Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: See fees section below
International/EU: £18,655 per year -
How long will I study?
4 Years
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Where will I study?
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What are the entry requirements?
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What is the UCAS code?
BB18
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When do I start?
September 2025
Course summary
- Acquire skills and knowledge across various physiotherapy specialities.
- Gain expertise in neurology, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular-respiratory physiotherapy.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals for integrated practice in diverse settings.
- Use the principles of exercise, research and physiotherapy to inform your practice.
- Engage in diverse, high-quality practice-based learning opportunities to refine your skills.
Physiotherapists play a crucial role in enhancing health, wellbeing and quality of life through a variety of methods. This course offers you practice-based experience across the four pillars of practice: clinical, research, education and leadership. You’ll also gain the skills to assist and empower individuals affected by injury, illness and disability – enabling them to manage their condition effectively and enhance functional ability.
After graduating, you'll be eligible for the HCPC membership required for practising physiotherapy in the UK.
The Foundation Year course is designed for anyone who feels they would benefit from extra preparation before undertaking degree-level study or who does not meet the entry requirements for the BSc (Hons) course (due to lower predicted grades or lower performance at a selection event). The academic staff leading selection event processes are well placed to advice on the benefits of additional study or wider preparation in advance of joining a degree course.

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How you learn
This challenging and practical course is designed to support and develop independent learning, leading to autonomous practice when you qualify. You’ll have practice-based learning experiences while collaborating with other allied health and social care professionals. This approach will ensure you have a strong identity as a physiotherapist, able to deliver person-centred care with an understanding of how other health and care professionals contribute to the person's journey.
Teaching is based around development of the key transferable skills you’ll need to become a qualified physiotherapist. You’ll undertake practice-based learning experiences in a variety of settings while benefiting from a wide range of teaching and learning methods.
You learn through:
- Practicals, seminars and lectures
- Digitally enabled online materials
- Online webinars
- Practice-based learning experiences
- Peer-supported practice and study
Key Themes
You’ll learn how to use a variety of physical or cognitive modalities. You’ll become a resilient and adaptable physiotherapist who can work in a variety of settings at the forefront of modern healthcare delivery.
Through a structured progression of academic and practice experience you’ll develop the skills to manage a diverse range of health and social care problems. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from, with and about other health and social care students, exploring themes that span boundaries across multidisciplinary team working and education. The course will reflect the cultural diversity within healthcare and practice – identifying global perspectives of health and inequality through a range of inclusive learning and teaching approaches.
The practice-based learning, simulation and practical application to real-world scenarios means you’ll develop your capabilities for highly skilled employment in the current and future workforce. You’ll graduate with a strong professional identity and the skills, knowledge, values, and clinical reasoning ability to work in contemporary and dynamic health and social care environments.
The course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Graduates are eligible to apply to register with the HCPC and apply to become members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. You must be registered with the HCPC to practise as a physiotherapist in the UK.
Course Support
You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate-level employment through several key areas, including:
- Access to specialist support services to help with your personal, academic and career development.
- Access to our Skills Centre with one to ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments
- Industry-specific employability activities such as live projects, learning in simulated environments and networking opp
Course leaders and tutors
Applied learning
Live Projects
You’ll apply the theory you study to develop problem-solving skills in university and practice-based learning experiences. Developing reasoned and ethical approaches to your practice, you’ll prepare to become a life-long, competent professional. These experiences are compulsory to achieve the outcomes which allow you to register with the HCPC to practise physiotherapy in the UK.
You’ll build and apply your skills, grow your confidence and creativity, develop resilience and integrity, and spark your curiosity. The experiences may include simulated learning and virtual placements, alongside real-world experience of services delivered face to face with service users.
We’ll ensure the practice-based learning element of your course complies with the requirements of the Professional and Statutory Regulatory Body (PSRB) which governs the physiotherapy profession. By the end of your course, you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate that you meet the requirements to register as a physiotherapist.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in a wide variety of sectors, including:
- Primary and secondary care
- Occupational health
- Public health
- Sporting environments
- Private practice
- The NHS
- Education
- Research
- Leadership
- Overseas roles (providing you meet the requirements for that country)
- The Armed Forces
- Third-sector organisations e.g. charities
Where will I study?
