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, a 3-year program offered at the UofM Lambuth campus in Jackson, Tenn., prepares you to practice 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 the patient's ability to move, function and lead more active lives.

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.

About

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

Our mission is to educate physical therapists on optimizing human movement through cutting-edge research and innovative teaching, focusing on improving care in rural and diverse communities.

Vision

We aspire to become a nationally recognized Doctor of Physical Therapy educational program driving transformative change in the practice of physical therapy to elevate the human experience.

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

Respect
Maintain respect for all, despite differences

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.