Choosing an undergraduate degree to pursue in university can be daunting. There are many factors that can go into that decision, but if you know exactly what career you want to pursue, that decision can become much easier. There are a number of undergraduate majors that would be excellent preparation for getting into Physiotherapy School. Before we dive into this article, it’s important to note that there are no undergraduate majors or degrees that are specifically required for admission to physiotherapy programs in Canada, nor are specific undergraduate majors or degrees given more consideration. In this article we will discuss the top 5 majors for physiotherapy, taking into consideration coursework within the degree requirements that meet physiotherapy program prerequisite coursework, degrees that include coursework that would be beneficial for physiotherapy school, and degrees where students may acquire transferable knowledge and skills to physiotherapy practice.

Kinesiology / Human Kinetics

Kinesiology is a branch of science which studies movement. Within a university kinesiology program, students will gain a broad understanding of the human body, human movement, and physical activity from a physiological, biomechanical, psychological, and societal perspective. A degree in kinesiology is one of the most common undergraduate degrees for physiotherapy students and registered physiotherapists in Canada. Due to the curricular requirements and closely related areas of study, an undergraduate major in Kinesiology helps create an excellent transition to physiotherapy school.

Common coursework which meets PT school prerequisites

Prospective physiotherapy school applicants with an undergraduate major in Kinesiology would have likely completed many physiotherapy school course requirements during their Kinesiology degree as many of the prerequisite requirements for physiotherapy school programs are covered in the core coursework of most Kinesiology programs. This includes courses in anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, statistics, research methods, psychology, and sciences (biology, chemistry, physics). With so much of the physiotherapy prerequisite coursework already completed during their undergraduate program, Kinesiology majors have a much easier path to apply to physiotherapy programs in comparison to most graduates with a different undergraduate major.

Coursework which would be beneficial for PT school

Many Kinesiology programs offer mandatory and elective courses which can help you get a head start in physiotherapy school classes. These can include more advanced anatomy and physiology courses, courses on athletic injuries, strength training, coaching, counselling, occupational biomechanics, injury prevention, aging, physical activity and health promotion. As you can see, many of the courses within Kinesiology programs are very closely related to coursework within most physiotherapy schools. This is one of the reasons why Kinesiology is one of the best undergraduate majors for physiotherapy school.

Transferable knowledge and skills to PT practice

An undergraduate degree in Kinesiology will give their graduates a broad range of knowledge and skills which can be transferable to physiotherapy practice. The amount of knowledge and skills that are transferable to physiotherapy practice will heavily depend on the elective coursework that students take and the physiotherapy specialty they later pursue. For example, a student who takes an advanced neuroanatomy course would be able to apply the knowledge gained from their undergraduate neuroanatomy course in clinical practice when working with patients with neurological conditions.
Many courses offered within Kinesiology faculties may also have practical components to them. For example, courses in athletic injuries or athletic therapy may teach students sports taping techniques that may be used as a physiotherapist. Strength training or exercise courses may teach students different exercises, how to teach exercises to clients, and how to create an exercise program, which could be used in clinical practice as a physiotherapist. Coaching, counselling, and health promotion courses may teach students how to educate clients and communicate with clients, which is a very important skill for physiotherapists in all areas of practice.
Many of the core coursework within a Kinesiology major can also be very valuable as a physiotherapist. They can provide a foundational base of knowledge that will allow physiotherapists to better understand the human body and pathological conditions that can affect patients. In addition to specific knowledge on the human body and its systems, courses in research methods and statistics can help as a physiotherapist to read, interpret, and conduct research studies. The field of physiotherapy is still very much in its infancy. Research in the field of physiotherapy is continually advancing the profession and helping physiotherapists learn how they can best help their patients. This makes it very important for physiotherapists to be scientifically literate in order to keep up with the ever-changing best practices in physiotherapy. 

Nursing

Nursing may be considered an unconventional undergraduate major for physiotherapists, but it may be one of the best undergraduate programs to not only prepare you for physiotherapy school, but also as a practising physiotherapist. Nursing is a well respected and high-earning profession in its own right. Most nursing students apply to nursing school with the intention of working as a nurse, but some nursing students and nurses later decide that they may prefer to pursue another health care profession. The knowledge and skills students acquire in nursing school and in practice makes nursing one of the best undergraduate majors for physiotherapists, especially those who work in hospitals or with vulnerable patient populations.