You study at Collegiate Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
Collegiate campus
Collegiate Campus can be found just off Ecclesall Road, a bustling student district.
Collegiate Campus map | Campus facilities

Collegiate library
Collegiate Library can be found just off Ecclesall Road. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
Most of our on-campus teaching is carried out in and around practical rooms, clinical suites and ward environments – with all the equipment you would find in contemporary clinical and practice-based space.
On this course you work with:
- Specialist modern teaching facilities
- Virtual and augmented reality
- Clinical skills suites, practical rooms and simulated ward environments
- High-tech simulation manikins and equipment
- Purpose-built, integrated teaching areas
We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.
360 tour - physiotherapy facilities
Media Gallery
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 64
This must include at least 24 (Grade D) from one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example:
- DDE at A Level.
- MPP in BTEC Extended Diploma
- Pass overall from a T level qualification with D or E from core
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels and EPQ.
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
GCSE
- Science at grade C or 4 or equivalents*
- Maths at grade D or 4 or equivalents**
- English Language or Literature at grade C or 4 or equivalents***
*GCSE Science equivalents
- OCR Science level 2
- Science units gained on a level 3 BTEC or OCR National Diploma or Extended Diploma qualification
- Science credits gained on Access to Higher Education Diplomas (at least 12 credits at level 2 or 6 credits gained at level 3)
- Science equivalency test from www.equivalencytesting.co.uk
**GCSE Maths equivalents
- Level 2 Key Skills/ Application of Number/ Level 2 Maths credits from an Access course
- Maths equivalency test from www.equivalencytesting.co.uk
***GCSE English equivalents
- Level 2 Literacy
- Level 2 Key Skills
• Access - an Access to HE Diploma from a QAA recognised Access to HE course in a science based subject. Normally we require 15 credits at level 2 and 45 at level 3.
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 7.0 or above, with a minimum score of 6.5 in each skill.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Module Aim
This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of academic, personal, and professional skills that enable transition into Level 4 study and future employability.
The module will be delivered through a combination of face-to-face and digital lectures and seminars, practical's, Academic advising, and simulations.
Indicative content
Content of the module is agile and flexible to allow for changing professional situations and contemporary perspectives. Typical indicative content includes:
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Fundamental principles of health care
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Key organisations, agencies, services, professional bodies.
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Professionalism, Professional standards, and code of conduct/ethics/practice within relevant work-related roles.
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Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
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Academic writing conventions
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Sciences related the 11 health professionals including biology, physics and chemistry.
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All sciences will cover fundamentals and basic overview also exploring links to professional specific knowledge.
Module Aim
In this module you will develop your knowledge and understanding of a range of contemporary issues that currently influence healthcare. It will focus on developing your ability to find, select and apply appropriate research and evidence.
The module will be delivered through workshops and seminars.
Also, Academic advising session within this module.
Indicative content
Content of the module is agile and flexible to allow for changing professional situations and contemporary perspectives. You should be able to:
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Search and identify appropriate evidence.
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Explore issues impacting on Healthcare.
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Identify policies and actions that lead to sustainable healthcare.
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Explore the challenges of working with diverse communities.
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Recognise strategic delivery partners Healthcare.
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Examine the use of interventions to address challenges in healthcare.
Year 2
Compulsory modules
This module introduces you to the biopsychosocial, cognitive, political, economic, and medical factors which influence the health and wellbeing of individuals, diverse populations and communities. You’ll work with peers from other professions to consider how collaborative practice impacts on health and wellbeing outcomes, and helps you thrive in your own professional practice.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Models of care, support and empowerment
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Social capital and cultural humility
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Social accountability and determinants of health
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Safeguarding practice
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Public health agendas, inquiries and evidence-based reports
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Building effective, trusting relationships
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Community profiles and place-based care systems
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Person-centred service delivery
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Behaviour change and microaggressions
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Diversity and inclusion
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The effects of planetary health on wellbeing
Module Aim:
The aim of the module is to develop your knowledge, skills and understanding of anatomy and physiology and principles of physiotherapeutic assessment and clinical reasoning. You will develop your understanding of body systems and normal function to enable you to understand how these inform physiotherapy assessment.
