College of Health Sciences
DPT Admissions
Minimum Requirements
- U.S. bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) awarded or expected within one term of enrollment.
- Official transcripts from all higher education institutions attended.
- Two letters of recommendation: one academic source and one from a supervisor/source who has observed your professional behavior.
- Responses to application essay questions.
- Competitive GRE score on verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections.
- Clinical Observation: Minimum of 40 hours in a PT practice setting; a variety of settings (hospital, outpatient, pediatrics, etc.) is highly recommended.
Transfer Credit Statement: The DPT program does not accept transfer credit from any other DPT program at this time.
Academic Prerequisites
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in prerequisite coursework is required. All courses must be "C" or better prior to enrollment.
- Biological Sciences (8 hrs): Cell structure, function, heredity, development, evolution, and ecology.
- Anatomy & Physiology (8 hrs): Human, mammalian, or vertebrate with lab.
- Chemistry (8 hrs): Atomic theory, bonding, thermodynamics, and equilibrium.
- Physics (8 hrs): Mechanics, heat, sound, magnetism, electricity, light, and modern physics.
- Behavioral Sciences (6 hrs): Includes General Psych plus one additional human behavior course (Sociology, Anthropology, etc.).
- Statistics (3 hrs): Frequency distributions, linear regression, and hypothesis testing.
- Math (3 hrs): Pre-calculus or higher.
*Note: There is no credit hour limit on grade forgiveness for repeated prerequisite courses.
Technology Specs (Laptops Required)
- Windows: Windows 11, Intel i5+, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage.
- Mac: macOS 10.14+, M1 or i5+, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage.
- Hardware: Webcam required; tablets/Chromebooks are not substitutes for onsite exams.
Out-of-state Scholarships
Qualifying students (3.5+ cumulative GPA) are eligible for a tuition difference scholarship reducing fees to the in-state rate. Not available internationally.
Articulation Agreements
Formal agreements for enhanced interview consideration exist with:
- University of Memphis
- Union University
- Lane College
- LeMoyne-Owen College
International Students
Must have transcripts evaluated by WES. English Proficiency required: TOEFL (80 online/550 in-person), IELTS (6.5), PTE (59), or DET (110).
What to expect
Graduate School OverviewChoosing a graduate program—especially one as intensive as ours—is a significant decision. We are committed to transparency throughout the end-to-end application process. While timelines may vary by applicant, you can find personalized updates and detailed information within your application portal and through official university communications.
Apply
Gather all you materials and apply to the program (GRE code 1662) through your PTCAS portal. All information is then communicated to the UofM DPT admissions team and you can expect a post-submission email confirming your application.
PTCASInterview
Articulation AgreementsIf you are qualified and selected to move forward, the next step is an interview with our admissions team. A member of our staff will contact you via email to announce your selection and begin the scheduling process.
offer of admission
Students who are selected to move on from the interview round will receive an offer of admission in the form of a letter and an email.
Next StepsCelebrate
All admitted domestic students will receive a welcome package filled with exclusive university gear and helpful resources. We encourage you to share your achievement on social media—don’t forget to tag us so we can celebrate your hard work with you!
Complete Next steps
We can't wait to welcome you to our Lambuth campus, located in the cozy city of Jackson, Tenn! Complete your final steps to save your seat and get ready for the next three years of mentorship, growth and fun!
Get in touch
We're here for all your questions.
Jacque Bradford
Program Director
jacque.bradford@memphis.edu731.425.7310
Accreditation
Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states. Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT; www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT's website).
The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085
Phone: 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org
The University of Memphis is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist education program from CAPTE. On October 31, 2025, the program submitted an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted Candidate for Accreditation status. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the professional phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional courses until Candidate for Accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.
Initial Accreditation Timeline: Following the submission of the Application for Candidacy, CAPTE will meet as a board in April 2026 for a formal candidacy decision. Pending the approval of candidacy status for the program, conditional acceptance offers will become formal in May 2026, and students may begin to enroll in the professional DPT program. After the first two years of the professional DPT program, CAPTE will make a final decision on program initial accreditation in April 2029, just prior to graduation. Pending the approval of initial accreditation status for the program, graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the licensure exam as early as July 2029 based on the FSBPT testing schedule.