Common coursework which meets PT school prerequisites

Prospective physiotherapy school applicants with an undergraduate major in nursing would likely have to complete many physiotherapy school course requirements as “non-nursing electives” during their nursing degree or post-graduation as many of the prerequisite requirements for physiotherapy school programs are not covered in the core coursework of most nursing programs. Anatomy, physiology, psychology, research methods, and statistics, are commonly required courses in nursing programs that would fulfill prerequisite requirements for many of the physiotherapy programs in Canada. Nursing majors should check with the physiotherapy programs they intend to apply to in order to confirm that courses taken within their faculty fulfill the physiotherapy programs requirements or if a substitute must be taken.

Coursework which would be beneficial for PT school

Many of the diseases and conditions nursing majors would have learned in their undergrad are also taught in physiotherapy school. Courses on health assessment, health ethics, inter-professional practice, patient advocacy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, among many other courses may provide valuable knowledge not only in physiotherapy school, but also as a practicing physiotherapist.

Transferable knowledge and skills to PT practice

This is where an undergraduate major in nursing really shines above other majors. Nursing students are taught specific knowledge and skills that will help them as patient-facing healthcare practitioners. One of the unique aspects of nursing studies is that students go on practical placements at hospitals and other healthcare facilities under the supervision of registered nurses, which allows them real life experience working in healthcare and with patients. This experience provides nursing majors who later pursue a career in physiotherapy with confidence in working with patients and a unique perspective and understanding of the medical side of healthcare. Many of the skills that physiotherapists will have to learn on the job while working at an acute care facility, nursing majors would have already potentially acquired during their undergraduate degree or as a working nurse.

Health Science

Health science is a scientific discipline with a focus on human health. Students pursuing a degree in health sciences can expect to learn about a broad range of topics related to health including human disease, disease prevention, health promotion, and health ethics. Students who are interested in learning about human health and pursuing a career in healthcare should consider majoring in health science. Health science is widely regarded as one of the most popular undergraduate majors for medical school applicants and other health-related post-professional programs. 

Common coursework which meets PT school prerequisites

Courses in anatomy, biology, research methods, and statistics which are often part of the mandatory coursework for Health Science majors will help fulfill prerequisites for admission to many physiotherapy programs. The prerequisite requirements for the physiotherapy programs at the University of Toronto and Dalhousie University tend to be quite favourable for students in Health Science programs compared to other programs in Canada.

Coursework which would be beneficial for PT school

The coursework in most Health Science programs will not only help fulfill prerequisite requirements, but also give future physiotherapy students good foundational knowledge for coursework in physiotherapy school. Course work with a focus on health ethics, health promotion, health issues throughout the lifespan, and social and personal determinants of health will help prospective physiotherapy students have prior exposure and background knowledge for many of the topics covered within physiotherapy curricula. As a result of the coursework within a Health Science degree, students coming from a Health Science major may develop a more holistic understanding of health care.

Transferable knowledge and skills to PT practice

The amount of knowledge and skills that are transferable to physiotherapy practice for Health Science majors will heavily depend on the elective coursework that students take during their undergraduate degree. Most courses within Health Science programs typically have a more didactic approach to teaching and learning. This can often limit the amount of transferable skills that students get from their undergraduate degree. Some Health Science programs have begun to offer practicum courses in which students are able to learn through experiential learning working in various healthcare and wellness settings. For all undergraduate students, but particularly those undertaking a Health Science major it is recommended to obtain experience working in various healthcare and wellness settings, in order to explore careers and areas of healthcare that may be of interest to them.

Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behaviour. An undergraduate major in psychology is not as uncommon as you may think. Many physiotherapists who have graduated from a Canadian physiotherapy program completed their undergraduate degree in psychology. Research in the field of physiotherapy is beginning to have a greater understanding and appreciation of how psychological factors can affect people’s health and their rehabilitation. Psychology has become of growing interest to physiotherapists in both clinical practice and in academia due in part to the growth of the biopsychosocial approach to medicine and rehabilitation.

Common coursework which meets PT school prerequisites

Psychology undergraduate programs have a wide range of paths students can take to complete their degree. This makes it difficult to speak on specific coursework that all psychology graduates would take that would be beneficial in physiotherapy school. Prospective physiotherapy applicants pursuing a major in psychology will likely have to complete most of the physiotherapy school prerequisites outside their degree requirement through elective courses.