The blended delivery approach will be applied for this module. This involves a range of activities to support and apply learning in large and small group sessions both on campus and online and practical specialist sessions on campus.
Indicative content:
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Introduction to body systems and function
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Anatomy and physiology theory and application
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Movement analysis
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Pathophysiology and dysfunction
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Principles of physiotherapeutic assessment
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Practical and therapeutic handling skills
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Introduction to clinical reasoning
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Principles of professionalism and professional practice and therapeutic relationships
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Guidelines
The aim of this module is to develop your skills to undertake a systematic physiotherapeutic assessment and introduce key theories concepts used across Musculoskeletal, Cardiovascular respiratory and Neurological systems.
You will develop your understanding of the theoretical and practical physiotherapeutic approaches to assessment of different body systems, identification of problems and basic management principles. You will be introduced to common pathologies across these systems and consider how these may impact on clinical assessment findings. You will discuss the process of problem identification and develop your clinical reasoning.
The blended delivery approach will be applied for this module. This involves a range of activities to support and apply learning in large and small group sessions both on campus and online and practical specialist sessions on campus.
Indicative content may include:
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Approaches to practice within different specialities of physiotherapy
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Applied anatomy and physiology of body systems e.g. Musculoskeletal, Neurological and Cardiovascular respiratory
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Common pathologies
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Principles of rehabilitation
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Principles of exercise prescription
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Basic application of clinical reasoning skills to identify problems
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Basic management planning and intervention strategies
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Safety and risk assessment
This module consolidates your progression to graduate-level study and professional practice, reflecting on your role as a professional who delivers safe and effective person-centred care. You’ll be supported to identify influencing factors on your professional practice – developing strategies which support you to thrive personally, professionally and academically.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Reflective practice and writing skills
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Personal and professional development and identity
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Emotional intelligence
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Self-perception, privilege and introduction intersectionality and allyship
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Self-management, feedback and leadership
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Ethics in professional practice
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Communication methods and techniques
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Contemporary policy for professional practice
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Teamwork and collaborating across professional boundaries
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Personal behaviour and self-assessment techniques
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The impact of behaviours, values, research and anti-oppressive and inclusive practice
This module enables you to appreciate the roles and responsibilities of a physiotherapist. You’ll start to develop your knowledge, skills and professional practice by observing practice and taking part in practice learning and simulation activities in a variety of environments.
You’ll apply skills and learning such as:
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The legal and ethical issues related to practice
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The underpinning essentials of assessment strategy
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The rationale, purpose and influences on the assessment process
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Undertaking assessment and person-centred practice
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Communication, planning, goal setting and measurement
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Documentation and record keeping
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Digital technology and systems
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Preparation for practice and practice-based learning
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Collaborative working and reflective practice
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Consent
Year 3
Compulsory modules
This module is your chance to apply your professional knowledge, skills and values in an integrated manner. You’ll work collaboratively with peers from other disciplines to assess, intervene and overcome the challenges of complex health and social care situations – supporting individuals, groups and communities.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Drivers for integrated and person-centred health and social care
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Inter-professional teamworking across multiple service interfaces
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Shared ethical decision-making, collaboration and co-production
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Assessment, treatment planning, evaluation and risk management
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The realities of living with long-term conditions and multi-morbidities
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Mental capacity, best interest assessment, equality and reasonable adjustments
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Resilience, communication, breaking bad news, difficult conversations
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Interpersonal and systemic discrimination in health and social care
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Inclusive language and terminology including challenging microaggressions
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Technology-enabled care and digitalisation within integrated care systems
The aim of this module is to guide students to build upon the foundation of clinical assessment skills in level 4 and to develop clinical reasoning skills that underpin the delivery of effective holistic patient management. The module will equip students with the skills to select and apply carefully chosen interventions and treatments based on problem identification from assessment findings.
