|
|
2025-2026 GRADUATE CATALOG {Editing in Progress}
Doctor of Physical Therapy
|
|
 Return to: Degree Programs (All Programs)
After completing the physical therapy curriculum, students will:
- Have a detailed understanding of rural healthcare and what a physical therapist might need to consider when practicing in a rural environment
- Exhibit an integrated understanding of biological, physiological, behavioral and clinical sciences into evidence-based physical therapy practice
- Demonstrate professional conduct and behaviors consistent with the legal and ethical practice of physical therapy.
- Display cultural sensitivity, compassion and respect in all interactions with patients, family members, fellow professionals, students and others.
- Critically appraise existing sources of evidence to enhance delivery of care, management of practice and theoretical and scientific bases for physical therapy practice.
- Assess and evaluate patients/clients to determine appropriate treatment and/or referral for healthcare services.
- Provide patient/client diagnosis and prognosis through the evaluation and interpretation of results of a patient/client examination or re-examination.
- Make clinical decisions using critical appraisal, self-reflection and evidence-based practice.
- Promote a preventative health and wellness mindset for patients/clients to reduce and prevent disease within the scope of physical therapy practice.
- Advocate for patient/client and profession
- Demonstrate effective leadership in supervision, delegation and mentoring within the profession of physical therapy.
|
Admission Standards and Procedures
Admission Requirements - Applications will be submitted through the Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (PTCAS).
- A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
- A competitive score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test (verbal and quantitative) is required. Test scores must be sent directly to Graduate Admissions by the testing agency. The University of Memphis institution code number for reporting ETS scores is R-1459.
- Two letters of recommendation from college or employment professionals familiar with the applicant’s academic background or experience in the workforce or community service. One of the letters must be composed by a college-level instructor within your major/minor area of study or from one of your prerequisite courses.
- Minimum of 40 clinical observation hours in a physical therapy practice setting. Experience in a variety of physical therapy practice settings is highly recommended (hospital-based, outpatient orthopedics, pediatrics, skilled nursing facility, aquatics, etc.).
- Prerequisite courses required for admissions include:
- Biology I and II + labs (8 credit hours)
- Chemistry I & II + Labs (8 credit hours)
- Physics I & II + Labs (8 credit hours)
- Anatomy and Physiology I & II + Labs (8 credit hours)
- Behavioral Sciences (6 credit hours)
- Math - pre-calculus level or higher (3 credit hours)
- Statistics (3 credit hours)
International Students Requirement
For International Students and not native speakers of English there is an English proficiency requirement. - Non-US Institutions- Degrees from non-US institutions will be considered with a WES evaluation sent to PTCAS. However, GPAs will be calculated solely on US coursework from regionally accredited institutions.
- All applicants who will be attending the University on a visa and who are not native speakers of English and are not graduates of the University of Memphis must supply a minimum score of 80 on the internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL/iBT), 220 on the computer-based test, and 550 on the paper-based test (TOEFL/PBT). The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) will also be acceptable in lieu of the TOEFL with a minimum acceptable score of 6.5.
Retention Requirements
A student will be retained continuously in the program until completion of the degree providing the following conditions are met: - All students will be required to maintain a GPA of at least 3.0. Should the student’s GPA fall below that mark, a probationary period of one semester will be allowed to correct the deficiency.
- Students will be expected to demonstrate satisfactory progress in fulfilling the graduation requirements outlined below.
Graduation Requirements
The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program requires three comprehensive examinations and two observed structured clinical examinations (OSCEs): - Year 1 Comprehensive Exam and OSCE I: The Year 1 Comprehensive Exam includes all coursework and content covered during the first year in the DPT program. The first OSCE will comprehensively assess skills taught during the first year in the program. Students must pass both exams to progress in the DPT program.
- Year 2 Comprehensive Exam and OSCE II: The Year 2 Comprehensive Exam includes all coursework and content covered during the first and second year in the DPT program. OSCE II will comprehensively assess skills taught during the first two years in the DPT program. Students must pass both exams to progress in the DPT program.
- Licensure Practice Test: All DPT students satisfactorily complete the physical therapy licensure practice test determined by the program. Upon satisfactory completion of the licensure practice exam, the “Licensure Preparation Results” Form must be completed by the student’s Faculty Advisor and returned to the Program Director. Thereafter, the Program Director will submit approval to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy to sit for the National Physical Therapy Licensure Exam.
Residency Requirements
Students must commit to full-time study for all DPT coursework after admission to the degree program to fulfill the residency requirement. The program is a 2-year 9-month lockstep program that includes 120 semester hours and 37 weeks of full-time clinical experiences. Core Courses – The following courses are required:
The Doctor of Physical Therapy program consists of a plan of study with an August start date and a May graduation date. |
Return to: Degree Programs (All Programs)
|
|
