MSc Physiotherapy

Program Overview

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Please note that for 2023-entry, this course is now closed for applications. You will be able to consider applying for this course for 2024-entry when applications open. Physiotherapy is a science-based health care profession committed to extending, applying, evaluating and reviewing the evidence that underpins and informs its practice. Physiotherapists adopt a ‘whole person’ approach to maximise the potential of a person’s function and movement. Thus, physiotherapists not only help people stay independent for as long possible after illness or injury, but also help maintain health for people of all ages; preventing disease and managing pain. Patient involvement is at the core of this approach and, as such, key attributes a physiotherapist must possess include the ability to empower, relate and educate people to facilitate change in their health and wellbeing. Physiotherapists are autonomous professionals, able to act as first-contact practitioners, as well as accepting referrals from other health care professionals. Consequently, central to physiotherapy practice is the making of clinical judgement and informed interpretation of clinical information. Physiotherapists are also professionals who work in increasingly complex environments and, at Essex, we produce graduates who are able to demonstrate effective problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, underpinned by a sound physiotherapy knowledge base and appropriate professional skills. To succeed you will possess self-directed learning habits that will enable you to continue as a reflective practitioner and lifelong learner, maintaining your fitness to practise throughout your career. Our full-time MSc Physiotherapy (pre-registration) course is studied over two years and is designed as a continuous progression of integrated theory and practice, placing emphasis on students being proactive partners in their learning experiences. Our School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences (SRES) is a community specifically focused on sports and exercise science, sports therapy and physiotherapy. We are based in the Essex Sport Arena at the Colchester Campus and bring together internationally recognised research, knowledge and placement and vocational opportunities for our students and graduates. Mandatory Vaccinations As you may be aware, the UK government has now revoked legislation that requires all health and social care staff working in sites regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Whilst vaccination is not essential, we encourage our applicants and students to be fully vaccinated. Find out more about what this means for applicants to this course .

Practice-based learning opportunities

Practice-based placements are organised by our placement team and each student is timetabled to complete approximately 1,000 hours of practice-based learning. During placements, you’ll work with qualified physiotherapists and other professionals to consolidate learning, gain new experiences and develop and refine your abilities. Learning on placement is achieved through interactive experiences and practice educators facilitating personal and professional growth within a variety of settings. The environment is supportive, enabling you to rehearse skills with constructive feedback. To maximise the learning opportunities available to students we work with a variety of practice based learning providers from across our region. From the Colchester Campus you may need to travel up to 90 minutes each day to and from a placement location, or use local accommodation for locations that are further afield. Eligible students are able to claim back these additional costs associated with attending placements through the NHS business authority , who you can also apply to for a £5,000 per academic year grant (that you won’t need to pay back)! Additional funding may also be available depending on your personal circumstances. You can find more information about eligibility and how to apply on the HSC Scholarships and Funding page . You will be provided with two student physiotherapist uniform polo shirts, as well as two tunics and two pairs of trousers by the university, prior to your first practice placement (additional items can be purchased by students if they choose).

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Additional expenses

You will incur additional costs and expenses throughout this course, which you can learn more about here (.doc).

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Sport scholarships

Our Performance Sport Scholarship programme has been created for talented athletes playing at regional, national or international level, and offers a range of benefits. We want students competing in our focus sports (basketball, volleyball, tennis, football and rugby 7s), as well as other team sports and individual athletes, to contribute to our performance sport programme. Our scholarships can include fee discounts of up to 100%, offered to athletes who demonstrate sporting excellence. Athletes who are awarded the scholarship will receive a host of other benefits, including free kit, access to state-of-the-art facilities, performance coaching, the option to live in our Athlete Village (accommodation fees may vary) and a support package valued up to £1,500. These benefits are designed to help athletes focus on their training, and development, and to enable them to reach their full potential alongside their studies.

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Professional accreditation

Accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP). Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for the purpose of providing eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC as a physiotherapist. Why we're great.

• Improve your employability by developing excellent links with our clinical partners in practice.
• You gain hands-on experience in a range of professional settings through practice placements.
• Small cohort sizes enable strong working relationships between students and experienced staff.

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Our expert staff

Our physiotherapy courses are taught by a friendly team of registered, experienced staff with a variety of different backgrounds. Within the team we have expertise across the areas of acute inpatient care, community settings and outpatient rehabilitation as well as in research and professional leadership. Full details of our staff can be found online. In addition, our physiotherapy team invite a large number of practising clinicians to contribute to the teaching on this course. The MSc Physiotherapy (pre-registration) course lead is Adrian Mallows. Adrian is passionate about research driving the physiotherapy profession and patient care. He has extensive experience in education and research around musculoskeletal health, being involved in multiple international collaborative research projects.

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Specialist facilities

Within our School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, we have a range of specialist clinical laboratories and IT facilities to assist you with the effective learning and acquisition of new skills; for students of MSc Physiotherapy, we have four specialist labs on our Colchester Campus which provides you with all the facilities you need to train as a physiotherapist. We also offer excellent physical and online resources in terms of libraries, computer labs, datasets, archives and other research materials. You can take advantage of our links with the Institute of Social and Economic Research, which conducts large-scale survey projects, many for government, EU and other public agencies, and has its own library. The UK Data Archive is also based at our Colchester Campus and stores national research data.

