Pre-Therapy and Allied Health

Kinesiology undergraduate option

A springboard for advanced study

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What is pre-therapy and allied health?

The Pre-Therapy and Allied Health (PTAH) option, within the Oregon State kinesiology major, prepares you for allied health fields such as:

  • Athletic training
  • Medical school
  • Nursing
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physician assistant studies
  • Physical therapy

 

Your career of caring starts with our pre-professional program

Help athletes get back in the game as an athletic trainer. Support patients as they develop skills needed for everyday life as an occupational therapist.

Pre-professional programs, like PTAH, will prepare you for applying to professional degree programs in your chosen allied health field.

Sample schedule

Picture life as a kinesiology student.

Explore courses

Required classes for kinesiology majors.

Talk with a current student

Have questions? Our peer advisors are here to help.

Student success

Advising and resources you can access as a student.

Your experience in a pre-professional program

If you choose the PTAH option, you’ll get hands-on experience related to the allied health professions in your classroom and in clinical and/or community environments.

Experience the clinical aspects of your area of interest, such as physical and occupational therapy, under the supervision of a licensed professional via the Pre-Therapy/Allied Health Practicum.  

Select courses related to your interests, such as medical ethics.  

You will also participate in the Pre-Therapy/Allied Health Seminar to help you prepare for professional school.

How to pursue the PTAH option

After you’ve completed Anatomy and Physiology, you must also achieve:

  • A minimum of 90 credits completed
  • A minimum 3.0 overall GPA (transfer + OSU)
  • No grade less than “C” in any anat/phys course (and KIN 132 if taken)
  • A minimum cumulative 2.7 GPA in the anat/phys series

Once you meet these requirements, you can complete the application to add the PTAH option in KIN.

Come here for pre-med, nursing or allied health

The College of Public Health and Human Sciences is the place to start your journey to becoming a doctor, nurse or physical therapist.

Kinesiology and public health have pre-medicine/nursing/pre-professional prerequisites built into the curriculum.

For nutrition or human development and family sciences, you can choose to integrate the prerequisites into your coursework.

See how current students are supported on their path to pre-med or pre-health professions.

What will you do with a pre-professional program

The PTAH option, within the kinesiology major, sets you on a trajectory to improve lives — no matter where your unique interests lie.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, allied health care jobs are expected to grow 15-37% from 2016-2026.

 

Start with the pre-therapy and allied health option and become:

*May require post-baccalaureate/graduate/professional education or additional certifications/credentials to qualify for employment.

 

  • Athletic Trainer*
  • Occupational Therapist*
  • Physical Therapist*
  • Physical Therapy Aide
  • Physician Assistant*
  • Nursing*
  • Physician*

Casey Collier, ‘19

“I absolutely use what I learned in my kinesiology program every day because I’m working with patients one-on-one, helping them recover from injuries and regain function.

Everything from the biomechanical to the psychological side of things that I’ve learned may apply, which is great.”