The blended delivery approach will be applied for this module. This involves a range of activities to support and apply learning in large and small group sessions both on campus and online and practical specialist sessions on campus.
Indicative content:
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Neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction
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Respiratory dysfunction
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Assessment principles
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Impairment to body structures and function
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Integrated care
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Patient management principles and concepts
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Evidence based practice
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Management interventions
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High prevalence impairments
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Clinical reasoning
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Safety and evaluation
The aim of this module is to guide students to build upon clinical reasoning skills developed at level 5 to select and apply carefully chosen interventions, treatments and exercise prescription based on problem identification from assessment findings. This module will supplement previously learnt impairment-based interventions to integrate specific interventions aimed and evidenced for distinct specific pathologies that lead to complex presentations. It will develop your ability to prescribe and deliver exercise to individuals and groups of patients in varied practice learning experiences.
You will develop underpinning knowledge of common complex clinical presentations across a range of practice settings. Using this knowledge with clinical reasoning and pattern recognition you will be able to apply a range of safe, effective and appropriate physiotherapy treatment and exercise interventions and evaluate their effectiveness using appropriate outcome measures.
The blended delivery approach will be applied for this module. This involves a range of activities to support and apply learning in large and small group sessions both on campus and online and practical specialist sessions on campus.
Indicative content may include:
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Defined musculoskeletal pathologies with high prevalence
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Advanced CVR practice for complex presentations
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Complex neurological presentations
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Neurological treatment adjuncts
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Foundations of therapeutic exercise and physiological response to exercise
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Principles and safe application of exercise prescription for individuals and groups
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Digital technology and adjuncts
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Education advice and health promotion
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Outcome measures
This module introduces you to research and enquiry design and methods. You’ll be able to apply them to an area of investigation – considering factors that impact on literature appraisal – preparing you to undertake and manage an investigation as a professional practitioner.
You’ll study topics such as:
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What makes a good question
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Research design, types of evidence and suitability of methods
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Co-production – patient and public involvement
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Inclusive perspectives of research
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Data collection methods, strengths and weaknesses
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Analysis techniques
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Usefulness/impact and implications for practice
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Ethics and governance
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Sample of existing appraisal tools
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Searching and critically reviewing the literature
This module develops and applies your professional, interpersonal and decision-making skills in a variety of practice environments. You’ll record evidence to support your professional development through portfolio development and action planning.
You’ll apply skills and learning such as:
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Reflective practice
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Planning, organisation and prioritisation of workload
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Modification in response to situations and feedback
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Developing scope of practice
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Adaptive communication strategies and collaborative relationships
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Awareness of clinical governance and wider determinants of health
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Promotion of inclusion and anti-discriminatory behaviour
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Reasoning and application of interventions and intervention planning
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Digital technology and systems
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Developing leadership skills
This module develops and applies your professional, interpersonal and decision-making skills in a variety of practice environments. You’ll record evidence to support your professional development through portfolio development and action planning.
You’ll apply skills and learning such as:
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Reflective practice
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Planning, organisation and prioritisation of workload
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Modification in response to situations and feedback
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Developing scope of practice
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Adaptive communication strategies and collaborative relationships
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Awareness of clinical governance and wider determinants of health
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Promotion of inclusion and anti-discriminatory behaviour
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Reasoning and application of interventions and intervention planning
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Digital technology and systems
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Developing leadership skills
Final year
Compulsory modules
This module develops your systematic understanding of leadership and education concepts in practice. You’ll critically reflect on these in the context of collaboration within health and social care practice – considering how you can effectively support people who use services, their carers and families, and communities who have complex health and care needs to thrive.
