Start a new career or upskill as an existing support worker and gain the skills and attributes needed for professional registration

About the apprenticeship

Course length: 2.5 years, part-time

Start date: March

Course level: Level 6

University award: BSc (Honours) Physiotherapy

How much it costs: funded through the employer

Approved by: Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) 

Course summary

• Explore concepts of professional practice, building therapeutic relationships and models of health, illness and disability in physiotherapy.
• Suitable for existing staff such as therapy assistants or support workers, and people new to the sector.
• Graduate with eligibility to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to practise as a physiotherapist in the UK.

This course is suitable whether you'd like to start a new career or upskill as an existing support worker or therapy assistant. Along with practice learning experience and workplace learning the course helps you to maximise learning, gain skills, and develop the professional and behavioural attributes you'll need for professional registration.

This course meets the physiotherapist apprenticeship standard.

How you learn

You'll study part of the course alongside apprentices from other health disciplines, such as occupational therapists. This allows you to develop team-working skills and understand the contribution of different professionals to patient care.

You’ll learn through:

• part-time studying on campus at University
• distance learning and placements
• lectures and practical workshops
• practical and oral exams
• practice-based assessment
• written assignments
• real-world case studies
• group work and presentations
• an end-point assessment

You’ll study on campus for a total of:

• nine weeks in year one
• ten weeks in year two
• six weeks in year three

You will also go on five assessed practice placements. You can stay with your employer for one placement, provided it is in a different area and under different supervision to your normal job. The other placements must be in different organisations, to meet the requirements of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

You will progress through the course following successful achievement of assessments, which address the learning outcomes for each module and allow you to complete the course. You will complete an end-point assessment within six months of the end of the course.

Campus facilities

You'll learn in modern facilities at our Collegiate Campus including mock wards and operating rooms, simulation suites, and interactive manikins.

Entry requirements

Throughout the course, apprentices spend at least 20% of their working hours at university. They can be existing employees looking to develop their careers, or new applicants to the business.

Applicants must:

• be over 18
• not be in full time education
• have the right to abode in the UK
• meet the course entry requirements

GCSE (or equivalent)

Maths and English at level 2 or above (grade 4, or previously C).

If you don't have this yet, you'll need to achieve this level before you take your end-point assessment.

Plus the following: 

• Evidence of successful formal study at level 3
• A minimum of 6 months experience in a health and social care capacity, including any placements or work-based learning undertaken as part of a level 3 qualification.

Additional qualifications

If you do not have a minimum of six months experience working in a health and social care capacity, you must hold one of the following: 

• 96 UCAS points from three A levels 
• Level 3 BTEC National Qualifications MMM
• Successful completion of an Access to HE Diploma 
• T-Levels 
• Higher Technical Qualifications (Level 3) 
• Previous degree level or higher study including foundation degrees.

Other qualifications may be considered in discussion with the University. 

Your understanding of health and social care and the profession is assessed throughout the selection event processes.

Modules

Year one

• Neurological physiotherapy
• Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
• Cardiovascular respiratory physiotherapy
• Assessment, clinical reasoning and decision making
• Collaboration for individual and community wellbeing
• Personal and professional development

Year two

• Physiotherapy clinical skills
• Physiotherapy clinical management
• Physiotherapy placement
• Assessing and addressing complexity
• Evidence and enquiry for practice

Year three

• Physiotherapy complex case management
• Advanced physiotherapy placement 
• Professional leadership
• Working with complexity in practice
• The advancing professional

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change.