(MSc) Master of Science
Physiotherapy (Pre-Registration)
Current
University of Essex
University of Essex
Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences (School of)
Colchester Campus
Masters
Full-time
None
MSC B16024
10/05/2023
Details
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.
Admission criteria
Our applicants are required to:
- Hold a 2.2 honours degree, or international equivalent, in a relevant discipline such as: a life science, psychology, sociology, biological science or sports science degree. Your degree should have been awarded within the last 5 years. We will consider applicants who graduated more than 5 years ago, on a case by case basis
- Demonstrate the relevance of your degree to the course and physiotherapy
- Demonstrate a clear understanding of the scope of work that a physiotherapist is required to undertake
- Demonstrate how you have developed your academic skills and are prepared to work at Master’s level
- How the NHS constitution and its core values are reflected in your own values and behaviours
- IELTS with an overall score of 7.0, with no element below 6.5 (if required). the qualification does not have to be held at the point of application.
- Successful performance at interview
You must also submit one recent reference which clearly demonstrates how you are a suitable applicant for the course.
Don't worry if you cannot provide your reference when you make your application, as if we make you an offer you will be able to provide this at a later stage.
References should be recent and verifiable, on official institution paper, signed and dated by the referee. If a referee wishes to provide an email reference, it must be sent from the referee’s email account.
The following documents should be submitted with your online application:
- A personal statement
- A current CV
- Academic transcripts
Personal Statement
Your personal statement should include and explain:
- The relevance of your degree to the course and physiotherapy
- Understanding of the scope of the work that a physiotherapist is required to undertake
- How you have developed your academic skills and your preparedness to study at Masters level
- How the NHS constitution and its core values are reflected in your own values and behaviours (you can find further information on these on the Health Education East of England website and the Gov.UK webpages
- How any relevant work experience (including voluntary work) supports your application
You must also have a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (including child and adult barred list check) and a Occupational Health Check. Both of these are organised by the University.
A satisfactory Overseas Criminal Record Check/Local Police Certificate is also required, in addition to a DBS check, where you have lived outside of the UK in the last 5 years for 6 months or more.
Interviews
We are no longer holding interviews for the October 2023 intake.
Continuing Professional Development
If you are already a registered physiotherapist, please see our Continuing Professional Development webpage.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) code
. An overall IELTS score of 7.0, with 6.5 in all components.
Course qualifiers
A course qualifier is a bracketed addition to your course title to denote a specialisation or pathway that you have achieved via the completion of specific modules during your course. The
specific module requirements for each qualifier title are noted below. Eligibility for any selected qualifier will be determined by the department and confirmed by the final year Board of
Examiners. If the required modules are not successfully completed, your course title will remain as described above without any bracketed addition. Selection of a course qualifier is
optional and student can register preferences or opt-out via Online Module Enrolment (eNROL).
None
Rules of assessment
Rules of assessment are the rules, principles and frameworks which the University uses to calculate your course progression and final results.
Additional notes
None
External examiners
Mrs Madeleine Nicholson
Senior Lecturer
Wrexham Glyndwr University
External Examiners provide an independent overview of our courses, offering their expertise and help towards our continual improvement of course content, teaching, learning, and assessment.
External Examiners are normally academics from other higher education institutions, but may be from the industry, business or the profession as appropriate for the course.
They comment on how well courses align with national standards, and on how well the teaching, learning and assessment methods allow students to develop and demonstrate the relevant knowledge and skills needed to achieve their awards.
External Examiners who are responsible for awards are key members of Boards of Examiners. These boards make decisions about student progression within their course and about whether students can receive their final award.
Programme aims
- To produce students and graduates who are competent physiotherapy practitioners with sound reasoning skills able to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.
- To effectively develop the knowledge, skills, behaviours and values required of physiotherapists reflecting the requirements of the regulatory and professional bodies for physiotherapy .
- To provide a challenging learning environment including practice placements for students to build on their critical enquiry and independent learning skills in the passage to becoming physiotherapy practitioners who are responsive to current and future health care needs .
- To enable students to construct personal theoretical frameworks for physiotherapy practice critically drawing on the evolving evidence base .
- To draw on students high level of motivation, their confidence to challenge and pursue learning needs to master complex areas of knowledge .
- To enable students to become autonomous professionals committed to their own and the physiotherapy professions development .
- To develop students capacity to lead and initiate change within, and on behalf of the physiotherapy profession
- To provide opportunities for shared learning with other pre registration health care professionals.
