SHP Catalog

Program Director: Shaw
Faculty: Adams, Bickel, Braswell, Clelland, Denton, Ford, Graham, Harden, Hoobler, Knowles, Lowman, McCarthy, Morris, Murphy, Ogard, Pearce, Peel, Pinkston, Shaw

Physical therapists provide services to patient/clients who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease, and other causes. Physical Therapists also address risk and provide prevention services and promote health, wellness, and fitness. Physical therapists interact and practice in collaboration with a variety of professionals. Finally, physical therapists also function in consultative, educator, administrative and supervisory roles in many different types of practice, research, and education settings.

Accreditation: The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. The Department of Accreditation can be contacted by phone (1-800-999-2782, extension 3245) or email (accreditation@apta.org)

Credentials Conferred: Diploma ­ The Doctor of Physical Therapy degree is awarded by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

License: Graduates are eligible for the physical therapist licensure examination. Note that state law regulates the practice of Physical Therapy; contact a specific state's Board of Licensure for Physical Therapy to obtain information on that state's eligibility requirements. The UAB PT graduate licensure pass rate may be accessed at the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy web site  under the list of Physical Therapy Programs categorized by state.

Length of Study: Eight semesters.

Program Entrance Date: Spring semester.

Application Deadline: All material must be received directly to the admissions office in the Department of Physical Therapy no later than January 15 preceding the year of enrollment.

Application Procedure: The following materials must be submitted directly to the Division of Physical Therapy:

• Department of Physical Therapy application,
• two official transcripts from each college attended,
• official GRE test scores
• three evaluation forms (references),
• Apply to the Graduate School: https://app.applyyourself.com/?id=uab-grad

Requirements for Admission: The applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university within the United States in a field other than physical therapy. Acceptance will be based on the student's academic ability and aptitude for a career as a physical therapist. The candidate is expected to satisfy the following requirements:

• have a minimum GRE score of 1,100 (minimum 550 verbal and minimum 550 quantitative),
• complete the GRE Writing Assessment (minimum score of 3.5),
• have a minimum 3.0 (A=4.0) overall grade point average and on the last 60 semester hours of coursework,
• have a minimum academic average performance of 3.0 in the biological sciences, 3.0 in the physical sciences, 3.0 in 6 semester hours of English composition, and at least a C in each of the other prerequisite courses,
• complete a personal interview with the Department of Physical Therapy faculty, and
• if accepted, complete the UAB medical history questionnaire and physical, provide proof of required immunizations, and receive satisfactory screening by the UAB Medical Center Student Health Service.
• document current certification of Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers,
• a criminal background check will be required before the first semester as specified by the Department of Physical Therapy in order to participate in clinical education.

Because state law regulates the practice of Physical Therapy, applicants are encouraged to review the non-academic eligibility requirements for licensure to practice physical therapy upon completion of the program. These may be obtained from each individual state's Board of Licensure for Physical Therapy.

Variations in these requirements are considered. In instances where applicants do not meet the principle requirements for admission, they may be admitted on probation with the approval of the Graduate School Dean. Such students must establish themselves in good standing by achieving not less than a B average by the time they have completed 1 term of approved work taken at UAB for graduate credit.

Program Prerequisites - UAB Equivalents
(Course requirements are listed in semester credit hours)

Arts and Humanities
English Composition - EH 101, 102 (6)

Social and Behavioral Sciences
Psychology (9)

Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Precalculus with Trigonometry - MA 106 (3)
Statistics (must be taken in Math, Psychology, or Sociology) - MA 180, PY 214, or SOC 110 (3-4)
Physics* - PH 201/211 lab, 202/212 lab or PH 221/231 lab, 222/232 lab** (8)
General Chemistry for science majors with labs* - CH 115/116 lab, 117/118 lab (8)
Biology including Human or Mammalian Physiology* - BY 116 or 309 (16)

Current certification in CPR for Health Providers

*For these prerequisite courses, credit older than ten years from the application deadline must be validated by examination or other appropriate mechanism.

**The physics course sequence must be designed for science majors and include laboratory sessions. A minimum of 8 semester hours is required. The following topics must be studied: mechanics, heat, electricity and magnetism, wave motion and sound, and light.

It is strongly recommended that applicants take the following courses: practical reasoning or logic course, biomechanics or kinesiology and upper level biology (physiology).