Everything you need to know...
Course summary
- Deepen your understanding and skills in physiotherapy practice.
- Gain a Masters qualification to demonstrate your specialist knowledge.
- Prepare for advanced, independent or clinical leadership roles.
Aimed at qualified physiotherapists, this course gives you a balance of clinical and academic skills, ensuring an authentic experience and the opportunity to develop knowledge that’s directly transferable to your practice. As you increase your clinical skills and critical evaluation of practice, you’ll be preparing for clinical leadership roles or independent practice.
Staged admissions process
MSc Specialist Physiotherapy Practice is an extremely popular course, for which we receive many more applications than the limited places available. To be as fair as possible to applicants, we are operating a staged admission process for January 2024 entry. This will consist of two application windows.
Key dates for first application window:
Applications Open: 10th July 2023
Applications Close: 25th August 2023
Date we aim to return decisions for applications received: 15th September 2023
Key dates for second application window:
Applications Open: 18th September 2023
Applications Close: 13th October 2023
Date we aim to return decisions for applications received: 3rd November 2023
If we still have places available beyond 13th October, we will consider applications on an ongoing basis.
You can apply for the course as usual by clicking the "how to apply" button on this page.
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How you learn
Your lecturer's view
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 focus on different elements of clinical practice. We’ll encourage you to apply your learning to the setting you work in or would like to specialise in. Your assessments are designed to replicate challenges you may face within the workplace – and you’ll learn from enthusiastic tutors who are experienced physiotherapists.
You’ll learn through
- practical sessions
- lectures
- seminars
- tutorials
- presentations
- practical assessments
- vivas
- written assessments
Course leaders and tutors
Applied learning
You’ll have access to opportunities to develop your skills and apply your learning with qualified and practising physiotherapists. These opportunities are built into the course and our applied approach to learning.
Future careers
When you graduate you’ll be prepared for clinical leadership roles or to work more independently – developing independent private practices or moving into advanced or extended scope roles. Some graduates pursue research or teaching careers in the UK or internationally, many going onto PhD study.
Students who join the course without registering with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) – you could now apply for this to gain work experience in the UK during and after the course. While automatic registration isn’t guaranteed when you complete the course, the learning opportunities provided align to the HCPC standards.
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 | Keeping safe on Campus
Collegiate library
Collegiate Library can be found just off Ecclesall Road. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
On this course you work with
- specialist facilities for teaching physiotherapy skills, designed to mimic a typical UK therapy clinic, with specialist plinths and therapy equipment
- excellent audio-visual facilities to support learning in every classroom
- extensive library resources both on-campus and online
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 Qualifications: Applicants will hold a degree / diploma / equivalent qualification in Physiotherapy, typically of 2.1 or above.
Other formally certified qualifications: Applicants must be qualified to practice physiotherapy in their country of origin and are usually required to provide one reference of their capability for postgraduate study. Post-qualification clinical physiotherapy experience is welcomed, it is not essential.
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.
Entry profile: Applicants need to be committed to post graduate study and capable of development into a self-motivated, reflective professional.
Applicants should be prepared to explore theoretical, clinical and evidence based concepts within group activities and will be required to demonstrate effective communication and team work skills.
Verification that applicants fulfil the criteria will be sought via the applicants' references, their curriculum vitae and the supporting statement in their application.
Personal Statements must demonstrate commitment to professional development, effective communication and teamwork skills and self-motivation.
Non-standard entry requirements: Some flexibility maybe exercised to the admissions criteria for students wishing to study individual modules. Some variation in terms of professional background and education maybe accepted and applicants will be considered individually by the course admissions team.
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.
Year 1
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Evidence Based Reasoning In Physiotherapy | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Practical |
| Module: Researching For Practice (Taught) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Therapeutic Exercise And Physical Activity | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Advancing Practice In Neurological Therapy | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Contemporary Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework Practical |
| Module: Leading People And Teams | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Learning And Teaching For Practice | Credits: 15 |
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 |
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, 209.5KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
