Program Map for Physical Therapy

This program map is for students who intend to become physical therapists (and not physical therapy assistants). Typically, students with this goal will complete a bachelor's degree before applying to a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Future physical therapists can choose any major for their Bachelor's degree; biology, kinesiology, psychology and exercise science are the most commonly chosen majors. 

This program map focuses on the first two years of the bachelor's degree, with an emphasis on completion of an Associate in Arts and Sciences Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) degree. To use this map, start with your math placement and use the guide and boxes to help you choose your courses. You don't need to take all the classes on the map, but you must complete 90 credits of college classes (above 100-level) according to the instructions on the map. Depending on your science and math background, multiple paths are possible. If you can, try to complete your math, chemistry, and biology classes as part of your degree.  

For more information, contact a faculty program advisor. Program advisors for the Physical Therapy program are listed below. If you have been assigned an advisor please work with them, otherwise you can choose any of the advisors below.

Hilary Kemp, hkemp@everettcc.edu
Jackie Hedgpeth, jhedgpeth@everettcc.edu
Jeff Fennell, jfennell@everettcc.edu 
Rene Fester, rfester@everettcc.edu

CHECKLISTS

Pre-Physical Therapy Interest, AAS DTA Checklist
Pre-College to College English and Math Checklist

Before you can take your college-level courses, you may need to complete prerequisites. 

See an entry advisor for mandatory entry advising at the Advising Center located in RAI 108 to decide on your first quarter courses.

See your advisor for self-paced or accelerated alternatives in Math and English to prepare for college-level classes. Want to move further faster? Learn about EvCC's I-BEST classes. 

Prepare for college-level math

If your math placement is below MATH& 141, you’ll need to take the following sequence of courses, starting from the level you placed into:

• TS 60 → TS 70 → MATH/TS 76 → MATH/TS 86 → MATH 96

 Prepare for college-level English

If your English placement is below ENGL& 101, you’ll need to take following sequence of courses, starting from the level you placed into:

• ENGL/TS/AEP 97 → ENGL/TS/AEP 98

Note: English language learners may need additional courses before ENGL/TS 97 depending on their placement.

 Take COLL 101 - College Success in your first quarter to prepare for the pace and rigor of college.

 Take CHEM& 140 - General Chemistry Prep if you haven’t had a year of high school Chemistry within the last 3 years. Alternatively, if you pass the Chemistry Placement Test, you can skip CHEM& 140. (CHEM& 140 can be taken concurrently with MATH 96)

 Take BIOL 100 - Survey of Biology if you haven't had a year of high school biology within the last 5 years.

Before registering each quarter, check your Degree Planner to see what classes you should take to stay on track.  See your faculty program advisor with any questions you have.

Recommended Actions 

• Looking for more support and assistance by phone, tablet, or computer? Visit the Online Student Support and Resources page. 
• Do you qualify for Financial Aid? Fill out a FAFSA or WASFA and visit the Financial Aid Office to begin talking about how to pay for college. 
• Visit the Tutoring Center, Writing Center, and the Library.
• Consider registering for a study skills class offered by DEVED department.
• Get involved with Student LIFE and join a campus club.
• See if you qualify for TRiO, MESA, scholarships, or support from CDS
• As part of your requirements for admission to PT school, you will need to conduct extensive observations of physical therapists in more than one practice setting (3-4 settings recommended). Each school will have their own requirement, so check the websites for schools that you are interested in attending after you complete your bachelor's degree. (E.g., for entry into the PT school at the University of Washington, students must complete a minimum of 50 observation hours, but many applicants complete 100-200 hours.) We recommend that you arrange to job shadow a physical therapist as early in your education as you can, and then begin your observations while you are completing your bachelor's degree.

Complete college-level courses. Focus on those that fit in the Physical Therapy DTA Pathway so that if you change to another science-based program or other DTA program, most of the credits you’ve earned already will apply to your new goal.

