Augustana University
2001 S. Summit Avenue Sioux Falls South Dakota 57197 United States
Bachelors Degree Required
Bachelor's degree required prior to matriculation into PT program?
Yes
Course Prerequisites
General Information
The Augustana DPT program does not require a specific undergraduate major of study. Undergraduate coursework in specific areas that provide a foundation for graduate study in physical therapy are required, with other courses being strongly recommended. The strongest applicants will have taken all the required prerequisite courses, and several of the recommended courses prior to entering the program. 

Anatomy and Physiology coursework must have been completed within 10 years of matriculation into the DPT program, OR applicants must provide evidence of relevant and ongoing work experiences in the topic area that have kept their knowledge current. However, applicants are strongly recommended to take refresher courses as needed to ensure they are well-prepared for the accelerated nature of the DPT program. 

Required prerequisite courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C or higher in each course and a prerequisite course GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale. 

Conditional acceptance may be granted if prerequisite coursework is in progress, with full admission granted pending course completion. 

For prerequisite courses that are repeated, prerequisite GPA will be determined using the highest grade recorded on the transcript; however, both grades, if registered on the transcript, will be calculated into the cumulative GPA.

Pass/fail grades given for prerequisite courses due to COVID-19 related circumstances, will not be included in the prerequisite GPA calculation. Prerequisite courses with a fail grade on a pass/fail system will not be accepted towards course requirements.

AP courses taken in high school that are accepted by the student's undergraduate program to fulfill degree requirements will count towards pre-requisite requirements so long as they appear on the undergraduate transcript.

Courses that meet multiple criteria may be considered for multiple topic areas (e.g., Exercise Physiology could count towards additional Biology/Physiology, Exercise Science, and Highly Recommended courses, and could even fulfill the Writing Course requirement if your course included a major writing project).

