Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Available at the University of Memphis Lambuth campus beginning Fall 2026, pending candidacy for accreditation.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree program is a 3-year program within the College of Health Sciences that provides you with the opportunity to pursue your interest in practicing in the field of physical therapy across clinical settings including sports medicine, orthopedics, neurology, pediatrics, inpatient acute care and more.

Physical therapists are licensed doctors who work with multiple patient populations impacted by disease, injury and movement dysfunction, and are referred to as movement experts. They optimize quality of life by maintaining, restoring and improving patient's ability to move, function and live more active lifestyles.

The outlook for a career as a physical therapist is strong. U.S. News & World Report listed physical therapist as the #3 "best job" in healthcare and #6 overall, based on number and percentage of projected openings from 2021 to 2031 as determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Upon completing the DPT program, you will be well prepared for autonomous physical therapy clinical practice and success on the National Physical Therapist Exam necessary for licensure.

For more info:
Jacque Bradford | Program Director
jacque.bradford@memphis.edu
731.425.7310

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) cohort 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) or specific state boards. A list of state boards and contact information is available on the FSBPT website.

The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085
703.706.3245 | accreditation@apta.org

The University of Memphis is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist education program from CAPTE. The program plans to submit an Application for Candidacy, which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage, in Nov. 2025. 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.