NC · Campus
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC · Accreditation
Application cycle: 2026-2027 · Directory checked 2026-10-29
Application timing
Final Deadline: October 1, 2026 · Rolling admissions: No · Additional timing instructions on the source page.
A past date remains past; no date is advanced to a future year. Confirm whether the program requires submission, completion, or verification by its deadline.
Observation experience
40 minimum hours; licensed PT verification required; 120 hours recommended. Additional program-specific setting, timing, or documentation rules are published; review the linked source.
View observation settings and accepted experience
PT Experience Acceptable Individuals to Observe
| Experience | Policy | Min. hours | Max. hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist (PT) | Required | 40 | 120 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) | Not Accepted | — | — |
| Other | Not Accepted | — | — |
PT Experience: Type
| Experience | Policy | Min. hours | Max. hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| In Person | Accepted/Considered | 40 | 120 |
| Virtual/Telehealth | Accepted/Considered | 40 | 120 |
| Hybrid In-Person/ Virtual | Accepted/Considered | 40 | 120 |
PT Experience: Recognition
| Experience | Policy | Min. hours | Max. hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid | Accepted/Considered | 40 | 120 |
| Volunteer | Accepted/Considered | 40 | 120 |
PT Experience: Setting Inpatient
| Experience | Policy | Min. hours | Max. hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute Care Hospital | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Nursing Home/ Skilled Nursing Facility/ Extended Care Facility | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Rehabilitation/ Sub-acute Rehabilitation | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Other Inpatient Facility | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
PT Experience: Setting Outpatient
| Experience | Policy | Min. hours | Max. hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free-standing PT or Hospital Clinic | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Home Health | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Industrial/ Ocupational Health | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| School/ Pre-school | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Wellness/ Prevention/ Fitness Facility | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Other Outpatient Facility | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
PT Experience: Setting Other
| Experience | Policy | Min. hours | Max. hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attended PT Session as Patient | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Attended PT Session w/ Family Member | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Observe Non-PT/PTA Healthcare Provider | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Special Olympics Volunteer | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| HOSA: Future Health Professionals PT Competitive Event Participant | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
| Other | Accepted/Considered | — | — |
Blank hour limits are unspecified. Narrative conditions may further restrict these categories.
Hours alone do not establish eligibility. Check accepted settings, supervision, verification and completion timing.
GRE
Required
Save program & plan →Tuition and published program costs
Official 2026 financial fact sheet; entering-cohort estimates publishes tuition-only program estimate(s). Published tuition: $25,902.28 In-state (published program total, 2026 financial fact sheet; entering-cohort estimates); $70,516.28 Out-of-state (published program total, 2026 financial fact sheet; entering-cohort estimates).
Rate period: 2026 financial fact sheet; entering-cohort estimates
- Published tuition-only estimates; institutional fees, insurance, program expenses and living costs are separate. Future years are estimates, not guaranteed charges. Review scope is the tuition row, not the entire financial sheet. The institution name remains a template placeholder inside the PDF; identity is supported by the official program link and hosting university.
PTCAS COMBINED PROGRAM COST
- In-state
- $52,093
- Out-of-state
- $96,708
Full-program tuition, fees and other program costs combined; not tuition alone or a complete living-cost budget. Reported in cycle 2026-2027; the rate year is not separately specified. Do not substitute this figure for tuition in your budget.
Published prerequisites
Review the official source for minimum grades, outstanding-course limits, substitutions and course recency exceptions.
4 semester credits; Lab: required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
A&P: COMBINED Course (eg. A&P); A&P: SEPARATE courses; A&P: Human; A&P: Advanced
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
4 semester credits; Lab: required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
Biology: Cell; Biology: Embryology; Biology: General I; Biology: General; Biology: Microbiology; Biology: Molecular; Biology: Zoology
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
4 semester credits; Lab: required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
Biology: Cell; Biology: Embryology; Biology: General II; Biology: General; Biology: Microbiology; Biology: Molecular; Biology: Zoology; Biology: Advanced; Biology: Genetics; Biology: General I; Biology: Immunology
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
4 semester credits; Lab: required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
Chemistry: Biochemistry; Chemistry: Inorganic; Chemistry: Organic; Chemistry I
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
4 semester credits; Lab: required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
Chemistry: Biochemistry; Chemistry: Inorganic; Chemistry: Organic; Chemistry II; Chemistry: Advanced
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
3 semester credits; Lab: recommended; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
Exercise Physiology
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
4 semester credits; Lab: required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
Physics I
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
4 semester credits; Lab: required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
Physics II
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
4 semester credits; Lab: required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
A&P: COMBINED Course (eg. A&P); A&P: Physiology; A&P: SEPARATE courses; A&P: Human
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
3 semester credits; Lab: not required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
Psychology: Developmental; Psychology: General; Psychology: Life Span Development; Psychology: General I; Psychology: Growth & Development
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
3 semester credits; Lab: not required; Level: General or College; Maximum course age: 7 years; Four-year institution required: no.
Accepted course categories
Biology: Biostatistics; Business: Statistics; Mathematics: Statistics; Psychology: Statistics
Program-specific notes apply; read the prerequisite tab on the official profile.
Accreditation entries linked to this profile
- Western Carolina University — Cullowhee, NC · Accreditation
A shared profile does not establish identical requirements or tuition at every campus. Confirm your intended campus and entry term.
Official sources
PTCAS current-cycle program profile ↗
Institutional prerequisite page linked by PTCAS ↗
CAPTE / APTA accreditation directory ↗