Program Overview

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Physiotherapy BSc (Hons)

Overview

Physiotherapy is recognised as a healthcare profession where human movement and function are viewed as central components of individual health, wellbeing and quality of life. Physiotherapy uses physical approaches in the prevention and treatment of disease, injury and disability recognising that physical, psychological, social and environmental factors may limit movement and function.

The course content is person-focused, in line with the direction of the profession. We aim to develop well-rounded, safe and effective physiotherapists who can communicate appropriately to service users, carers, peers and other healthcare professionals. By promoting the integration of science and practical-based knowledge and skills, we aim to develop graduates capable of practice at the highest level within all areas of the profession, who also develop essential skills for continued and lifelong learning to enhance service delivery and become future leaders.

Why us?

• Multi-million pound investment supporting a suite of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, sport, exercise and rehabilitation laboratories
• The course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and accredited by The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)
• Access our excellent links with local NHS Hospital Trusts and other placement providers, committed to providing quality student placements and learning experiences
• Have the opportunity to arrange an elective placement to explore your personal special interests in the profession, or experience working in non-standard clinical settings
• Gain a nationally and internationally-recognised professional qualification
• Opportunities to collaborate in an interprofessional learning capacity with other healthcare courses including occupational therapy, adult nursing, mental health nursing, learning disability nursing, paramedic science, pharmacy, psychology and social work

Our partners, accreditations and networks

• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)

Course structure

You will be taught by a highly-skilled and motivated team with both clinical and teaching expertise. Evidence-based practice is embedded in the course, which ensures you are taught the most current and up to date skills and knowledge. You will learn through a variety of methods including lectures, presentations, seminars, group work, clinical simulation, self-study, practical clinical and physiotherapy skill sessions, online tutorials and problem-based learning activities. A strong professional identity and confidence to work with various professional groups is an essential part of the course. You will have the opportunity to work and learn alongside students from other professions and to learn about the other professions through participation in inter-professional education. As this course leads to a professional qualification a minimum attendance level of 80% per semester is required.

Assessment is varied to reflect different styles of learning. You will be assessed through written coursework assignments, critical reflective practice, oral presentations, poster presentations, and practical and written examinations. You will be supported by a personal tutor who will offer support with personal and professional development.

You will also undertake a variety of practice placements (minimum of 1,000 hours) where you may be expected to work outside normal working hours including weekends. Placements can be anywhere in the North East region. Practice placements are arranged by academic tutors and you will be expected to travel daily or stay in local accommodation for the duration of your placement. Practice placements occur in every year of your study and range from four to eight weeks. Please note some placements take place outside the normal University academic calendar.

Modules

Year 1 (national level 4):

• Introduction to Research 1 (10 credits)
  • Gain key skills to inform your practice through an introduction to research critique skills relating to health care interventions and treatments relevant to physiotherapy. Learn about the nature of evidence-based practice, skills of critical appraisal and how this will influence decisions that you make in practice.
• Introduction to Personal Professional Development 1 (10 credits)
  • Focus on the personal and professional skills and behaviours essential in supporting academic success, life-long learning, career entry and future career development. Develop an understanding of physiotherapy as a regulated profession, it's relationship with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and what will be required of you as a physiotherapist to graduate and enter onto the HCPC register.
• Introduction to Physiology and Pathology (20 credits)
  • Study the core physiological sciences that support clinical physiotherapy practice. Gain an introduction to the fundamental concepts of human physiology at rest and with activity, and changes in physiological function associated with pathological change linked to musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiorespiratory conditions.
• Functional Anatomy and Movement (20 credits)
  • Develop foundation knowledge of the anatomy of the human body, and principles of biomechanics essential for your understanding of human movement. Learn to apply knowledge of the position, organisation and function of anatomical structures to conduct person-centred physiotherapy assessments in order to inform treatment and evaluation.
• Human Function and Lifestyle Development: Psychosocial Foundations of Holistic Practice (20 credits)
  • Examine the development of individuals across the lifespan, to consider how individuals change physically and psychologically as they age. Deepen your understanding of contemporary physiotherapy in clinical practice and gain knowledge of the role that psychological, developmental and sociological factors play in terms of changes in human function across the lifespan.
• Fundamentals of Communication and Assessment for Therapeutic Practice (20 credits)
  • Develop communication skills essential for safe and effective practice in meeting the requirements of our professional bodies. Study philosophies of care and compassion rooted in humanistic approaches to patient/practitioner interaction and the policy and legislation that supports key concepts such as respect and dignity.
• Fundamentals of Physical Activity and Exercise (20 credits)
  • Understand the benefits of physical activity and exercise for lifelong health and longevity with a strong emphasis on the development of knowledge and practical skills for safe and effective practice. Gain knowledge of physiological responses to different types of exercise and evaluation focusing on healthy adults.

