Application Requirements
As you begin your journey toward a career in healthcare at WesternU, we are here to support you every step of the way—from prospective student to applicant, from student to Doctor of Physical Therapy. From day one, step one, our commitment is to guide, support, and serve you throughout your entire journey. If you need any assistance, please reach out to your admissions counselor or faculty member, Christina Gomez (cgomez@westernu.edu).
Step 1: Prerequisites and Application Requirements
The first step in the admissions process is to ensure you are on track to complete both the course prerequisites and application requirements in time to apply for your preferred year of entry. A bachelor’s degree (BS or BA) from a regionally accredited U.S. institution must be conferred by end of spring term prior to matriculation.
Step 2: Make Yourself a Competitive Candidate
Admission to the DPT Professional program is competitive so you should strive to not only meet, but exceed the minimum requirements. To get a feel for the competitiveness of the applicant pool we recommend that you view our class statistics page and read what the admissions committee recommends you do to maximize your candidacy.
Step 3: Preparing and Submitting your Application
The apply now page will provide you with step-by-step instructions as well as an application checklist. There are a number of supporting materials that make up your completed application and it is essential that you print and carefully follow the checklist to ensure that you properly submit these pieces by the deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help you navigate through the application process, and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have additional questions.
Prerequisite Courses
Science Prerequisites
| Semester | Quarter | |
|---|---|---|
Human Anatomy with Lab
|
4 units | 6 units |
Human Physiology with Lab
|
4 units | 6 units |
General Chemistry with Lab
|
8 units | 12 units |
Physics with Lab
|
8 units | 12 units |
Non-Science Prerequisites
| Prerequisites | Semester | Quarter |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | 3 units | 4 units |
English Composition
|
3 units | 4 units |
Psychology
|
6 units | 8 units |
All Prerequisites:
- All Prerequisites:
- Must be completed at a regionally accredited U.S. institution (exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis) or its equivalent abroad
- Must be completed with a grade of “C” or better (a grade of “C-” or lower is not acceptable)
- No more than one science and one non-science prerequisite may be in progress after the fall term of the year prior to graduation (e.g. Dec 31, 2026 for the 2027 entering class)
- If attending a quarter institution, one science prerequisite can be in progress during winter, one science prerequisite can be in progress during spring, and one non-science prerequisite can be in progress during winter OR spring of the matriculating year
- Should be completed by the spring term prior to matriculation (e.g. May/June 2027 for the 2027 entering class)
- Exceptions may be granted for summer coursework on a case-by-case basis if necessary
- One prerequisite may be taken on an advanced-placement, pass/no pass or credit/no credit basis
- Courses with online labs will be accepted for approved courses taken in 2020, 2021, 2022, Winter 2023, and Spring 2023 only
- All coursework taken from non-U.S. institutions (including Canada) must be submitted to World Education Services for evaluation
Not sure if your course qualifies? If you’d like to find out whether the courses you’ve taken or plan to take will satisfy WesternU Oregon prerequisites you may:
- Search the prerequisite database by institution
- If you don’t see your courses listed in the database, email your counselor with the syllabus.
- If your courses are not listed in the database and you have numerous in question, or simply wish to lay out your coursework, you may instead print and submit an academic worksheet. Note: academic worksheets are available March – August and will be reviewed during this time only
Application Requirements
Completion of prerequisite courses as outlined
- Completed application through PTCAS
- Recommended Overall and Prerequisite GPA of 3.0
- Repeated Courses – Maximum of 5 science courses can be used to recalculate the GPA
- We will exclude repeated courses that are expiring
- If more than 5 sciences courses have been retaken, only the 5 highest scores will be used for recalculation
- Please note: If a science course is repeated multiple times, it will be counted against the five allowed
- Bachelor’s Degree
- BS or BA from a regionally accredited U.S. institution in any field
- Degree must be conferred by end of spring term prior to matriculation
- Letters of Recommendation
- Three (3) letters of recommendation are required:
- One (1) professional
- One (1) academic
- One (1) either professional or academic
- Your letters of recommendation are part of the application and will be submitted to the admissions office electronically by your recommenders
- Recommendations from a family member will not be considered
- Three (3) letters of recommendation are required:
- Transcripts for all colleges or universities attended sent directly to PTCAS
- Access to a Computer Meeting Minimum Technical Standards
- For more information please review the technical standards
Proof of Legal US Residency – If Required
- International applicants, or any other applicants who are not U.S. citizens and who are living in the U.S., must provide proof of legal U.S. residency prior to matriculation.
Health Screening/Immunizations and Background Check
Should you be accepted into the Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy program, you will be required to provide proof of the required health screenings and immunizations. Additionally, your admission into the program will be contingent upon a satisfactory criminal background check, which is to be completed and submitted prior to orientation. The background check is required to verify that your history is consistent with the University’s Standards of Professional Conduct, and to ensure that you will be qualified to participate in the required clinical education experiences. A satisfactory criminal background check indicates no criminal history or satisfactory review of a criminal conviction without limitation; both misdemeanor and felony charges will be reviewed. If your background check is not considered “satisfactory”, you may have limited clinical site selection, may not be eligible for licensure or may have difficulty finding employment upon graduation. Supplemental or additional background checks may be required during the course of the educational program to meet the requirements of clinical education sites. For more detail on these requirements, please review the DPT-Oregon FAQ page.