| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
Physiotherapy following veterinary referral can help animals recover from a variety of conditions such as back pain, sprains, strains, fractures and sporting injuries. It can also be used following orthopaedic, neurological or general surgery, as well as improve biomechanics and athletic ability.
As such its use within the veterinary field is increasing. Animals can undergo a wide range of treatments including manual techniques, electrotherapies and exercise therapy.
As a student you will be participating in a fulfilling journey, during which you will grow and develop the necessary skills to be an integral part of the veterinary profession. This rewarding career will allow you to work within the wider veterinary profession, working autonomously under veterinary referral and in a variety of business settings from freelance to referral hospitals. You will play a vital role in improving the lives of animals whilst forging strong bonds with animals and their owners.
As you progress you will develop and then bolster the necessary skills to succeed in this emerging field of practice. Our supportive team and carefully structured course will help you consolidate your learning. Periods of in-house and external clinical rotation enable you to meet the requirements and clinical hours necessary for professional registration, whilst boosting your confidence and allowing you to succeed. Demand for highly skilled, clinically experienced veterinary physiotherapists is ever-increasing and our integrated programme allows you to explore lots of opportunities within and beyond the course.
Whilst academically challenging, the course has a huge practical component, with specialist teaching and authentic assessment throughout. You will be taken on a learning journey from first principles through to full evidenced-based practice. You will discover the importance of clinical reasoning and will be supported in the development of skills to research and apply new knowledge as you continually improve your competences. As you progress towards your final goal you will achieve stepping-stone qualifications in massage therapy and hydrotherapy.
Clinical teaching is delivered in small groups by our team of qualified veterinary physiotherapists and veterinary surgeons, in first-class facilities, with dedicated clinical areas. As you progress, you will become increasingly involved in running, shaping, and driving our on-site small animal clinic and ambulatory equine service, complemented by integrated placement weeks throughout your course. This will open future career prospects and provide you with the tools needed to enter the real world confidently and competently.
This undergraduate programme is subject to accreditation by the Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners for membership. It will provide the knowledge and skills for you to become a veterinary services professional and work closely with veterinary surgeons.
What does HF mean? You might notice that the modules on this page have the letters HF before the title. This denotes a module that has been developed as part of the Harper Forward Curriculum Review, through which new versions of existing courses and some entirely new courses have emerged. Teams of university employees have worked with past and present students, employees, industry organisations and more to build these programmes, ensuring every route is able to shape the types of graduate each sector needs, is aligned to relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals and is built to ensure every student leaves the university embodying a specific set of Harper Graduate Attributes, namely that they
Care
for people and planet, have a
Global
mindest, have vital
Digital
skills, seek continued personal
Growth
, can apply
Practical
skills as well as knowledge and are both
Inspired
and Inspirational
Careers
Veterinary physiotherapists work alongside veterinary surgeons and nurses within vet practices and hospitals in the treatment of animals. A number of physiotherapists work closely with the equine sports industry within racing or other sporting disciplines. Others work independently, setting up their own businesses working with horse and dog owners.
Program Outline
What will I study?
| Year 1 | |
|---|---|
| Academic Skills for the Veterinary Physiotherapist (HF-VP) | 10 |
| Behaviour, Ethics, and Welfare of the Veterinary Physiotherapy Patient (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Introduction to Veterinary Physiotherapy (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Management of the Companion, Working and Sporting Animal (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Personal and Professional Development (HF-VP) | 10 |
| Hydrotherapy (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Year 2 | |
|---|---|
| Locomotor Biomechanics (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Pre-Clinical Veterinary Physiotherapy (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Physiology (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Musculoskeletal Conditions, Diagnosis and Veterinary Treatment (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Rehabilitative and Conditioning Exercises (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Development of Skills for the Veterinary Professional (HF) | 10 |
| Options | |
| Debating the Use of Horses in Sport and Work (HF) | 10 |
| Year 3 | |
|---|---|
| Clinical Rotations (HF-VP) | |
| Clinical Practice (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Professional Practice (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Dissertation and Research Skills (HF-VP) | 40 |
| Year 4 | |
|---|---|
| Advanced Clinical Practice (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Applied Business Development and Practice Management (HF-VP) | 20 |
| Dissertation and Research Skills (HF-VP) | 40 |
| Clinical Rotations (HF-VP) | |
Accreditation
Accredited by: Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners (RAMP)
This course is accredited by the Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners.
Accredited by: This course is subject to re-accreditation
An accredited degree course is one which has been approved by a professional body, is a marker of quality and provides a graduate with professional accreditation or supports a graduate in becoming professionally accredited which is recognised by employers. Once a university degree course is validated or re-validated, the University undertakes a process to review and check accreditation or re-accreditation of university programmes to ensure alignment with delivery, relevance and associated academic standards. Accreditation or re-accreditation cannot be guaranteed, if accreditation is approved as planned or if there are substantive changes or a delay, the university will communicate with applicants. The course will still run without accreditation, if an applicant does not wish to continue with the course with no accreditation, assistance will be provided to change course or to find a suitable alternative.