Department of Physical Therapy

​​Accreditation Status

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Sam Houston State University is approved by the Texas State University System, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The program is seeking accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). CAPTE’s decision on Candidate for Accreditation status is expected in May 2027, and every offer of admission to the charter class depends on that decision.

Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org 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).

Sam Houston State University is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist education program from CAPTE. On November 1, 2026, 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.

The candidacy decision is expected in May 2027, before classes begin in August 2027. The on-site review for initial accreditation will take place in the charter class's penultimate term, fall 2029, and the initial accreditation decision is expected at CAPTE's next regularly scheduled meeting, in spring 2030. The charter class is scheduled to graduate in May 2030, and the first National Physical Therapy Examination administration for which graduates would be eligible is the July 2030 fixed-date administration.