Year 2 (national level 5):

• Evidence-Based Practice and Research 2 (10 credits)
  • Develop an understanding and insight of physiotherapy practice and how this is informed by the best available evidence. Study ethical issues that underpin best practice, a range of research approaches and methods and their appropriate use to inform practice. Gain skills in the evaluation of clinical decision-making, and the relationships with research in evidence-based practice.
• Personal and Professional Development 2 (10 credits)
  • Focus on your development in 'working with others'. Reflect on your ability to work in teams and leadership roles as a physiotherapist. Identify and reflect on professional qualities promoting diversity, emotional intelligence, clinical and professional reasoning, contributing to effective person-centred team-working.
• Neurological Pathology and Physiotherapy Practice (20 credits)
  • Explore common pathologies of the neurological system in the delivery of person-centred physiotherapy. Develop your understanding of evidence-based practice in this field with a focus on the rehabilitation of individuals who have experienced damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems. Learn to assess and develop management plans to offer a progressive approach working with people with common neurological conditions.
• Cardiorespiratory Pathology and Physiotherapy Practice (20 credits)
  • Understand common cardiorespiratory pathologies relating to changes in normal cardiovascular and/or pulmonary system physiology. Safely and effectively perform an individualised physiotherapy assessment for a range of common pathologies seen in practice across the lifespan. Develop a problem-solving approach to examine the treatment, rehabilitation and management related to this area of physiotherapy practice with a person-centred perspective.
• Musculoskeletal Pathology and Physiotherapy Practice (20 credits)
  • Develop an understanding of common musculoskeletal pathologies relating to changes in normal muscular and/or skeletal system physiology. Gain skills to enable you to undertake a safe and effective musculoskeletal physiotherapy assessment for a range of common pathologies. Take a person-centred perspective through a problem-solving approach to the treatment, rehabilitation and management of a range of musculoskeletal pathologies commonly seen in practice. Engage with patient health education and health promotion.
• Physical Activity and Exercise for Long Term Conditions (20 credits)
  • Develop your understanding of physical activity promotion, for those with long term health conditions, in primary care and in the community. Learn to plan, develop and implement exercise sessions for populations with stable but complex health needs including: obesity, cancer, cardiovascular, stroke, long term lung conditions, diabetes, pregnancy, eating disorders, arthritis, dementia and mental health problems.
• Developing Holistic Physiotherapy Practice (20 credits)
  • Learn about public health and social determinants of health. Develop an understanding of cultural awareness and competence in healthcare services. Explore theoretical aspects such as consequences of living in particular cultures and determinants of sickness, as well as health in modern society.

Year 3 (national level 6):