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Your future

Successful completion of our MSc Physiotherapy (pre-registration) leads to eligibility to apply for registration as a physiotherapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) which allows you to practise as a physiotherapist in the UK, and to join the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) as a full member. We also work with our University's Student Development Team to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities. "I could not have asked for a better foundation to my career than the course at Essex, which is founded on encouraging students to be autonomous in gaining their skills and knowledge through the support of experienced teaching staff. We were always challenged to be critical of our knowledge and how it could be applied to individuals in our care. Patients being at the centre of our care underpinned all modules, which is an attitude that was invaluable in seeking and gaining employment." Emily Linney, MSc Physiotherapy, 2021

Program Outline

Course structure

Please note that our MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-Registration) is an intensive two-year course based at our Colchester Campus. Postgraduate study is the chance to take your education to the next level. These carefully selected modules will give you the chance to explore, question, and create powerful ideas. Picked to give you an extensive and in-depth education, they’ll equip you with the specialist knowledge, vital transferrable skills, and the confidence to make a genuine difference to the world around you. There are 44 weeks’ teaching per year. The structure of the programme adopts a developmental approach to the mastering of physiotherapy skills. You will be introduced to physiotherapy through observing and working with physiotherapists practising in a variety of settings (primary and secondary care, public and private sectors, adult and the elderly, acute care setting and specialist mental health/learning disability services), and adopt a critical stand in the discussion of contemporary physiotherapy practice in the context of the environment of practice. We’re reactive, we’re pioneering, we never stand still, so modules might change from year to year in response to new developments and innovation. Those listed below show how a typical course might look, but more detail on course structure, including details of all optional modules, is available on our Programme Specification . We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, or in response to COVID-19, we’ll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

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Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose. Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

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Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits. In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available. Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code . For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

HR	100	4	FY
The department or school the module will be taught by. In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.	The module number.	The UK academic level of the module. A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course. A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules. A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.	The term the module will be taught in. AU : Autumn term SP : Spring term SU : Summer term FY : Full year AP : Autumn and Spring terms PS: Spring and Summer terms AS: Autumn and Summer terms

Year 1 Final Year This module explores the lived experience of the self and others through the contexts in which they live. You will examine and develop your understanding of being a physiotherapist in contemporary and evolving UK practice, and consider your own development as a student healthcare professional. View Understanding Self and Others on our Module Directory This module facilitates your knowledge and understanding of critical thinking and academic skills such as searching, retrieving, appraising and reporting evidence to allow to you to begin to engage with evidence-based practice and life-long learning. View Critical Enquiry on our Module Directory This module develops your knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiology and anatomy of the human body and its impact on structure, function and wellbeing of the individual. View Applied Anatomy and Pathophysiology on our Module Directory This module introduces you to core concepts of physiotherapy assessment and treatment, allowing you to explore the role of Physiotherapy in the assessment/treatment of patients with different clinical conditions from different age groups and populations, both in the acute and non-acute settings. View Physiotherapy Led Assessment & Treatment on our Module Directory This module sets out to explore the expanding role of physiotherapy in the wider context, by promoting healthy choices and activity throughout the lifespan (infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age, end of life). You will explore the links between lifestyle choices and the effects on well-being, and learn to promote the use of activity and healthy behaviours to improve the physical, mental and social health of individuals, families, communities and societies. View Promoting Health and Activity on our Module Directory This module will provide you with the experience of how social researchers go about applying their skills and knowledge in an empirical investigation of a topic you find interesting. It will allow you to plan the organisation and timing of your work with a high degree of independence and self-motivation. View Research Project on our Module Directory This module considers your develop as a future leader, recognising the evolving contexts in which you will practice. You will learn about the concept of leadership and begin to develop skills to enable you to lead your own development and that of others. View Leadership of Self and Others on our Module Directory Drawing upon learning and understanding from the module Understanding Self and Others, you will apply, evaluate and analyse approaches to developing themselves as professionals and others such as service users and peers in a variety of contexts. View Understanding and Developing Self and Others on our Module Directory This module provides you with the opportunity to be proactive in identifying your current scope of practice. Reflecting this, you will develop strategies to expand knowledge and skills in your own chosen areas. Based upon these areas, you will be able to select sessions to attend in order to proactively develop your current scope of practice. View Preparation for Professional Practice on our Module Directory

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Teaching

• Teaching staff include clinically qualified lecturers in physiotherapy, alongside clinically qualified members of other health professions from the School of Health & Social Care, and many clinical partners.
• The multidisciplinary nature of our School and its rapid growth has fostered a dynamic and innovative learning environment.

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Assessment

• You are assessed through coursework, presentations, essays, case studies/portfolios, reflective accounts, vivas, examinations and direct observation of practice by the mentor in clinical settings
• You also conduct a research proposal