Undergraduate Bulletin
Document Number 3.04.10
Physical Therapy
Chair and Professor: Dr. Reese, 450-3611
Department Advisor: Ms. Charlotte Fant, 450-5541
Professor: Dr. Bandy
Associate Professor:Dr. Zabel
Assistant Professors: Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Forbush, Dr. Garrison, Dr.
Liu, Ms. McGee, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Wang
Instructor II: Dr. Maresh, Ms. Stephens
Instructor I: Dr. Quiben, Ms. Yates
[1] Physical Therapy: A Dynamic Health Care Profession
Physical therapists (PTs) are licensed health care professionals who diagnose and manage dysfunction and enhance physical and functional status in all age populations. Following an examination of individuals with impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities or other health-related conditions, physical therapists design individualized plans of physical therapy care and services for each patient. Choosing from a broad array of physical therapy interventions, PTs alleviate impairments and functional limitations as well as promote and maintain optimal fitness, physical function, and quality of life as it relates to movement and health. PTs also implement services to reduce risk and prevent onset and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may result from injury, diseases, disorders, and other health conditions.
Physical therapists provide care to people of all ages who have functional problems resulting from, for example, back and neck injuries, sprains/strains and fractures, arthritis, burns, amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, birth defects such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida, and injuries related to work and sports. Physical therapists evaluate and diagnose dysfunction and use interventions to treat patient/clients. Interventions may include therapeutic exercise, functional training, and manual therapy techniques, assistive and adaptive devices and equipment, and physical agents and electrotherapeutic modalities.
Physical therapists practice in hospitals; outpatient clinics or offices; inpatient rehabilitation facilities; skilled nursing, extended care, or sub-acute facilities; home health settings; education or research centers; schools; hospices; industrial workplaces or other occupational environments; fitness centers; and sports training facilities.
[2] Mission
The mission of the Department of Physical Therapy is to assist the university and college in the enhancement of the health and well-being of the public by providing high quality physical therapy education, research, and service at professional and post-professional levels. Through this mission, the faculty seeks to produce physical therapy practitioners who will help meet the diverse health, education, and research needs of the global community.
The department offers a professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), which leads to a career in physical therapy, and post-professional degrees for physical therapists. Individuals with an entry-level degree in physical therapy may enroll in the post-professional doctor of physical therapy (DPT - transitional) program. A doctor of philosophy (PhD) is offered for physical therapists seeking careers in teaching or research. Please refer to the UCA Graduate Bulletin for information on these degrees.
[3] Accreditation Status
The BS in Health Science with an emphasis in physical therapy does not require specialized accreditation. Please refer to the Graduate Bulletin for the accreditation status of the DPT curriculum.
[4] Bachelor of Science in Health Science, Pre-Physical Therapy Emphasis
The purpose of the bachelor of science (BS) degree with a pre-physical therapy emphasis is to qualify graduates of the program as candidates for the professional DPT degree. In addition to the baccalaureate degree, students applying for the DPT program must meet specific grade point averages, have designated prerequisite courses, observe in the clinic, and take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The BS in Health Science with pre-physical therapy emphasis does not prepare a graduate for licensure or employment as a physical therapist or a physical therapist assistant.
Students who are interested in applying to the UCA professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program are encouraged to pursue the BS in Health Science with a pre-physical therapy emphasis. This degree is specially designed to assist students completing prerequisite course work to obtain a baccalaureate degree in order to meet application requirements for the professional DPT program. For more information on the professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, the student is referred to the UCA Graduate Bulletin.
The BS in Health Science degree with an emphasis in pre-physical therapy requires a total of 124 semester credit hours, of which 30 credits must be in residence at UCA and 40 credits must be upper division. Degree requirements are as follows (see individual departments for course descriptions):
[4.1] General Education Requirements (47 hours)
Pre-physical therapy majors must include the following courses in their general education selections: MATH 1390, PSYC 1300, BIOL 1440, and CHEM 1450 or CHEM 1402.
[4.2] Other Required Courses (43-44 hours)
CHEM 1451 or CHEM 2450
BIOL 2406 & BIOL 2407
CSCI 1300 or MIS 2343
H SC 3123
WRTG 3310
PHYS 1410 and 1420
BIOL 3370
BIOL 4311 or BIOL 4351
PSYC elective
BIOL 2420
Statistics (PSYC 2330 or MATH 2311 or SOC 2321 or ECON 2330).
[4.3] Guided Electives (21 hours: 7 courses from the following):
H ED 3320 Epidemiology Research
H ED 4301 Health Education in the Medical Care Setting
H ED 4302 Health Education in the Worksite
H ED 4312 Drug Education
H ED 4343 Health Strategies for Multicultural Populations
MKTG 4360 Health Care Marketing
MKTG 4361 Marketing Planning for Health Care Organizations
KPED 3363 Adapted Physical Education
KPED 3331 Care and Prevention of Exercise and Sport Injuries
KPED 4300 Exercise Physiology
PSYC 3325 Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 3350 Psychology of Women
PSYC 3360 Social Psychology
PSYC 4320 Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 4325 Physiological Psychology
SOC 3350 The Family
SOC 3381 Death and Dying
SOC 4331 Social Gerontology
SOC 4334 Medical Sociology
SOC 4335 Health Organizations
FACS 3370 Advanced Nutrition
H ED 3305 Human Sexuality
H ED 4395 Contemporary Health Concerns - Women
MGMT 2300 Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship
PTHY 4183 Directed Study in Physical Therapy
PTHY 4283 Directed Study in Physical Therapy
PTHY 4383 Directed Study in Physical Therapy
SOC 3310 Minority Relations
SOC 3360 Self and Society
SOC 3361 Gender Roles
[4.4] Additional Electives (13 hours)
A maximum of 4 hours may be physical education activities courses.
[5] Courses in Physical Therapy (PTHY)
Follow this link for PTHY course descriptions: course link.