Learning outcomes and learning, teaching and assessment methods
On successful completion of the programme a graduate should demonstrate knowledge and skills as follows:
A: Knowledge and understanding
A101: Select, explain and justify the scientific knowledge base of physiotherapy practice and explore the implications of its gaps, uncertainties, defining features, contexts and the evolving nature of physiotherapy
A102: Significant understanding of the theories, principles, values and concepts underpinning current professional activity
A103: Apply understanding of the political, cultural, social, economic, institutional and professional issues that influence team working and professional practice and evaluate their appropriateness
A104: Demonstrate critical understanding of psychological processes and the role of emotion in personal effectiveness
A105: Demonstrate advanced understanding of the theories and practice of reflective learning and its role in personal and professional development
A106: Demonstrate extensive, detailed knowledge and understanding of one or more aspects of physiotherapy practice, informed by current research and scholarly activity
A107: Demonstrate a critical understanding of physiotherapy research
Learning methods
A1-A5 are achieved through:
Lectures and seminars which introduce material in a structured manner with an opportunity for class discussion
Individual assignment and group work
A5 is further supported by directed personal reflection of placements and through tutorial support and supervision
A6 and A7 are achieved through group work, course assignments, literature review and research project, case studies, placement experiences and tutorials
Assessment methods
A1-5 are assessed by coursework and vivas
A6 and 7 are assessed by a literature review, a detailed research project and case studies
B: Intellectual and cognitive skills
B101: Make informed judgements by critically evaluating physiotherapy practice/education/health care issues, informed by current and innovative developments, with recognition of the need to promote quality and equality for all physiotherapy service users
B102: Critically evaluate and employ a range of physiotherapy skills, techniques and approaches thus being able to respond to the individual needs of physiotherapy service users
B103: Deal with complex, unpredictable, incomplete or ambiguous ethical and professional issues, making informed judgements on matters that may not explicitly be addressed within existing codes, standards and protocols
B104: Develop original and creative responses to change, problems and issues
B105: Practice in ways that draw heavily on critical reflection of practice and evidence
B106: Devise research questions and develop a critically informed research plan
Learning methods
B1-B5 are achieved through a combination of group and individual activities. Lectures and seminars are used to introduce new material and explore within a group setting. Practical skills classes and workshops are used to integrate the theory and practice of physiotherapy.
Directed personal study time enables the student to deepen and strengthen this learning through enquiry based learning.
Assessment methods
B1-B7 are assessed by coursework, objective structured clinical examinations and vivas and research including a literature review and research project
C: Practical skills
C101: Demonstrate competence in the core areas of physiotherapy practice
C102: Demonstrate autonomy and initiative in professional activity putting patient care at the centre of practice
C103: Act autonomously in planning, implementing and evaluating the outcomes of professional activity, inviting and using feedback from others to inform this process
C104: Identify and discuss the management of clinical risk in a range of physiotherapy practice settings
C105: Demonstrate originality and creativity in applying knowledge, understanding and approaches in physiotherapy practice /education /management/ leadership
C106: Practice in a range of contexts, including those within which there is uncertainty or unpredictability
Learning methods
C1-C6 are placement based learning supported by clinically based tutorials
C6 is achieved through reflective learning using portfolio and supported by personal tutorials
Assessment methods
C1 –7 are assessed by clinical assessment forms and integrated vivas
D: Key skills
D101: Communication: a) Use a range of advanced communication skills that are appropriate to physiotherapy and multidisciplinary team working.
b) Demonstrate effective, adaptable and confident communication with a range of different audiences and individuals.
D102: Information Technology: a) Use the Internet b) Access data via library, professional bodies etc c) Use audiovisual presentation tools and techniques
D103: Numeracy:
a) Interpret statistical information
b) Use statistics to analyse data
c) Use software packages to support data analysis
D104: Problem solving:
a) Identify and analyse problems emerging from theory and practice
D105: Working with others:
a) Motivate and engender partnership working
b) Demonstrate a strong awareness of personal limitations and scope of practice
c) Take responsibility for one's own work and significant responsibility for the work of others
d) Put the person at the centre of practice
e) Respect and promote diversity
f) Facilitate the learning and development of others
D106: Improving own learning and performance:
a) Demonstrate an aptitude for continuing to advance knowledge, understanding and skills in line with identified learning needs
b) Identify, conceptualise, define and evaluate new and abstract ideas within professional practice/education/management
Learning methods
D1 is supported in small group discussion and seminars.
Tutorial time is allocated for individual discussion.
D2 commences on the pre-registration induction day and through seminar presentations.
D3 is supported in seminars where students present and analyse work.
Tutorial time is allocated for individual discussion and problem solving.
D4 is practised throughout the course.
Students work through given problems or derived from the student's practice.
D5 is facilitated by the use of collaborative group work and during seminars.
D6 is achieved through feedback on coursework and individual tutorial time.
Assessment methods
D1 is assessed by coursework, essay, presentation, literature review, research proposal and vivas
D2 is assessed through use of wordprocessing and ability to cite references from internet sources.
Practical assessments are also included which test students skills.
The use of information technology during presentations is encouraged.
D3 is assessed through course work, essay and dissertation
D4 is assessed through coursework, essay, viva and dissertation
D5 and D6 are assessed through course work, oral presentations and clinical assessment forms