College of Health Sciences
Explore the Doctor ofPhysical Therapy program
Program Highlights
The DPT Program The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) is a 3-year program at the UofM Lambuth campus in Jackson, Tenn. We prepare movement experts to practice across diverse settings, including sports medicine, orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics, and acute care.
The Profession Physical therapists are licensed doctors who optimize quality of life by restoring movement and function. As movement experts, you will work to maintain and improve the ability of patients to lead active, healthy lives.
Career Outlook Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the #3 Best Job in Healthcare, the profession offers a strong career outlook with high projected growth. Our graduates are prepared for autonomous clinical practice and success on the National Physical Therapist Exam (NPTE) required for licensure.
View AdmissionsAbout
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program:
- is a 120-credit-hour program including didactic/classroom-based instruction, skills/laboratory experiences and clinical education in the clinical environment.
- consists of a lockstep, cohort-based program that offers a curriculum emphasizing foundational sciences, clinical sciences, practice-based courses and clinical experiences to provide graduates with the cognitive, psychomotor and affective skills to competently practice physical therapy.
- emphasizes a focus on research methods and evidence-based practice in keeping with the University of Memphis R1 designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions in Higher Education.
- underscores rural healthcare and social determinants of health to mitigate the healthcare disparities in rural and underserved communities.
- provides several opportunities to complete a clinical experience in a variety of clinical settings locally in the West Tennessee region and beyond.
- provides interprofessional opportunities to work collaboratively with other student
healthcare professional programs, such as physical therapist assistants, nursing,
speech and language pathology, clinical nutrition, psychology and medical social work
to gain valuable experience working as part of a healthcare team.
Mission, Vision + Values
We adhere to the mission, vision and values set forth by the University of Memphis and the College of Health Sciences supplemented by a mission, vision and values specific to the DPT program.
Mission
The mission of the DPT program is to improve societal health and optimize movement through the education of autonomous physical therapist professionals who lead in the advancement of knowledge, research, and clinical practice in rural communities and beyond.
Vision
The DPT program vision is to become a nationally recognized Doctor of Physical Therapy program transforming physical therapy to elevate the human experience of society.
Values
We embrace the following values that are embedded within our culture, guide our work and inform our expectations of faculty, staff and students.
Accountability
Be responsible and accountable for actions and ideas
Collaboration
Work together to engage in impactful learning and research to improve physical therapy
practice
Communication
Respond to students and colleagues rapidly and professionally
Excellence
Demonstrate excellence in all we do
Innovation
Seek opportunities to advance fields of study, using traditional and innovative approaches
Integrity
Maintain high ethical and moral standards in personal and professional conduct
Research
Advance fields of societal health, movement science, and education
Respect
Maintain respect for all, despite differences
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.