Application Requirements
The University of Montana is participating this year in the centralized application service (PTCAS) for first-time physical therapy students along with 70 other schools in the US and virtually all of the schools in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain states. In this system, applicants need only fill out a centralized application once for all the schools to which they wish to apply, along with a short supplemental application specific to The University of Montana’s School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science. At UM, the application will be launched August 1st. Our application period therefore will change to August 1st through December 15th, 2009 for both our supplemental application and the PTCAS application. The PTCAS application can be found at www.PTCAS.org.
Degree Requirement
Proof of completion of a bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited in the United States (or the equivalent from another country) is required prior to entry into the program.
International Students
Applicants whose native tongue is not English, must submit TOEFL scores of at least 525 (paper-based test) or 195 (computer-based test). If you are a graduate of an English-speaking university, TOEFL scores are not required, but you must submit GRE scores.
Before issuing a visa form, the Physical Therapy Program must receive a certified statement from a bank or sponsoring agency indicating that at least $34,486 (U.S. currency) is available to meet the first-year cost of study. You may be asked to put this sum on deposit with The University of Montana. If you plan to bring your family to the United States, add $3,000 to your financial statement for your spouse and $1,500 for each child. All estimates of cost are subject to change by the Montana Board of Regents without prior notice. Please contact the Physical Therapy Program for current information.
Grade Requirements
To be considered for admission, an applicant must have obtained a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 (on a four-point scale) in all college courses for which the applicant has registered, as well as a minimum GPA of 3.00 in the required prerequisite courses. All prerequisite courses must be passed with a 2.00 or better. A D+ grade or lower is not acceptable. Prospective applicants with a lower cumulatve GPA (2.50-2.74) may petition the student selection committee for approval to submit an application for consideration.
Prerequisite Courses
- Anatomy and Physiology – Minimum of two semesters or two to three quarters of human anatomy and physiology. This coursework must be completed in a Biology, Anatomy, and/or Physiology Department. A full sequence must be completed of two semesters or two to three quarters, depending upon what is offered by the institution. A comparative anatomy course and an animal physiology course may be substituted for human anatomy and physiology.
- Chemistry – Minimum of two semesters or three quarters of chemistry with laboratory. A full sequence must be completed of two to three semesters or two to four quarters, depending upon what is offered by the institution.
- Physics – Minimum of two semesters or two to three quarters of physics with laboratory. A full sequence must be completed of two to three semesters or two to four quarters depending upon what is offered by the institution.
- Statistics – Minimum of one semester or one quarter of statistics coursework.
- Exercise Physiology – Minimum of one semester or quarter of exercise physiology with laboratory. On-line lecture-only courses do not meet this requirement.
- Social Sciences – Minimum of two semesters or three quarters of social/behavioral science classes. These classes can include courses offered by Psychology, Educational Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Cultural Geography and Anthropology departments.
- Certification in adult, child, and infant CPR is assumed.
- Computer literacy is assumed. You should be able to utilize email communication, word processing, statistical and spreadsheet programs, and be able to complete searches on the web.
Students should note that these courses might require prerequisites also.
Completion of a baccalaureate degree and all prerequisite coursework is required before the beginning of professional curriculum in the fall.
It is strongly recommended that students complete a course in microbiology.
Advanced placement credits areaccepted for prerequisites only if a letter grade appears on the official college transcript. If a college grade is not assigned to the course, the sequence needs to be completed in college to complete the prerequisite.
It is recommended that prerequisite coursework ten years of age or greater be retaken, especially in the areas of anatomy and physiology and exercise physiology.
Upper-division undergraduate or graduate-level coursework in the same subject may be subsistituted for a prerequisite course. This upper-level coursework must have at least the equivalent number of credits as the prerequiste lower-level coursework.
Refer to the official UM course catalog for more information on the Physical Therapy Program and the recommended prerequisite courses for those students attending The University of Montana-Missoula. It is expected that most students will not have all requirements completed at the time of application.
GRE
GRE scores are required for admission and must be available at the time of application. Have official scores sent directly to the School of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science (Institution Code and Name 4489 Univ. Montana, Dept Code and Name 0619 Copy for Physical Therapy).
Letters of Recommendation & Official Transcripts
Three letters of recommendation will be needed with your application, one of which must be from a licensed Physical Therapist. You will use forms as provided through the PTCAS application. You will be providing official transcripts to PTCAS as part of the application process. Should you be admitted to our program, we will need official transcripts indicating completion of your bachelor's degree and all prerequisite courses.
Observation Requirements
Applicants must demonstrate appreciation and knowledge of the practical duties and responsibilities of the physical therapist through direct experience in a variety of clinical settings. A minimum of 80 hours of observation or work under the direct supervision of physical therapists in a variety of settings is required BEFORE APPLICATION SUBMISSION. This documented experience MUST be completed in at least 3 different practice environments selected from acute care, outpatient, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, home health, schools, or industry.
Activities / Honors / Leadership
Applicants are expected to participate in activities beyond their academic pursuits, such activities should include employment, volunteer activities (school/sport, community, or church), and employment / volunteer activities interacting with people with disabilities. Honors include scholarships, academic recognition and volunteer activity recognition. Leadership includes serving as an officer in an organization, team captain, situations where you routinely supervise individuals in volunteer activities, and employment situations where you routinely supervise other employees.
Successful Applicant Profile
| Entering Class of 2004 | |
| No. of Applications Received: | 89 |
| Size of Class: | 34 |
| Overall GPA: | 3.51 |
| Prerequisite GPA: | 3.58 |
| Entering Class of 2005 | |
| No. of Applications Received: | 97 |
| Size of Class: | 32 |
| Overall GPA: | 3.62 |
| Prerequisite GPA: | 3.57 |
| Mean GRE Scores: | Verbal: 428 Quantitative: 598 Analytical Writing: 4.4 |
| Residency: | 20 in state; 12 out of state |
| Average Age: | 24, range 21-37 |
| Entering Class of 2006 | |
| No. of Applications Received: | 119 |
| Size of Class: | 32 |
| Overall GPA: | 3.56 |
| Prerequisite GPA: | 3.62 |
| Mean GRE Scores: | Verbal: 459 Quantitative: 633 Analytical Writing: 4.25 |
| Residency: | 16 in state; 16 out of state |
| Entering Class of 2007 | |
| No. of Applications Received: | 159 |
| Size of Class: | 34 |
| Overall GPA: | 3.75 |
| Prerequisite GPA: | 3.70 |
| Mean GRE Scores: | Verbal: 446 Quantitative: 598 Analytical Writing 4.26 |
| Residency: | 22 in state; 12 out of state |
Student Outcomes
| Graduating Class of 2005 | |
| Graduation Rate: | 93% |
| Employment Rate: | 100% |
| Licensing Exam Pass Rate: | 100% |
| Graduating Class of 2006 | |
| Graduation Rate: | 97% |
| Employment Rate: | 100% |
| Licensing Exam Pass Rate: | 100% |
| Graduating Class of 2007 | |
| Graduation Rate: | 94% |
| Employment Rate: | 100% |
| Licensing Exam Pass Rate: | 96.4% |