• Dissertation (40 credits)
  • Identify an issue or topic that you wish to explore in depth and advance your professional knowledge further through the completion of a research project. Complete an independent piece of research through developing a research question supported by a research supervisor. Following discussion and negotiation with the project supervisor, integrate applied practice and include a case study approach. Research projects, which involve human participants, require ethical approval.
• Personal Professional Development 3 (20 credits)
  • Build on Year 1 and Year 2 study to examine a range of influences on physiotherapy practice, with an emphasis on change management, leadership, entrepreneurship and commissioning. Explore the need to develop graduate physiotherapists with potential to become future leaders in a rapidly changing health and social care system.
• Contemporary Perspectives in Physiotherapy Practice (20 credits)
  • Explore the role of the physiotherapist in a variety of contemporary healthcare settings and emergent roles. Explore global and national health topics, which highlight the role of the physiotherapist in leading behaviour change with regards to physical activity and the promotion of health and wellbeing. Explore and discuss innovative uses of technology in contemporary physiotherapy practice, (e.g. robotics, gamification, telerehabilitation, online platforms and mobile device applications).
• Complex Integrated Physiotherapy Practice (20 credits)
  • Further develop your experience of interdisciplinary professional practice and the wide-ranging influences on and of inter-professional working in practice. Consider roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals alongside the values of teamwork in multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary care settings. Consider the position of the physiotherapist as an equal and valued member of the multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary team alongside the key accountabilities and responsibilities accompanying this status. Cover clinical areas such as critical care, complex disability, poly trauma, palliative care, and bariatric care.
• Evaluating and Improving Physiotherapy Practice (20 credits)
  • Study the concepts of clinical audit, service effectiveness and evaluation as methods of quality improvement in physiotherapy practice. Learn how clinical audit and evaluation provide a systematic approach for evaluating current practices and inform future service improvement and how good practice can be identified and promoted, to enhance patient care, service effectiveness and efficiency. Develop your management and leadership skills. Negotiate a component of physiotherapy practice from your practice placement, and design or participate in a current clinical audit or service evaluation that could promote change in service delivery.

Facilities

This course is based in The John Dawson Sciences Complex on our City Campus, which has benefited from a recent multimillion pound investment. Teaching takes place in multi-media classrooms with state-of-the-art resources for learning.

Primarily for Physiotherapy provision, Darwin Building will house shared spaces for Physiotherapy and Sport and Exercise Sciences and will include a gym fully equipped with a range of cardiovascular and resistance training equipment, and an Activities of Daily Living (ADL) mock flat with simulated living space including bedroom, kitchen and bathroom areas. A separate multi-purpose open plan space will be used for active play and creative activities, suited to the developmental or rehabilitative needs of children and adults.

Entry requirements

Our typical offer is:

• Irish Leaving Certificate: 120 UCAS points – Students must have H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths & English.
• QQI/FETAC 5: Pass profile overall. For entry we also require H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths and English from Irish Leaving Certificate.

If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at for further advice.

BTEC Extended National Diploma (Sport and Exercise Science, Health Science, and Applied Science preferred) DDM. Other BTEC National Diplomas may be considered with AS or A2 Biology/Human Biology/PE at grade B.

Our admissions policy uses a range of flexible options to support you to study with us. This may include a reduced offer of up to 16 UCAS tariff points, (or equivalent). Find out if you are eligible.

Your completed application form will be reviewed by our Admissions Team to ensure that you have the required entry qualifications. If you meet these requirements, then your application will be individually assessed by the BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy Admissions Tutor and if successful, you will be shortlisted for interview.

Fitness to practise

Medical assessments of your mental and physical health and disclosure of criminal convictions apply to all physiotherapy courses and are based on current HCPC requirements. Physiotherapists are registered health care professionals and the ability to practise safely, effectively, and professionally is essential, so all applicants are required to follow our fitness to practise procedures. This means you are required to complete the following:

• A health declaration form. Here you must demonstrate that you are of good health, good character, and can satisfactorily pass occupational health screening. In addition, you will be required to attend an Occupational Health Assessment with an NHS Trust. The University will, taking into account current HCPC regulations make any reasonable adjustments if required. Please refer to the HEOPS physiotherapy student fitness standards.
• A self-declaration form about your conduct.
• Obtain an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The cost of the DBS check is covered by the University.

Instructions on how you complete these checks will be sent to you once you hold a conditional firm offer with us. These forms are then reviewed alongside your application, and you must meet both the academic and fitness to practise requirements before you will be given an unconditional offer. If you are successful, you will also need to complete an annual declaration form to confirm you are fit and there are no changes to your DBS.

