Physiotherapy

Why choose this course?
Are you hard working team player who is both resilient and caring? We look for students who are passionate about improving the lives of others and who are dedicated to the full-time work and study that it takes to become compassionate, effective and knowledgeable physiotherapist of the future.

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

• 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

• 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

Key Course Features:

• A small intake of students every year

• We have some commissioned places for the programme, therefore, your tuition fees can be paid and you can be eligible for a one-off annual payment, financial support to cover placement costs and you can apply for a means-tested bursary (Conditions apply)

• Health and Care Professions Council approved

• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy accredited

• The main delivery site for this course is our Wrexham campus. Occasional interprofessional education sessions may be delivered from our St Asaph campus with students from various nursing and allied health courses. Practical self-directed study can also be accessed at both sites

• On completion of our Physiotherapy degree programme, you will 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

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.

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 information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal academic framework review, so may be subject to change.

Teaching & Assessment

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. 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.

Teaching and learning
Wrexham University is committed to supporting our students to maximise their academic potential.

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 team 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.

Wrexham University utilises the Active Learning Framework (ALF) which allows students to access learning and teaching more flexibly at times that suit them.

Practical Sessions

Practical sessions form an important part of the teaching and learning for physiotherapists, and develop the skills of how to do the job by putting the theory into practice.

You will usually work in pairs and will be encouraged to work with different student physiotherapists throughout their three years so that the skills and knowledge can be applied to different body types and genders.

You will take it in turn to be the physiotherapist and the service user. The student that is taking the role of service user will be required to undress down to shorts/underwear so the student that is in the role of physiotherapist can see, feel and move the service user’s body and apply a variety of physiotherapy techniques of assessment and treatment.

You will be expected to give feedback to one another during practical sessions.

There is a consent process in place for practical sessions that will be provided at the commencement of study and each year thereafter.

Professionalism in all aspect of the course are extremely important and you will learn about what it is to be a professional early on in the learning and teaching.

Professionalism during practical sessions is pivotal as the clinical environment is being replicated and therefore consideration of themes such as health and safety and infection control will be adhered to. You will be expected to adhere to uniform policy and for example; wear your hair up, be bare below the elbows and wear your practical uniforms.

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

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