Health Professions

See also:

Pre-Physical Therapy

Essential Courses

Course # Title Credit Hours Prerequisites
BI 105 Biological Diversity and Ecology 3 None
BI 121 Biology Lab I 1 BI 105 (corequisite)
BI 106 Structure and Function of Cells and Organisms 3 BI 105 and CH 105
BI 122 Biology Lab II 1 BI 105 and BI 121; CH 122 (corequisite)
CH 105 Organic Chemical Concepts I 3 None
CH 121 Organic Chemistry Lab I 1 CH 105 (corequisite)
CH 106 Organic Chemical Concepts II 3 CH 105 (with C or better)
CH 122 Organic Chemistry Lab II 1 CH 121; CH 106 (corequisite)
BI 207 Dynamics Of Biological Processes 4 BI 106, CH 106, and CH 230
CH 230 Bioinorganic Chemistry 3 CH 105
BI 305 Biostatistics 4 BI 106 or ES 100
or
ND SS 214 Statistics for Social Sciences 4 None
BI 310 Physiology 4 BI 222
BI 367 Comparative Anatomy 3 BI 105; BI 368 (corequisite)
BI 368 Comparative Anatomy Laboratory 1 BI 367 (corequisite)
SO 101 Introduction to Sociology 3 None
PY 101 Introduction to Psychology 3 None
PC 200 General Physics I 3 PC 206 (corequisite)
or
PC 202 Introductory Physics I 3 MA 130 and PC 206 (corequisites)
PC 206 Physics Lab I 1 PC 200 or PC 202 (corequisite)
PC 201 General Physics II 3 PC 200; PC 207 (corequisite)
or
PC 203 Introductory Physics II 3 PC 202 and MA 130; PC 207 (corequisite)
PC 207 Physics Lab II 1 PC 201 or PC 203 (corequisite)
SW 221 Life Cycle 3 SO 101 or AN 151 or PY 101
or
PY 350 Developmental Psychology 3 PY 101
Varies Psychology course (if Life Cycle was Taken) 3 Varies
Varies Humanities courses 6 Varies
Varies Social Science courses 6 Varies
EN ___ English Course 3 Varies

Important Notes:

  1. Recommend Communication courses, Ethics of Health Care, Minorities, Mental and Physical Handicaps, accounting and business courses, and foreign language (especially Spanish).
  2. These courses reflect requirements for our affiliations with Drexel University and Widener University only. Although this course list will be sufficient for most other programs, make sure to check requirements of schools in which you are interested no later than your sophomore year.
  3. This course list does NOT represent a POE, nor does it cover College requirements. Design a POE, preferably in an academic area, in consultation with your advisor.
  4. Make sure to have an advisor on the Health Professions Committee, preferably Professor Radis.
  5. In addition to your course work it is mandatory to gain experience in physical therapy either during the school year or over the summer.

2008-09 REQUIREMENTS

Drexel University
Regular Progression (4 years at Juniata) OR 4 + 3 B.S./D.P.T. Program*

Widener University
Regular Progression (4 years at Juniata) OR 3 + 3 B.S./D.P.T. Program*
Courses Drexel Widener
Biology I and II 8 3
Anatomy 4 (or other upper level Bio) 3
Physiology 4 3
Chemistry I and II 8 8
Physics I and II 8 6
Psychology** 6 6
Social Science and Humanities 5 courses 9 English/Humanities + 3 Social Sciences
Statistics 3 3

* Students completing 3 +_ or 4+ _ programs receive degrees from Juniata and the affiliated institution
* * Life Cycle, which deals with developmental issues, is acceptable as a second psychology course; Developmental Psychology may also be substituted.

Notes: Drexel: Volunteer experience (no specific number of hours) and 3 letters of recommendation are required (must include one from a physical therapist and one from an academic source). Qualified applicants will be invited for an interview. Admissions are rolling, but applicants are encouraged to apply early to be evaluated for available scholarship money. Drexel also has the following admission requirements found by clicking on the website www.drexel.edu/em/apply/hs

Widener: Retake prerequisites in which a C- or less was earned; 3 letters required (1 PT, 1 from Committee), volunteer experience required-recommended in 2 different practice areas (inpatient/hospital and outpatient/clinic preferred): students will need to fill out a Computer Literacy Affidavit stating their experience with computers (i.e. databases, word, excel, powerpoint, access, etc.); applications are due January 30; no more than 3 prerequisites may be in progress at the time of application.

Competitive credentials: Science and overall GPA of 3.2-3.4 ; GRE of 500 or better in each section. For Drexel overall GPA of 3.00, science GPA of 3.0: Minimum GRE of 1000 combined verbal and quantitative and 4.0 Analytical Writing score: volunteer experience; Widener minimum science and overall GPA of 3.0 and GRE scores of at least 1000 for verbal and quantitative sections combined.; minimum of 40 volunteer hours


Helpful websites:
American Physical Therapy Association - http://www.apta.org
Drexel University - http://www.drexel.edu/cnhp/rehab_sciences/welcome.asp
Widener University - http://www.widener.edu/ipte

SUGGESTED CORE PROGRESSIONS FOR
Pre-PHYSICAL THERAPY

Regular Start; No Acceleration and No Study Abroad Junior Year

Bolded courses are offered only in the indicated semester and/or require a specific sequence due to Juniata prerequisites. Non-bolded courses are either offered in both semesters or represent open-ended choices, making them more flexible in when they can be taken.

FALL SPRING
Freshman Year BI 105 Biology Lab II
Biology Lab I Organic Chemistry Concepts II (if C or better in OCC I) and Lab
Organic Chemistry Concepts I and Lab Sociology
Psychology  
FALL SPRING
Sophomore Year BI 106 BI 207
  Bioinorganic Chemistry English course
Social Science course Humanities course
Developmental Psychology  
FALL SPRING
Junior Year Anatomy and Lab Statistics
Social Science course Humanities course
Physics I and Lab Physics II and Lab
FALL SPRING
Senior Year Physiology  
Finish the Junior Year courses for either the regular start or delayed chemistry progression no later than the summer before the year you intend to apply OR during senior year (this latter plan may delay your application until after you graduate from Juniata).

If you delay the start of Organic Chemistry I to the spring of freshman year be aware that Organic Chem Lab I is offered ONLY in the fall and Organic Chem II lab is offered ONLY in the spring.  Also consider whether or not it is wise in your particular situation to take Organic Chem II with Bioinorganic Chemistry your sophomore year.

If you do an accelerated program plan to finish most or all of the prerequisite courses the year before your final year at Juniata.  If you have one or two courses to complete your final year at Juniata, you could be conditionally accepted to professional school based on your academic record up to that point and on successful completion of the remaining prerequisite courses.

If you study abroad the SAFEST strategy is to take ALL prerequisite courses for professional school in the U.S., which may require you to take courses in the U.S. over the summer, preferably at a 4 year institution. However, if this is extremely difficult for your situation, check with the professional schools you wish to attend to see if they will accept courses taken abroad and if so, get their response in writing.  Also if you have a Biology POE and will not have BI 207 by the time you go abroad, check with the Biology Department to see if there is a Cell and Molecular course you can take abroad that will enable you to take upper level biology offerings at Juniata your senior year that require BI 207 (ex. Physiology, Immunology, and Microbiology)

Be mindful of your POE courses, which are NOT indicated here.  For example, if you have a Biology POE, you will need to take Freshman seminar the fall of your freshman year,  Frontiers of Biology either semester your sophomore year, and Biology 207 at your earliest opportunity after completing Bioinorganic Chemistry.