Physiotherapy MSc (Pre-registration)

Admissions information and advice

We are looking for graduate applicants who have a good understanding of the breadth of the profession and the diverse settings where Physiotherapists may work. We are also looking for applicants who are people-centred, and who have taken time to work or volunteer with people in the community.

We recognise that whilst desirable, gaining work experience or shadowing with a physiotherapist is currently very difficult to obtain. However, applicants can still gain a high level of knowledge of the profession through attending virtual and physical University open days or careers events, talking to qualified Physiotherapists, reading professional publications or researching online. The following websites may provide a helpful starting point: the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Health and Care Professions Council, and Step into the NHS and NHS Careers. There has also been lots of very positive social media and news articles about physiotherapy during the COVID19 pandemic.

If you had planned Physiotherapy work experience and this is still pending when you submit your application, please don't worry. Tell us what you had planned, demonstrate that you have researched the breadth of the profession in other ways and reflect on any alternative relevant experience with people in the community you have had so far.

Personal Statements

Applicants should ensure that their personal statements are focused on clear and focused interest and motivation for becoming a Physiotherapist. Applicants should also be able to:

• Reflect on their life, work and volunteering experiences in relation to their future studies and their career
• Demonstrate team-working and leadership skills; for example in your work, hobbies or sports
• Show clear awareness of the qualities and values that are needed to become a healthcare professional
• Demonstrate strong verbal and inter-personal communication and listening skills
• Work or volunteer with a wide variety of different people as individuals, and provide examples
• Have strong and creative problem solving and thinking skills
• Have made a reasoned career choice for Physiotherapy, articulating clearly their reasons

Students will also be required to sign a Code of Conduct and Fitness to Practice disclosure on commencement of the course.

The University strongly recommends that all students join the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP). Joining this professional body will enable you to access a wide range of academic material that will enhance your learning. Additional benefits include clinical negligence insurance that may be necessary for practice learning in some non-NHS practice placements. Not becoming a member may affect your opportunities to experience the widest range of placements.

Teaching

This MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) course will be delivered full-time over two years, with each year comprising 45 weeks of learning; this is required to incorporate your practice based learning placements. There will be a minimum of 1,000 hours in practice placements, ensuring that you have enough opportunity to achieve a breadth of experience in a variety of settings, such that successful completion will ensure you can practice as an autonomous newly qualified practitioner.

You are taught through a combination of interactive lectures, practical skills sessions and small group seminars. Teaching will include both online (a minimum of 10% each module) and face-to-face teaching methods. Practical sessions are focused on developing physiotherapy specific and professional skills. Seminars enable discussion, developing your understanding of topics covered in lectures.

In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are scheduled on at least 4 occasions in the first year and three occasions in the 2^nd year of the course.

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the graduate attributes that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement.  A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support from Student Services and Library Services, and also the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will help you to flourish and be successful.

Contact time

The MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) programme will be delivered over 2 years and across 45 weeks of the year. In a typical week, students will have around 10-15 contact hours, consisting of a mix of on-campus and some on-line synchronous and asynchronous teaching. The exact blend of on-campus and online teaching will vary between modules; however, students can expect a minimum of 1-1.5 hours of online teaching per week. Students should expect to undertake between 35 and 40 hours of study each week. Full-time practice learning placement equates to 34 hours for practice learning, leaving students with 3.5 hours academic or placement related study per week. 

Independent self study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake around 25-30 hours of personal self-study per week.  Typically, this will involve completing online activities, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library and online, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including The Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources. 

Duration

2 years full-time

Timetables

Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that whilst we try to be as student friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week; and some classes can be scheduled in the evenings.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes senior academics and professional practitioners. Service users and practicing professionals, who may deliver sessions related to their clinical speciality or health condition and experiences, also support your teaching.

Teaching is informed by research and practice. All course lecturers have or are working towards a higher education teaching qualification or are Associate, Fellows or Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles.

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments. 

Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade. Assessment methods include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, presentations and practice assessments. You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. The assessments will take place both within the University and practice placement environments. Practice-based learning will be pass / fail, while the Level 7 academic work will contribute towards the final grade.

Feedback on practical examination performance is available upon request from the module leader. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of submission.  

Programme Specifications

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and the means by which these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest programme specification document.