Preference points for admission will be awarded to applicants who have completed highly recommended courses (list below) with a grade of B or higher. 
Exercise Physiology
Biomechanics
Motor Control & Motor Learning
Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry
Genetics
Computer and Data Science
Communications/Public Speaking
Ethics, Medical Ethics, Bioethics
Nutrition
Health & Wellness, Community Health, Population Health
Developmental Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Sports Psychology
Research Methods, Experimental Design
Anatomy and/or Physiology (A&P) course prerequisites MUST be completed in biology, neuroscience, anatomy, or integrated physiology department
No
Anatomy & Physiology I
Coursework older than 10 years will not be accepted
Anatomy & Physiology I - structure and function of the human body at the tissue, organ and system level and function, integration, and coordination of the organ systems of the human body, homeostatic control mechanisms, basic human physiological responses. Students are required to have one term of Human Anatomy with lab AND one term of Hyman Physiology with lab OR two terms of Combined Anatomy & Physiology (I & II) with labs. Anatomy and Physiology coursework must have been completed within 10 years of matriculation into the DPT program, OR applicants must provide evidence of relevant and ongoing work experiences in the topic area that have kept their knowledge current. However, applicants are strongly recommended to take refresher courses as needed to ensure they are well-prepared for the accelerated nature of the DPT program.
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • A&P: COMBINED Course (eg. A&P)
Anatomy & Physiology II
Coursework older than 10 years will not be accepted
Anatomy & Physiology II - structure and function of the human body at the tissue, organ and system level and function, integration, and coordination of the organ systems of the human body, homeostatic control mechanisms, basic human physiological responses. Students are required to have one term of Human Anatomy with lab AND one term of Hyman Physiology with lab OR two terms of Combined Anatomy & Physiology (I & II) with labs. Anatomy and Physiology coursework must have been completed within 10 years of matriculation into the DPT program, OR applicants must provide evidence of relevant and ongoing work experiences in the topic area that have kept their knowledge current. However, applicants are strongly recommended to take refresher courses as needed to ensure they are well-prepared for the accelerated nature of the DPT program.
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • A&P: COMBINED Course (eg. A&P)
Biology / Biological Science
Additional Physiology or Biology Course - Preferred content should include the study of biological or physiological processes beyond basic introductory coursework. Acceptable courses for fulfilling this requirement will typically have General Biology or Human Physiology as a prerequisite and will build on topics introduced in those courses. Any Physiology or Biology course beyond introductory level will be accepted
Course Level
Upper Division
Lab Required
Not Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • Biology: Advanced
  • Biology: Any
  • Biology: Cell
  • Biology: Embryology
  • Biology: General II
  • Biology: Genetics
  • Biology: Histology
  • Biology: Immunology
  • Biology: Microbiology
  • Biology: Molecular
  • Biology: Zoology
Biology I
Biology - The study of genetic, ecological, and evolutionary concepts, major taxonomic groupings of plants and animals, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the physiological processes responsible for control and integration in both plants and animals. Should cover principles of biological organization from molecular through ecological levels. Biology I (laboratory required) should include: cellular structure and function, biological molecules, genetics of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, development and physiological processes of plants and animals (reproduction, nutrition, respiration, transport systems)
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • Biology: Any
  • Biology: General
  • Biology: General I
  • Biology: General II
Chemistry I
Chemistry - Introductory level college chemistry courses including study of matter and energy, chemical bonding, reactions, equilibrium, gas laws, thermochemistry, and thermodynamics. Chemistry I (laboratory required) - overview of fundamentals including measurements, atomic, molecular, and electronic structure, bonding, stoichiometry, compounds and chemical reactions, thermochemistry, gases, liquids, and solutions, and nuclear chemistry
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • Chemistry I
  • Chemistry: Any
Chemistry II
Chemistry - Introductory level college chemistry courses including study of matter and energy, chemical bonding, reactions, equilibrium, gas laws, thermochemistry, and thermodynamics. Chemistry II (laboratory required) - overview of fundamentals including physical properties of liquids and solids, chemical kinetics, equilibrium, acids and bases (including buffers), thermodynamics, and electrochemistry.
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • Chemistry II
  • Chemistry: Advanced
  • Chemistry: Any
English Composition / Writing
Composition/Writing - Preferred content should include English language structure, rules of composition and grammar. Any course that includes a focus on written communication (Note: Please provide course description from course catalog or syllabus if course title/number does not clearly indicate writing component)
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Not Applicable
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • Any course that includes a focus on written communication
  • English Composition
  • English Composition I
  • English Composition II
  • English Department Course
  • Technical Writing
  • Writing
Physical Activity or Education
Exercise Science - Preferred content should include an application of foundational principles to human performance as it relates to exercise, injury rehabilitation, training, and/or sport. Any Kinesiology/Exercise Science course will be accepted
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Not Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • A&P: Exercise Physiology
  • Any course offered through Exercise Science or Kinesiology
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Health
  • Nutrition
  • Physical Activity or Education
  • Psychology: Sports
  • Wellness
Physics I
Physics - Introductory level college physics courses including classical physics (fundamental laws of mechanics, heat, electromagnetism, optics, conservation principles), with some exposure to modern physics (relativity, quantum theory, atomic, nuclear, and solid-state physics). Physics I - kinematics and dynamics of particles and systems of particles, including Newton's laws, energy and momentum, rotation, oscillations, and waves.
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Not Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • Physics I
  • Physics: Any
  • Physics: General
Physics II
Physics - Introductory level college physics courses including classical physics (fundamental laws of mechanics, heat, electromagnetism, optics, conservation principles), with some exposure to modern physics (relativity, quantum theory, atomic, nuclear, and solid-state physics). Physics II - electricity and magnetism, electromagnetic devices, electromagnetic behavior of materials, applications to simple circuits, electromagnetic radiation, and an introduction to optical phenomena.
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Not Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • Physics II
  • Physics: Any
  • Physics: General
Psychology
Psychology/Sociology - Preferred content should include study of human behavior at the individual and/or group level with consideration for cultural differences and societal influences. Any Psychology or Sociology course will be accepted
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Not Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • Any Sociology or Psychology course will be accepted
  • Psychology: Abnormal
  • Psychology: Adolescent
  • Psychology: Advanced
  • Psychology: Any
  • Psychology: Child
  • Psychology: Death & Dying
  • Psychology: Developmental
  • Psychology: General
  • Psychology: General I
  • Psychology: General II
  • Psychology: Growth & Development
  • Psychology: Human Behavior
  • Psychology: Life Span Development
  • Psychology: Psychopathology
  • Psychology: Rehabilitation
  • Psychology: Social
  • Psychology: Sports
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Advanced
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Anthropology
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Any
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Community Health
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Criminal Justice
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Cultural Geography
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Ethnic Studies
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Human Sexuality
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Marriage/Family
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Personal Health
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Social Science
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Social Work
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Sociology
  • Social/Behavioral Science: Women’s Studies
Statistics
Statistics - levels of measurement, measures of central tendency, measures of variability, population distributions, inferential statistics, comparison of means, comparison of multiple means, parametric and non-parametric statistics. Any Statistics course will be accepted (Note: Experimental Designs/Research Methods courses must include the statistics concepts listed above.)
Course Level
General or College
Lab Required
Not Required
Credits
Acceptable Courses
  • Any course that covers statistics will be accepted
  • Biology: Biostatistics
  • Business: Statistics
  • Mathematics: Statistics
  • Psychology: Statistics