Coursework which would be beneficial for PT school

A broad understanding in psychology may benefit students in physiotherapy school to understand the importance of psychological factors and how they can affect patients. Psychology majors who pursue a degree path which includes courses in neuroscience, perception, behaviour, or cognition will be better able to grasp how patients with neurological conditions are affected by their condition and will find their prior training to be an advantage in physiotherapy classes covering these concepts. Psychology majors with a strong research background will also find their prior training to be advantageous when performing research coursework and projects in physiotherapy school. In comparison to their Kinesiology major counterparts, psychology majors may find courses focusing on the musculoskeletal system more difficult initially. Formal or informal learning of anatomy and exercise prior to entering physiotherapy school can greatly benefit students whose undergraduate degree may have a lesser focus on the musculoskeletal system.

Transferable knowledge and skills to PT practice

At first glance, it may appear that the knowledge and skills from a psychology degree may not be transferable in physiotherapy practice, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Everyday physiotherapists are interacting with people of all sorts of backgrounds. Learning about human psychology can help prospective physiotherapists gain greater insight and understanding into the clients they may work with, their behaviour, and the motivations behind it. This, in turn, can also help in better communicating with clients. A very important part of being a physiotherapist is the ability to build rapport with patients. The ability to understand patients’ feelings will only serve to make you a better clinician for your patients.

Life Science

Life Science is the study of living organisms such as microorganisms, plants, and animals (including humans). It is not uncommon for physiotherapists and physiotherapy students to have completed their undergraduate degree in Life Science. A degree in Life Science can help students explore different areas of biological systems and factors that affect them such as cardiopulmonary science, neuroscience, toxicology, and more. While at first glance it appears that a degree in Life Science is far removed from physiotherapy, it can provide a good foundational knowledge to understand the conditions physiotherapy patients have, the underlying disease processes, and the  interventions that physiotherapists may use.

Common coursework which meets PT school prerequisites

Life Science is a broad field with many different streams that students can undertake during the course of their undergraduate degree. As a result, the coursework for Life Science major’s can vary a great deal. Most Life Science majors would likely have some coursework in statistics, research methods, and biology which can fulfill many prerequisite coursework requirements at various physiotherapy programs in Canada. The prerequisite requirements for the physiotherapy programs at the University of Toronto and Dalhousie University tend to be more favourable for students in Life Science programs compared to other programs in Canada.

Coursework which would be beneficial for PT school

A degree in Life Science can be a great asset to help prospective physiotherapy students gain good foundational knowledge for coursework in physiotherapy school. This is especially true for students who pursue coursework in biomedicine and neuroscience streams. Courses in physiology, endocrinology, immunology, and development can create a great framework for understanding the causes, disease processes, and clinical presentations of many patients that physiotherapists may see in different settings. Courses with a heavy focus on neuroscience would give future physiotherapy students a strong background for Neurology-related courses in physiotherapy school. 

Transferable knowledge and skills to PT practice

As is the case with many other undergraduate majors, the amount of knowledge and skills that are transferable to physiotherapy practice for Life Science majors will heavily depend on the elective coursework that students take during their undergraduate degree. As previously mentioned, courses with a heavy focus on neuroscience would give students a strong background in neurology that can be useful when working with clients with neurological disorders. The knowledge gained from courses related to biomedicine may help give foundational knowledge and understanding of various diseases that physiotherapy clients may present with. This, in turn, will help make better clinical judgments when taking into account the biological aspects of clients’ conditions, how that can affect their function, and how as physiotherapists we can work within our scope to help our clients. Practical experience in healthcare may be very limited within Life Science programs. It is suggested that Life Science majors obtain experience working in various health care and wellness settings, in order to explore careers and areas of health care that may be of interest to them, and to gain the knowledge and skills to help them throughout their career.

Conclusion

There’s no one single path to become a physiotherapist. Physiotherapists come from all different backgrounds and each bring their own unique strengths to the profession. The reality is the undergrad degree you completed has no impact on physiotherapy programs’ selection of applicants. Physiotherapists with a wide variety of undergraduate degrees get accepted into physiotherapy programs across Canada each year. While some undergrad degrees may fulfill more prerequisite requirements or offer courses that are more closely related to physiotherapy, students with non-traditional degrees can bring new perspectives and unique skills to the profession. If you’re interested in becoming a physiotherapist, it’s recommended that you volunteer with physiotherapists in different areas of practice to get a better idea of where your interests lie. This can help you decide what coursework to pursue in your undergraduate degree to help you become a better clinician in the future if that’s what you choose to pursue.