- See additional requirements.
*Also satisfies requirement in the
major.
#Also satisfies general education requirement.
Preparation for Health Professions
Students wishing to enter dentistry, medicine, or other health fields such as cytotechnology, dental hygiene, medical technology, pharmacy, or veterinary medicine may complete their pre-professional training at UTC before going to professional school.
The various curricula available at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga have been prepared with the cooperation of The University of Tennessee, Memphis, and include the specific requirements for admission to the respective colleges of the health science units there. The veterinary medicine program is offered at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
In general, these same programs will also meet the minimum admission requirements to other professional colleges offering degrees in these health sciences. Students wishing to prepare for professional institutions other than The University of Tennessee, Memphis, should consult the catalogs of those schools to determine the specific preparation required for admission. In all cases, final decision for admission rests with the college involved.
Dentistry
Although applicants may be admitted to the College of Dentistry of The University of Tennessee, Memphis, with a minimum of 90 semester hours in academic subjects, preference is given to those who have already completed a baccalaureate. Admissions requirements include 6 hours of English composition, 8 hours of general biology, 8 hours of general chemistry, 8 hours of organic chemistry, and 8 hours of general physics. Upper level biology courses (selected from cellular biology, comparative anatomy, embryology, genetics, histology, microbiology, and physiology) are recommended. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 in all required subjects attempted and in cumulative coursework is normally required for admission. For general electives, courses in calculus, foreign language, literature, biochemistry, social sciences, and behavioral sciences are suggested.
