The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education programs.

Although appointed by the APTA Board of Directors, CAPTE functions independently in all its actions, including program accreditation status decisions. Physical therapy education accreditation is a peer review mechanism designed to assure educational quality.

Mission

The mission of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education is to serve the public by establishing and applying standards that assure quality and continuous improvement in the entry-level preparation of physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, and that reflect the evolving nature of education, research, and practice.

Scope

CAPTE accredits first professional (entry-level) programs in the U.S. for the physical therapist at the master's and doctoral degree levels and programs for the physical therapist assistant at the associate degree level. CAPTE also accredits two physical therapist education programs in Canada and one in Scotland.

Recent Actions by CAPTE
CAPTE meets twice a year (April and October) to review physical therapist and physical therapist assistant education programs. A list of CAPTE's most recent actions can be accessed here.

Upcoming On-site Visits
As part of the accreditation process, CAPTE conducts site visits to developing and accredited programs. To review the list of programs with scheduled on-site review visits, click PT or PTA. If you would you like to provide written comments to CAPTE about programs that are up for review, click here.

CAPTE Status Definitions

List of Commissioners

Staff Contact List

[Last updated: 07/06/09 | Contact: accreditation@apta.org]