EXERCISE SCIENCE EDUCATION & the Doctor of Physical Therapy

Exercise Science is one of the best majors to prepare you for Ohio State's Doctor of Physical Therapy. Almost all of the physical therapy prerequisite courses are fulfilled as part of the exercise science major. Additionally, the focus on the study of structural, functional and behavioral phenomena related to participation in acute and chronic exercise in sport, clinical, and community setting provides an excellent foundation for future physical therapists.

Visit the OSU Physical Therapy program's web site for more details on admissions to the program. Listed below are the prerequisite courses for physical therapy. Bold and underlined requirements/courses are fulfilled via the exercise science major with the exercise science strand. Click here for a printable version of this list.

Two course sequence in general chemistry:

• General Chemistry (Chemistry 121)
• General Chemistry (Chemistry 122)

Two course sequence in general physics:

• General Physics: Mechanics and Heat (Physics 111)
• General Physics: Electricity, Magnetism, and Light (Physics 112)

One course in general biology:

• Biological Sciences: Energy Transfer and Development (Biology 113)

One course in general psychology:

• General psychology (Psychology 100 - social science GEC)

One course in human physiology (two options):

• Principles in Human Physiology I & II (Physiology & Cell Biology 311 & 312)
• Introduction to Physiology (EEOB 232)

One course in physiology of exercise:

• Applied Physiology of Exercise (EDU PAES 414 or 500)

One course in human or vertebrate anatomy:

• Introductory Anatomy (Anatomy 200 - substitute for Anatomy 199.04)

One course in statistical analysis (two options):

• Elementary Statistics (Statistics 135)
• Introduction to the practice of statistics (Statistics 145)

One course in human growth and development (three options):

• Lifespan Motor Development (EDU PAES 542)
• Introduction to Life Span Developmental Psychology (Psychology 340)
• Life Span Human Development (HDFS 364)

One course in medical/scientific terminology (two options):

• Medical Terminology (Allied Medicine 500)
• Classical Background of Scientific Terminology (Classics 210)

One course in research design (three options):

• Research in Psychology: An Introduction (Psychology 300)
• Introduction to Inquiry, Principles, Strategies, and Techniques (EDU P&L 785)
• Research Design in Biomedical Sciences (Allied Med 680.01)