MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration)

Postgraduate, Full-time

Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) MSc



This course will allow you to become a confident and proficient Physiotherapist with a strong grasp of integrated working

Overview

This new course is designed for graduates who wish to qualify as a Physiotherapist with eligibility for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) through an accelerated two-year route.

The course has been developed in collaboration with Occupational Therapy and Social Work programmes and will prepare you to work within the complex and rapidly evolving environment of health and social care. 

Physiotherapy-specific modules will prepare you for clinical practice, through development of your theoretical understanding, critical thinking skills, and application of knowledge and skills to physiotherapy practice. The course will make use of scenario-based learning opportunities, simulation and will involve service users in teaching, learning and assessment, giving you ‘real-world’ experiences. 

As well as undertaking discipline-specific modules, you’ll undertake collaborative inter-professional modules, where you’ll work closely with students from the other disciplines in health and social care to develop your skills in communication, innovative thinking, clinical reasoning and team working. 

The course will prepare you to enter the workplace as a confident, proficient and autonomous Physiotherapist, with a strong understanding of current service provision and the graduate skills to lead and innovate in shaping future delivery in a rapidly changing sector to effectively meet the needs of service-users.

Please note: This programme has been recommended by the HCPC for approval subject to conditions. 

Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

2 years

Start date:

Jan

Placement:

Yes


About you
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Course details

This course is designed around a series of inter-professional and discipline-specific themes, which can be summarised into a focus for each of the two years of the programme: Developing a foundation for practice (Year 1); and Advancing practice and shaping the future (Year 2).  These themes will allow you to become a proficient and versatile practitioner, working with other disciplines in health and social care from the outset.

From the start of your studies you’ll be sharing many aspects of learning with Occupational Therapy and Social Work students through collaborative modules. This will allow you to develop a deep understanding of the roles of not only these other professions, but also your own, and provides the opportunity to enhance communication skills and partnership working.  The themes of evidence-informed practice and research, and professional values and decision making, run through the two-year course. 

Year 1: Developing a foundation for practice

The first year of the course focuses on facilitating your development of the foundation skills and theoretical knowledge which underpin Physiotherapy practice. You’ll explore and apply assessment and intervention approaches to a range of commonly encountered clinical scenarios. In addition, you’ll develop your understanding of professionalism and the regulatory and professional requirements for Physiotherapists. You’ll have the opportunity to develop and apply your practical skills within simulation settings and through engagement with service users.  

In addition to Physiotherapy-specific modules you’ll undertake collaborative modules, which run across the two years of the programme, together with Occupational Therapy and Social Work students.  Through these collaborative modules you will learn and work together as an inter-professional student group so that you can develop confidence in your own role as well as developing a deeper understanding of the roles of others. In the first year you’ll be introduced to working with students from other disciplines as key partners in promoting health and wellbeing within an integrated health and social care context. You’ll develop your communication skills within a team, placing the service user and families at the centre of their care. 

The importance of research and evidence is highlighted throughout, and two eight-week placements at the end of the first year will provide you with the opportunity to integrate theory with practice and to consolidate your learning.

Year 2: Advancing practice and shaping the future

In the second year of the course you’ll develop your skills in critical reflection, clinical reasoning and your ability to critically evaluate evidence for practice, within complex scenarios. This will include working with people who have complex health and social care needs and learning within specialist areas of Physiotherapy practice. In addition, you’ll explore Physiotherapists’ roles in promoting wellbeing and physical activity and in undertaking exercise prescription. 

Through your inter-professional modules you’ll explore risk and uncertainty within health and social care practice, developing assessment and management strategies. You’ll be asked to take a global perspective, and, along with your peers in Occupational Therapy and Social Work, develop the entrepreneurial capacity and skills required to lead innovation in a changing health and social care environment. Your research experience will be enhanced, culminating in the production of a dissertation, which will include the opportunity to undertake an original data collection project.  You’ll then undertake two final eight-week placements which will enable you to make the transition into the workplace as a competent, confident and autonomous Physiotherapist.

