Physiotherapy

This course equips you with the knowledge and skills required by physiotherapists to work with people to identify and maximise their ability to move and function, work with people to promote, maintain and restore physical, social and psychological wellbeing, and assess and manage people who have a variety of clinical problems.

You will:

• Be taught by skilled staff who are all registered Physiotherapists with specialist clinical interests

• Access joint teaching sessions with Allied Health professional students

• Be eligible to apply for initial registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and for full membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP). Student membership of the CSP is self-funded.

• Have opportunities to attend placement across North Wales and Powys. Some placements will be over 60 minutes’ drive and therefore you will get the opportunity to reside close to your placement setting.

• Develop excellent communication and problem-solving skills

• Develop professionally and personally over the course of study, benefiting from a combination of academic study and 1000 clinical hours on placement

Course Modules

YEAR 1 (LEVEL 4)

This year provides a grounding in the basic assessment of a patient across core areas in which physiotherapists work. It includes an introduction to professionalism, communication, clinical practice in the form of a placement and research. You will be learning along side Occupational Therapy, Paramedic Science and Operating Department Practice Students.

MODULES

• Building Physiotherapy Practice 1: This module lays the foundations of musculoskeletal assessment and clinical reasoning using case scenarios and a ‘whole-person’, patient centered approach.

• Foundations in Research: This module is taught as an interprofessional (IPE) module where the basics of critical appraisal of literature and academic writing are developed.

• Building Physiotherapy Practice 2 and Placement 1: This module lays the foundations of neurological physiotherapy assessment along with public health using case study scenarios to apply to clinical practice. This module also includes a 4-week placement.

• Foundations of Professional Practice: This module is taught as an IPE module where Professional standards and values are discussed and explored in preparation for clinical placement.

YEAR 2 (LEVEL 5)

This year builds upon knowledge and understanding in Level 4 to move towards management in core areas of physiotherapy including complex conditions and the development of evidence in practice.

MODULES

• Evidence in Practice: This module is taught as an IPE module where you apply your knowledge of the research process to create a research study proposal that will be carried out at Level 6.

• Care of People with Complex Conditions: This module draws together a range of specialist conditions and complex conditions in new contexts and environments that the student will encounter in practice and will equip the you with the skills necessary to critically evaluate conditions they may not have practically encountered previously.

• Developing Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy Practice: This module builds upon basic knowledge of cardiorespiratory practice to further enhance assessment and management of patients with MSK conditions.

• Developing Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Practice: This module builds upon basic knowledge of musculoskeletal practice to further enhance assessment and management of patients with MSK conditions.

• Developing Neurological Physiotherapy Practice: This module builds upon basic knowledge of neurological practice to further enhance assessment and management of patients with MSK conditions.

• Professional Placement 2: This 7-week placement aims to develop your skills in clinical practice whilst on placement. The placement is marked on a CSP created scoring system.

YEAR 3 (LEVEL 6)

This year culminates in a dissertation research project alongside applying knowledge in two large clinical placements and a transition to practice module.

MODULES

• Research for Practice: This module is the application of the Level 5 research proposal; a dissertation written in journal publication format in combination with a reflective piece.

• Professional Placement 3: This 6-week placement aims to develop your skills in clinical practice whilst on placement. The placement is marked on a CSP created scoring system.

• Professional Placement 4: This 10-week placement aims to develop your skills in clinical practice whilst on placement. The placement is marked on a CSP created scoring system.

• Transition into Professional Practice: This module will provide health care students with the necessary skills and knowledge of how to improve, reflect on the way they and the teams in which they work and deliver services; allowing innovation and transformation at every stage of their career. This is an IPE module.

The Physiotherapy degree is a full-time course (5 days a week needed for a combination of independent learning and lecturer-led sessions) and it is expected that you attend all sessions and complete all pre and post sessional preparation work and self-directed study. To ensure success on this programme of study, you will need to fully engage in the pre and post session preparation work. This allows you to gain the most possible from face-to-face teaching.

Assessment is varied and is undertaken in the form of written academic work, practical objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), placement pass/fail and VIVA – verbal examinations. Practical assessments will take the form of case studies with models where you will demonstrate assessment and treatment skills along side demonstrating your theoretical knowledge.

Teaching and Learning

We offer workshops and support sessions in areas such as academic writing, effective note-making and preparing for assignments.

Students can book appointments with academic skills tutors dedicated to helping deal with the practicalities of university work. Our student support section has more information on the help available.

In terms of particular needs, the University’s Inclusion Services can provide appropriate guidance and support should any students require reasonable adjustments to be made because of a recognised prevailing disability, medical condition, or specific learning difference.

This course utilises authentic assessment methods to ensure students can demonstrate the required knowledge and skills to meet HCPC Standards of proficiency upon qualification. For examinations that are assessing a competency required for clinical practice, a reasonable adjustment or alternative method of examination may not be appropriate. This is to replicate the competency and skills that are required for effective clinical practice. If you have any questions about this then please contact the admissions lead or inclusion services to discuss. Information on the required Standards of proficiency upon qualification can be found on the HCPC website HCPC Standards of Proficiency for Physiotherapists.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Physiotherapy, Chartered Society of
• Health and Care Professions Council