You’ll study topics such as:
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Differences between management, leadership and the role of the critical follower
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Leadership theories, models and styles most relevant to health and social care
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Self-awareness and seeing ourselves as leaders
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Recognising our own personal impact, rank, power and privilege
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Professional cultures, traditional hierarchies and becoming an agent of change
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Leading psychologically safe, anti-racist and inclusive teams
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Resilience, volatility and acknowledging the wellbeing needs of the workforce
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Sustainable practice, quality improvement and leadership
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Tackling inequalities in health and social care through advocacy and education
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Technology-enabled care and digitalisation within integrated care systems
This module enhances your holistic approach to management across a range of settings. You’ll evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and further your experience in person, client and project management, developing your autonomy in preparation for qualification.
You’ll apply skills and learning such as:
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Leadership and delegation
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Professional judgement
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Prioritisation, clinical reasoning and decision making
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Holistic approaches to assessment and management
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Adaptation of communication, approaches, behaviour
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Intervention modification
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Psychosocially informed approaches to person management
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Clinical governance and audit
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Critical reflection
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Portfolio development for qualification and employability
This module enhances your holistic approach to management across a range of settings. You’ll evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and further your experience in person, client and project management, developing your autonomy in preparation for qualification.
You’ll apply skills and learning such as:
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Leadership and delegation
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Professional judgement
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Prioritisation, clinical reasoning and decision making
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Holistic approaches to assessment and management.
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Adaptation of communication, approaches, behaviour
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Intervention modification
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Psychosocially informed approaches to person management
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Clinical governance and audit
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Critical reflection
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Portfolio development for qualification and employability
This module aims to enhance your knowledge, skills and understanding of managing complexity in practice, optimisation of care within diverse communities. You will consider evidenced based and best practice in the assessment and management of complex and specialist populations.
The blended delivery approach will be applied for this module. This involves a range of activities to support and apply learning in large and small group sessions both on campus and online and practical specialist sessions on campus.
Indicative content may include:
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Complex and specialist populations/patient groups
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Approaches to advanced practice within different specialities of physiotherapy.
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Clinical reasoning in progression / regression of treatment
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Differential diagnosis
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Digital technology and tools
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Information gathering from wider sources
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Service delivery and complex discharge planning or preventative strategies
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Evidenced based practice – justifying clinical decision making based on evidence or paucity of evidence
This module aims to progress your clinical reasoning and management skills considering complex and specialist populations to develop autonomous practice skills to prepare you for qualified practice. You will consider critical synthesis and application of evidenced based practice in relation to the holistic assessment and management of specialist complex populations including health promotion and education. The content will examine a wide range of pathologies, assessment tools and interventions in relation to advanced physiotherapy practice.
The blended delivery approach will be applied for this module. This involves a range of activities to support and apply learning in large and small group sessions both on campus and online and practical specialist sessions on campus.
Indicative content may include:
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Complex and specialist populations/patient groups
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Adapting and modifying assessment and management in relation to external factors
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Health promotion/education
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Outcome measurements and measuring change
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Psychosocially informed management and impact on outcomes.
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Modifiable and non-modifiable factors
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Working with other professionals with complex populations/patient groups
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Critical appraisal and application of evidence base
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Autonomous practice
This module enables you to undertake a sustained, in-depth piece of independent learning, demonstrating a critical understanding and applying appropriate research methods within a piece of work. This work will challenge and contribute to improvements in areas of practice through the dissemination of findings to professional communities.
You’ll apply learning and skills such as:
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An individual independent project/dissertation
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Creating and contributing to research and evaluation for practice
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Application of approaches to research
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Research, improvement and evaluation methodologies
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Addressing inclusivity in your research process
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Dissemination of project outcomes
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Challenges in applying research outcomes to practice
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students on full-time undergraduate degree courses in 2025/26 is £9,535 per year (capped at a maximum of 20% of this during your placement year). These fees are regulated by the UK government and therefore subject to change in future years.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £18,655, which includes an annual placement supplement of £1,500.

Health and social care funding
Home fee-paying students can access a non-repayable maintenance grant of at least £5,000 per year. You may also be eligible for additional financial support based on your circumstances.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Health and Social Care (PDF, 165.7KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.