Everything you need to know...
January 2025
Course summary
- Advance your clinical, therapeutic and reasoning skills.
- Develop your skills in communication and leadership.
- Prepare to bring about more evidence-based, efficient and effective services.
- Engage in debate and increase your ability to facilitate service development and enhance patient care.
This course is designed for experienced postgraduate healthcare professionals working in musculoskeletal clinical practice. It’s also suitable if you’ve studied manual therapy at a high level on clinically-based courses – such as with the International Maitland Teachers Association. You can have relevant clinically-focused learning recognised and the credits transferred via a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.
How you learn
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.
On this course you’ll engage with evidence, theories and concepts relevant to musculoskeletal practice. You’ll be encouraged to share ideas, broaden your understanding and reflect on your own clinical practice – as well as to learn from other people on the course.
You learn through
- practical sessions
- independent guided study
- student-directed learning
- formative tasks
- our virtual learning environment (Blackboard)
You also can study individual modules from this course and gain academic credit towards a qualification. Visit our continuing professional development website for more information.
Course leaders and tutors
Sionnadh McLean
Reader In PhysiotherapySionnadh is a Reader in Physiotherapy in the Allied Health Professions Department. She is the MSc Manual Therapy course leader, and teaches across the physiotherapy … Read more
Applied learning
Work placements
You can choose to take mentored clinical practice (MCP) as part of the course. These are opportunities to transfer knowledge to practice while gaining feedback from expert clinical practitioners.
MCPs are useful if you want to join the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP) or pursue advanced clinical practice routes.
Networking opportunities
You’ll learn from enthusiastic tutors and specialist visiting lecturers – including academics who have physiotherapy research published in peer-reviewed journals.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in physiotherapy and musculoskeletal practice.
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work in
- the NHS
- the public sector
- the military and sports sector
- private clinics and private hospitals
- advanced practice roles, such as emergency department physiotherapist
- research
- teaching
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
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.
Entry requirements
All students
Academic Qualification
Normally, applicants will hold a first degree or professional qualification which is recognised in the UK in a related health care subject.
Other formally certified qualifications
Equivalent, international academic and/or professional qualifications will be considered on an individual basis. Applicants will be considered on other relevant evidence. Applicants are usually required to provide at least one reference evidencing their capability for postgraduate study.
Level of English language capability
If English is not your first language you must have an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each skill area. Note that the attainment of an IELTS score of 7 (with no element below 6.5) is required for registration with HCPC.
Relevant work or work-related experience
Applicants must usually have 24 months full time (or equivalent part time) experience managing and treating musculoskeletal dysfunction and normally be working in a relevant role. Applicants will be motivated and prepared to study independently and autonomously. They must be prepared to embrace the challenges of Masters level study including online distance learning, have access to a reliable internet connection to support engagement and have sound IT skills.
Use of Prior Credit (RPL): prior certificated credit or prior experiential credit may be used within the programme in the following ways:
Through the University's recognition of prior learning (RPL) process it may be possible for applicants to be exempt from some modules of the programme.
Additional information for EU/International students
This course is not open to international students who require a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK. If you are an international applicant but do not require a Tier 4 (General) student visa, contact our Admissions Team to find out whether you’re eligible to apply.
Modules
Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.
Modules studied may differ depending on when you start your course.
Year 1
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Musculoskeletal Management Of The Lower Quadrant | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Musculoskeletal Management Of The Upper Quadrant | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Practical |
Year 2
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Researching For Practice (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Researching For Practice (Taught) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Contemporary Issues In Advancing Practice (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Practical |
| Module: Ergonomics And Human Factors At Work | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Evidencing Your Cpd | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Evidencing Your Cpd | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Fcp 1 Advanced Msk Practice | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: First Contact Practitioner 2: Primary Care Practice | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Fundamentals Of Musculoskeletal Radiographic Image Interpretation | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Health Promotion And Lifestyle Management | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Injection Therapy For Joints And Soft Tissue | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Leadership In Practice | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Learning And Teaching For Practice | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Learning And Teaching For Practice (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Macp Clinical Placement In Neuro-Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Non-Medical Prescribing | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Pain Management (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Planning Service Improvement | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Theory Of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Therapeutic Exercise And Physical Activity | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Therapeutic Management Of Neuromusculoskeletal Pain | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Final year
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Dissertation 60 Credits | Credits: 60 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2024/25 is £10,310 for the course. For part-time study the fee will be calculated pro-rata each year based on the number of credits studied (£860 for 15 credits or £1,720 for 30 credits). The fee quoted on the online prospectus is for the whole course. Where a course is to be taken over more than one year, then the course fees are divided into annual fees through a financial calculation to which a rounding mechanism is applied. This can sometimes mean that there is a nominal variation between the quoted fee from the prospectus and the fee charged to the student. There are some circumstances in which a student taking a break in study or engaging in retakes may be charged an additional fee, which should be notified to them at the time.
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.
Postgraduate student loans
Up to £11,222 available for Home students on most masters courses.
Additional course costs
This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
Additional costs for Physiotherapy courses (PDF, 211.2KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