 Take ENGL& 101 or 101D - English Composition I
 Begin the three-quarter General Chemistry sequence of  CHEM& 161 → CHEM& 162 → CHEM& 163
 Begin the three-quarter Majors Biology sequence of BIOL& 221 → BIOL& 222 → BIOL& 223
 Begin the two-quarter Precalculus sequence of MATH& 141 → MATH& 142
 Take one of the following courses to meet the Diversity Course Requirement:

• ANTH 116D - Cultures in Context
• ANTH 122D - Human Diversity
• ANTH& 206D - Cultural Anthropology
• CMST 204D - Intercultural Communication
• ECON 101D - Understanding Economics
• ENGL& 101D - English Composition I
• ENGL& 102D* - English Composition II
• POLS 210D - The Politics of Diversity
• PSYC 210D - Human Sexuality

Note: A Diversity course can be used to satisfy a Humanities or Social Science requirement  

Recommended Actions

Check back in with your faculty program advisor to discuss if this is the right program for you and update your plan of study as needed
 

• If you haven't already, join a club that aligns with your interest, such as the MESA Club.
• Start looking for a practice where you can do observations.  As you do your hours, make sure to keep good records. Being organized now will save you stress later.

Complete specific degree requirements and begin preparing for graduation and transfer. If you change to another program in this phase, some credits earned may not apply to your new program.  You need 90 college-level credits to graduate, so choose the science credits that best match your intended major.  Work closely with an adviser.

 Complete the two-quarter Precalculus sequence of MATH& 141 → MATH& 142
 Take ENGL& 102 or 102D - English Composition II 
 Complete the three-quarter General Chemistry sequence of  CHEM& 161 → CHEM& 162 →  CHEM& 163
 Complete the three-quarter Majors Biology sequence of BIOL& 221 → BIOL& 222 → BIOL& 223
 Begin the three-quarter General Physics sequence PHYS& 114 → PHYS& 115 → PHYS& 116
 Take the first of three Humanities Distribution courses from the recommended list below:

• PHIL 215 - Ethics
• CMST& 210 - Interpersonal Communication or CMST& 220 - Public Speaking
• GS 101D - Introduction to Global Studies

 Take the first of three Social Sciences Distribution courses from the recommended list below:

• PSYC& 100 - General Psychology
• SOC& 101 - Introduction to Sociology
• ANTH& 206D - Cultural Anthropology or ANTH 255D - Medicine across Cultures

Recommended Actions

Check back in with your faculty program advisor to discuss transfer options, career opportunities, and observation sites
 

• In the Fall of your last year at EvCC, start researching transfer schools for completion of your Bachelor's degree. You can attend any school and choose any major as long as you complete the pre-physical therapy requirements listed on this guide.  Pay close attention to application deadlines.

Complete all remaining degree/certificate requirements before you graduate and transfer. You need 90 college-level credits to graduate, so choose the science credits that best match your intended major.  Work closely with an adviser.

 Take MATH& 146 - Introduction to Statistics

 Complete three-quarter General Physics sequence:

• PHYS& 114 → PHYS& 115 → PHYS& 116

Note: Some baccalaureate programs do not require PHYS& 116. Check with your transferring institution to confirm this.

 Complete the three-quarter Human Anatomy, Human Physiology and Microbiology sequence:  

• BIOL& 231 →  BIOL& 232 → BIOL& 260

Note: Microbiology is optional for some baccalaureate programs. Check with your transferring institution to confirm this. 

 Complete two additional Humanities distribution courses from the recommended list:

• PHIL 215 - Ethics
• CMST& 210 - Interpersonal Communication or CMST& 220 - Public Speaking
• GS 101D - Introduction to Global Studies

 Complete two additional Social Sciences distribution courses from the recommended list:

• PSYC& 100 - General Psychology
• SOC& 101 - Introduction to Sociology
• ANTH& 206D - Cultural Anthropology or ANTH 255D - Medicine across Cultures

Apply for graduation at least one quarter in advance.

Recommended Actions

Meet with your faculty program advisor to make sure all degree/certificate requirements are met.
 

• Apply to transfer.  Make sure to start your application well before it is due.