Subjects include

Year 1

  • Working Together in Health and Social care Contexts (Collaborative)
  • Foundations of Physiotherapy Practice (Physiotherapy-specific)
  • Working with Individuals Families and Communities (Collaborative)
  • Research Approaches in Health and Social Care
  • Introduction to Physiotherapy Practice (Physiotherapy-specific)
  • Physiotherapy Practice Placement 1
  • Physiotherapy Practice Placement 2

Year 2

  • Risk Uncertainty and Complex Decision-Making (Collaborative)
  • Optimising Health and Wellbeing through Physical Activity and Exercise (Physiotherapy-specific)
  • Leading Innovations in Health and Social Care (Collaborative)
  • Physiotherapy in Advanced and Complex Areas of Practice (Physiotherapy-specific)
  • Dissertation
  • Physiotherapy Practice Placement 3
  • Physiotherapy Practice Placement 4
  • calendar How you’ll be taught

    This is a two-year full-time course starting in January comprising of three trimesters.

    A student-centred active learning approach will be used throughout the programme making use of a range of teaching and learning methods including: online lectures, face-to-face tutorials, debates, peer mentoring, practical classes, group work, use of simulation approaches, guided and independent stud activities. 
  • note and pen Assessments

    A range of formative and summative assessment approaches are adopted throughout the programme. These will include practical examinations, coursework, reflective blogs and presentations.
  • briefcase Work placement

    Each year, after two trimesters of university-based studies, you'll undertake two full-time eight-week placements. On completion of the course you’ll have undertaken more than 1,000 hours of clinical practice in a range of health, social care and third sector settings. 
  • library Facilities The facilities provided by the Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre offer highly realistic environments within which to develop your communication and engagement skills and to integrate theory with practice in a range of situations including visiting people in their own homes.

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information on this is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

A Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) with honours at a minimum of 2.2 or above in a relevant science related subject. Examples of relevant subjects include sports rehabilitation, sports therapy, human biology, biomedical sciences, anatomy, physiology. Evidenced study in the area of human anatomy and physiology, otherwise applicants will be directed to undertake study in this area as a condition for entry.

In addition to academic qualification, applicants must demonstrate a commitment to and knowledge of Physiotherapy as a career via their personal statement. Applicants should discuss their motivation for pursuing a career in Physiotherapy and relate this to the way in which their experiences (e.g. volunteering or shadowing a range of Physiotherapists) have informed their motivation to study Physiotherapy and their awareness of the scope of Physiotherapy practice.

Interview Requirements

There will be a selection interview and applicants to the programme should meet the HCPC requirement to be  ‘fit to practice’ through having  good health and good character. Competition for places varies from year-to-year and achievement of the typical minimum entry requirements does not always guarantee shortlisting for interview or a place on the course.

Admission to the Programme is dependent upon a satisfactory Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG) Check. This will be sent to you prior to interview and will be conducted on the interview day. The cost of the PVG check will be paid by the University.


International students

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that non-EU international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BN Nursing/MN Nursing (Adult, Child, Mental Health or Learning Disability)
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery

Admissions policies

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Dr Jane Hislop

Dr Jane Hislop qualified in 1991 and has worked as a Physiotherapist in a range of health and social care settings. Dr Hislop is an experienced academic having worked as a lecturer in Physiotherapy at Glasgow Caledonian University and Queen Margaret University before joining Edinburgh Napier University in 2018 to be the programme lead for Physiotherapy.

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2018/19 2019/20
Home/EU £7,000 £7,280
Overseas £13,000 £13,520


Frequently Asked Questions about Fees.
Information of Bursaries and Scholarships.
The University offers a 10% discount on MSc Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes.

Careers

The course aims to develop Physiotherapists who are skilled in their own profession, with a strong professional identity and the ability to work in effective collaboration with other disciplines to put service-users at the centre of their care. 

You’ll be enabled to work effectively in a range of settings from traditional environments to contemporary integrated health and social care teams, third sector organisations, private providers, performance sports or any other environment in which Physiotherapists commonly practice.