Doctor Of Physical Therapy Program At University Of The Cumberlands Receives Candidate For Accreditation Status

By Press release submission

Nov 24, 2022

The new Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at University of the Cumberlands recently received Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation on Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Classes for the DPT program begin January 2023, with students able to finish their degree in just six semesters. Consideration for admission in January is open through December 2nd. To apply, visit www.ucumberlands.edu/apply.

“We are excited to earn this candidate for accreditation status and begin offering this new program to students,” said Vicki LaFay, PT, DPT, PhD, who is chair and director for the University of the Cumberlands’ DPT program. “There is a need for highly skilled physical therapists who can knowledgeably and compassionately optimize the health and well-being of their patients and clients. We look forward to helping students accomplish that through an innovative, career-focused education. We seek to share our deep commitment to the profession and prepare PTs who can meet the needs of rural and medically underserved communities in the local Appalachian region and beyond.”

Dr. Larry Cockrum, president of the university, added, “We as a university have worked hard to align our programs with careers that have proven outcomes, and doing so in ways that make our programs more affordable and attainable than most others of this caliber. We continue to provide high-quality curricula at lower costs so that more students can get an education, get to work, and start changing their lives and the lives of those around them.”

This 2-year, full-time DPT curriculum at Cumberlands is delivered in a hybrid format that includes instruction online, on-campus, and in physical therapy settings. University of the Cumberlands DPT graduates will be prepared to integrate mind, heart, and hands, collaborating with healthcare teams to improve patient and community health. To learn more about University of the Cumberlands’ DPT program, visit www.ucumberlands.edu/academics.

University of the Cumberlands DPT program applicants must have completed a baccalaureate degree prior to matriculation. There is not a required major. The Doctor of Physical Therapy program is open on a competitive basis to applicants who meet admissions requirements. The program is focused on individualized student-focused learning with cohorts of only 30 students for each class. To apply for the program, visit www.ucumberlands.edu/apply.

Per the CAPTE’s Summary of Action: Effective October 25, 2022, the University of the Cumberlands Physical Therapy Program has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). Candidate for Accreditation is an accreditation status of affiliation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education that indicates the program may matriculate students in technical/professional courses. Achievement of Candidate for Accreditation status does not assure that the program will be granted Initial Accreditation.

The DPT program will be evaluated for Initial Accreditation status in the second year of the first cohort (2024). Notification regarding Initial Accreditation is anticipated to be received prior to graduation of the first cohort which will be December 2024. Graduates of the first cohort will be able to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as early as January 2025.