Pre-Physical Therapy Program Albion College

Investigate the relationship between exercise, diet, and health and prepare for a career helping people live healthy and active lives.

Why Study Pre-Physical Therapy at Albion?

Our pre-physical therapy program will equip you with the academic, clinical, and research experience you need to pursue a successful career in the health and fitness professions.

As a pre-physical therapy student, you’ll select a major–often biology or exercise science–and follow a complementary curriculum that provides you with the academic and clinical foundation you’ll need to pursue graduate study in a professional school. Along the way, you’ll learn alongside a tight-knit cohort of peers, develop close ties with faculty and advisors and benefit from a broad liberal arts curriculum that prepares you to think critically and creatively when confronted with problems.

Wilson Medical Institute

As a pre-physical therapy student at Albion College, you’ll gain immersive clinical, research, and community engagement experience through the Wilson Medical Institute, which prepares students for graduate school and future healthcare careers in physical therapy dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, physician assistant studies, nursing, and allied health professions.

Partnerships with Professional Schools

Our preferred admission agreements enable you to pursue graduate study at highly-respected professional programs around the country. Through our partnership with the University of Michigan – Flint, you’ll have guaranteed admission into the Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (“DPT”) degree program, provided you meet certain admissions requirements.

Job Shadowing and Professional Experience

As a member of the Wilson Medical Institute, you’ll obtain an abundance of observation and volunteering hours prior to applying for graduate programs. Our dedicated staff advisors will provide you with resources and placements to make this process go smoothly and to ensure you get the experience you need.

Human Performance Lab

Gain hands-on experience putting your knowledge into practice in our Human Performance Lab. Learn how to assess the various aspects of health and fitness and then use those skills in the classroom and in research opportunities with our faculty. You will be measuring body composition, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, flexibility, and more.

What Will You Learn as a Pre-Physical Therapy Student?

You’ll build on your broad foundation in biology, chemistry, kinesiology, and physics with classes in exercise physiology, human anatomy, and nutrition.

Our liberal arts core will expose you to diverse perspectives and make you a better communicator and critical thinker. You'll take classes in English, math and psychology that will contextualize your scientific study and ensure you meet the requirements for PT school.

You'll learn by doing, gaining hands-on experience through clinical placements, internships, community engagement, and research.

Students from our pre-physical health program go on to pursue graduate school in health professions like physical therapy, nursing, and occupational therapy before pursuing careers in the health and fitness fields. Below are examples of some of the professions our students choose, as well as graduate programs our students have recently attended.

Job Titles

• Physical Therapist
• Exercise Physiologist
• Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS)
• Occupational Therapist

Graduate Schools

• Western Michigan University
• University of Michigan - Flint
• Central Michigan University
• Grand Valley State University
• Oakland University
• Wayne State University