Program Overview

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Postgraduate MSc

Podiatry (pre-registration)

Attendance

Full-time

Course

Three year

Next enrolment

September 2025

Introduction

In a nutshell

This is a unique podiatry programme at the master’s level leading to Health and Care Professions Council registration.

Podiatry involves the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of foot and lower limb disorders, many of which are caused by general health disorders. You will use comprehensive assessment and diagnostic skills to develop patient care pathways for conditions that impact people's quality of life.

You will:

• Gain the qualification required for Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration.
• Acquire the reflective, critical thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving skills that are essential to professional practice.
• Develop advanced knowledge, skills, and attributes to enhance your professional and academic development.
• Develop your practice throughout your time with us, both in our clinic and on placement.
• Have the opportunity to develop a business case as an option in your final year.

Placement

• Options available
• International students accepted

Course accreditations

This is for you if...

1. You enjoy working as part of a team.
2. You have excellent communication and organisational skills.
3. You are a problem solver.
4. You are hard-working and highly motivated.
5. You possess excellent critical thinking skills.
6. You have a strong desire to help people.

Course details

All about the course

This non-standard three-year full-time programme will provide you with a master’s level academic qualification together with a professional practice qualification, which is a prerequisite for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council. It will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and attributes to become leaders in the podiatry profession with research and/or clinical roles.

Over the course of the programme, you will develop practical skills with patients from the first semester (in the University's in-house clinics) and then on placement within health services in subsequent years. The placements will be in a wide variety of specialisms, and you will be supervised by experienced and specialist podiatrists.

Aligned with this is the academic component of the acquisition of knowledge, the development of critical enquiry, research, and the application of research into practice. You will be taught by nationally and internationally recognised academics who are subject specialists. You will also have the opportunity to be involved in the Foot and Ankle Research Programme. You will be taught by, and have the opportunity to work with, senior researchers who have published in peer-reviewed journals and written books aligned to the profession.

You will have the opportunity to develop a business case as an option for the final-year dissertation (research is the other option). This is particularly useful if you are considering the development of private practice as an employment option.

You will be supported by academic and personal tutors, and placement supervisors in the development of skills for critical reflection to ensure ongoing professional and personal development and enhance employability.

The ethos of the programme is to enhance:

• Application of research into clinical practice.
• Application of knowledge into practice through mentorship/teaching.
• Application of experience of practice into knowledge.
• Escalation of professional and academic development.

Year one

• Foundations of Knowledge in Practice
• Advancement of Knowledge in Practice
• Core Proficiencies in Clinical Practice

Year two

• Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis 1
• Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis 2
• Assessment, Diagnosis and Management in Clinical Practice

Year three

• Advancing Professional Knowledge and Practice
• Advanced Clinical Practice

What will I be doing?

70%

• Written assessments

30%

• Practical exams

Teaching

You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, and laboratory practicals. Seminars enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. In addition, you have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor.

You use industry-standard design software and have access to engineering and computer laboratory facilities throughout your course.

In year one, you typically have around 21 contact hours per week, consisting of lectures (six hours), seminars (six hours), supervised lab practicals (seven hours), and one-to-one meetings (two hours).

When not attending lectures, seminars, laboratory, or other timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities, including the library, the learning zone, and our engineering and computer laboratories.

Clinical placements are arranged for you in years two and three in a variety of NHS settings and private practices. Research placements are aligned with your final year project depending on your area of study.

Assessment

The balance of assessment by examination and assessment by coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by coursework is as follows:

• 70% written exams/assignments/viva
• 30% practical exams

You must achieve a pass mark of 50 and above in all year one compulsory modules as a prerequisite before progression to year two.

The School of Health and Society

The School of Health and Society is a forward-thinking, dynamic school with a commitment to lifelong learning and real-world impact.

Our courses are informed by the latest research, and we work closely with organisations from both the public and private sector to ensure our teaching is at the forefront of practice. The University has received approval for a new Health Building on the Frederick Road campus which will create brand new teaching spaces, including new Podiatry spaces. Construction will begin in late 2024, with completion expected by Autumn 2026. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a health and wellbeing hub, supporting popular healthcare courses and community services. It will feature sustainable design elements and provide modern clinical facilities to enhance student learning and community engagement. Find out more about our new Health Building.

In time community healthcare clinics will also take place there as partnerships are developed to explore research opportunities and to provide a range of therapeutic sessions.

Podiatry Clinic

Our Podiatry Clinic adds a cutting edge to your training, as well as providing a valuable asset to the local community.

The clinic includes:

• Orthoses suite with workshops
• Computer-aided design and manufacturing facilities
• Gait examination room
• Private cubicles
• Seminar rooms
• Gait laboratory
• Anatomy room
• Clinical skills rooms

Clinical Gait Analysis and Research Facilities

This laboratory was part of a £1.5 million renovation of the podiatry clinical education and research spaces. The laboratory hosts the University's Gait Analysis Clinic which provides quantitative gait analysis and consultation services for four NHS Trusts in the Manchester area.