Care experience

We prefer you to have some experience of delivering care in a professional or voluntary capacity and have a reference from a current or recent employer or educational institution. Evidence of the experience gained, understanding of the profession and a genuine, reasoned commitment to studying a professional course must be explicit in your personal statement to be selected for interview.

Personal statement

Your personal statement provides a unique opportunity to express your personal qualities and attributes related to a rewarding career in physiotherapy. The statement should include a clear articulation of:

• Rationale for your choice of career
• Evidence of investigation of physiotherapy as a career that demonstrates insight of the role and purpose of the profession in contemporary health and social care, and wellbeing
• Personal qualities and transferable skills that may contribute to success in the course and profession

Interview

As a shortlisted applicant you will attend an interview as part of the selection process, which includes an individual and group activity. Your values, problem-solving, and communication skills will also be assessed. Your interview event will provide opportunities to interact with academic staff, clinical staff, students, patients, and their families or carers.

Personal qualities

We select students based on their knowledge, motivation, experience, values and behaviours, not just academic ability. You need to demonstrate the ability to:

• Study academic subjects at the level of the course
• Debate topics and issues
• Draw on conclusions from written material
• Study independently and as part of a group
• Use computers and technology associated with teaching, learning and assessment
• Interact with patients and colleagues in a caring and compassionate manner
• Demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, the course

If English is not your first language, you need an overall IELTS score of 7, with at least 6.5 in each band.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

Fees for 2026/27 are tbc.

In addition, you will be expected to buy your books, stationery, travel, and accommodation. For practice placements, you will be provided with a uniform by the University.

Read more about EU fees and funding in our Help and Advice article.

A non-repayable grant of £5,000 and extra payments worth up to £3,000 is available to eligible home students for each year of study. Read more about the Training Grant on The NHS Business Services Authority website.

Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career ready

Graduate Physiotherapists are key workers and will be eligible to work in multiple organisations. This includes the acute NHS Trusts, GP surgeries, schools, industry, community physical health services, mental health services, learning disability services and social services / local authorities as well as private practice, charities and other non-traditional and third sector organisations. Graduates could also consider a career working in clinical research or teaching, in the UK or overseas.

Preparing you for practice

You will undertake a range of practice placements to gain real-life experience and apply your learning to real-life situations which may lead to further employment opportunities. To further assist in preparing you for employment as a physiotherapist, this course:

• Approved by the HCPC's Education and Training Committee (ETC)
• Offers a variety of practice placements to ensure you are exposed to wider scope of contemporary physiotherapy practice role within the healthcare team
• Integrates the latest simulation and blended learning technologies in the development of tomorrows physiotherapist

Placements

As you may be expected to travel long distances, start your shift in the early hours, or finish your shift late at night, you could be entitled to Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE) which allows you to make a retrospective claim for excess travel costs and/or expenses for temporary accommodation near to the location of your placement. Find out more about the NHS Learning Support Fund.

Accreditation

Physiotherapy is a protected profession, which means that it is regulated by law to ensure that only people who have passed state approved training courses and have registered with the state regulator, may practise. The state regulator for physiotherapists is the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Only those who register with the HCPC may call themselves physiotherapists and practise physiotherapy autonomously.

On successful completion of the course graduates will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Pre-registration students are also eligible to join the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy as student members, and on graduation will be eligible for full membership.

Career prospects

There is demand in all health and social care services including the acute NHS Trusts, community physical health services, mental health services, Learning Disability Services and Social Services / Local Authorities as well as private practice, charities and other non-traditional and third sector organisations. Therefore graduate prospects and opportunities are far greater than other similar courses.

Physiotherapy is included in the NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) pay rates. According to Prospects, starting salaries for physiotherapists are in Band 5, with earning potential between £27,055 to £32,934. With further training and experience, physiotherapists can earn between £33,706 and £40,588 (Band 6), and as a clinical specialist/team leader between £41,659 and £47,672 (Band 7).

Salaries for advanced clinical practice, extended scope or clinical lead physiotherapists are around £48,526 to £54,619 (Band 8a), rising to between £56,164 and £65,262 (Band 8b) for consultant physiotherapist roles.