The service supports the care of children with cerebral palsy by enabling the assessment of their gait to input into their care pathways. We also offer gait and human movement assessment related to amputees, neuromuscular disorders (such as stroke), and a range of orthopaedic disorders.

The equipment includes:

• 10 Qualisys OQUS motion analysis cameras
• Four AMTI force plates embedded into the floor
• Custom stairs that integrate with the force plates
• Visual 3D real-time analysis software
• Eight-channel Noraxon Telemyo G2T wireless EMG system with associated foot switches and accelerometry
• Tekscan pressure system

Human Performance Laboratory

The Human Performance Laboratory is used for research, clinical and educational work and has:

• 10 camera Vicon 612 motion analysis system
• Two Kistler force plates (embedded into the floor)
• Two Kistler force plates located in a purpose built a portable walkway
• 12 Xsens inertial measuring units
• One eight-channel MIE telemetric electromyography system
• Visual 3D real-time analysis software
• ORLAU video vector generator

Teaching Staff

Dr Anita Williams

Following many years of clinical experience as a specialist podiatrist, Anita became a full-time academic at the University of Salford in 1999. In 2014, she was awarded the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Glasg) Fellowship for her work in research, clinical practice, and education. In 2018, she received the College of Podiatry Meritorious Award.

Her areas of clinical and research interest include podiatry, qualitative research methods, long-term conditions, foot health interventions, health behavior, and professional development. A University of Salford Vice Chancellor Scholarship in 2000, followed by external funding, supported her research, culminating in the award of a PhD in 2008. In 2002, she was awarded the British Health Professionals in Rheumatology Silver Medal for Clinical Research. She is a senior member of the qualitative component within numerous studies in the Foot and Ankle Research Programme. She has over 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has written and contributed to several books. Anita is passionate about the personal and professional development of individuals, the translation of research into clinical practice, research as an opportunity to support clinical services, and the involvement of people with long-term musculoskeletal conditions as research partners.

Employment and stats

Career prospects

Qualified podiatrists find employment in hospitals, GP clinics, the community, or can set up in private practice. They can work alongside doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and other professionals and are seen as a vital part of the healthcare team.

With this programme, you will be able to apply for positions in the NHS or private sector. In addition, you will increase your employability in these areas and also enhance your career progression opportunities. It is also anticipated that students may subsequently want to continue in education to complete PhD studies or gain employment in the commercial sector.

Further study

Some students choose to pursue their area of interest through research opportunities at the University. Our research community is a thriving, truly multidisciplinary group focused on improving health outcomes through innovation and research.

The Foot and Knee Research Group is focused on four key areas:

• Biomechanical function of the foot and knee during walking, running, and various sports
• How foot and knee structure and function are affected by disease (e.g., diabetes, obesity, osteoarthritis), injury (e.g., ACL tears, patellofemoral pain, lateral ankle sprain), and ageing
• Clinical and user (patient) research to investigate the real-world consequences of poor foot and knee health for patients and athletes
• Investigation of a wide range of physical therapy (e.g., exercise), device (e.g., orthoses), and health behaviour (e.g., compliance with devices or education programmes) interventions

You may also choose to pursue further study and research on our Professional Doctorate (Health and Social Care/Advanced Practitioner/Social Work).

A taste of what you could become

• A podiatrist
• A researcher
• and much more...

Career Links

We have links to all the NHS clinics within the North West, enabling our students to experience real work conditions during their extensive placements. We offer a range of placement experiences, including a recent relationship with Manchester Urban Village, offering foot care to the city's homeless population.

Staff work with pharmaceutical companies specializing in wound care, and they also have links with Orthoses Laboratories. This ensures your learning incorporates the latest evidence-based practice throughout your study.

Requirements

Applicant profile

This programme is suitable for individuals who already have a BSc (Hons) in a health-related subject (such as sports science, physiotherapy, or occupational therapy) and are looking for a career change with opportunities for employment in health services as a podiatrist, research/academic posts, or commercial posts related to podiatry. The programme requires individuals who are committed to academic, personal, and leadership skills development.

Standard entry requirements

• Undergraduate study: BSc (Hons) 2:2 or above in a health-related subject.
• International Students: We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.
• English language requirements: If you are an international student and not from a majority English-speaking country, you will need IELTS 6.5 with no element below 5.5.

Alternative entry requirements

• Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES): We welcome applications from students who may not meet the stated entry criteria but who can demonstrate their ability to pursue the course successfully. Once we have received your application we will assess it and recommend it for SAES if you are an eligible candidate.

How much?

Tuition fees

• Type of study | Year | Fees
• Full-time home | 2025/26 | £9,535 per year
• Full-time international | 2025/26 | £19,530 per year

Additional costs

You should also consider further costs which may include immunisations, books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.

Scholarships for international students

If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships. See the full range of our International Scholarships.