MSc in Advanced Physiotherapy
Manchester Metropolitan University
Key Information
Campus location
Manchester, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
15 - 60 Months
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
GBP 16,500 / per course
Application deadline
Request Info
Earliest start date
Aug 2024
Introduction
Designed for registered and qualified physiotherapists, this course gives you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and professional practice across a range of practical and theory-based units.
You'll complete core units of study and choose optional units that are intended to complement different areas of physiotherapy practice, such as musculoskeletal, neurology or a first contact practitioner role.
Practical sessions are an important part of this course and, depending on the units you choose, you’ll learn techniques such as soft tissue manipulation and manual therapy techniques.
Most studies will take place on campus. Our lecturers are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and many still work in practice alongside teaching. Our teaching team also includes researchers with expertise across a range of specialisms, including knee and spinal dysfunctions, musculoskeletal and physical activity interventions, rehabilitation for older people and stroke rehabilitation.
If you’re not ready to commit to a full-time master's, you can study individual units as standalone modules, as part of your continuing professional development (CPD).
You can also choose to study an alternative to the master’s degree, such as a postgraduate certificate (PgCert) or postgraduate diploma (PgDip).
Features and benefits
- Specialist study - You are able to focus on particular areas of specialist study including musculoskeletal, neurological or our Manual Therapy Clinical Pathway. We also offer several units suitable for clinicians who are entering First Contact Practitioner [FCP]roles.
- Flexible studying - Fit studying around your career and take modules as continuing professional development (CPD) units or study full or part-time.
- Specialist facilities - You’ll use our on-campus physiotherapy facilities dependent on your unit choices, which include seven separate practice rooms and a gait laboratory.
- Professional development - When you complete the Manual Therapy Clinical Pathway, you are eligible to apply for membership in the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP).
Admissions
Curriculum
We offer a range of optional units of study to assist practitioners in developing their knowledge and evidence-based practice. These are focused predominantly around:
- Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
- Neurological physiotherapy
- A manual therapy clinical pathway (which provides eligibility to apply for Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP) membership)
To help you fit studying around your work commitments, you can exit this course with a postgraduate certificate (PgCert) or postgraduate diploma (PgDip) in Advanced Physiotherapy instead of a full master's degree (MSc). Alternatively, you can just complete individual units from this master's degree as continuing professional development (CPD).
In our master's course, you’ll have a mix of lectures and practical sessions. Some of the topics you might explore include exercise prescriptions for patients and mobilisation techniques.
For units with practical content, we’ll teach you the theory behind the techniques in your lectures. We’ll demonstrate how to perform the techniques in practical sessions and then you’ll practice with fellow students, supervised by your lecturer.
A number of our units have guest lecturers including experts in their field of clinical practice and world-leading researchers.
As well as core units, you’ll choose optional units to help you meet your personal and professional goals. You’ll need to currently be working in clinical practice for some of the optional units. We offer a range of modules to further your career in advanced practice and first-contact practitioner roles. These include units that map across all four pillars of advanced practice.
If you’re interested in studying option units focused on sport, you might be able to take one or two of the units on our MSc Sport and Exercise Medicine course as part of your advanced physiotherapy qualification.
We deliver the units Rehabilitation in Sport and Maximising Sports Performance in collaboration with experts currently working in sports. Some sessions in these units take place at the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance (MIHP).
Whichever area you focus on, in order to graduate with this master's degree, you will need to complete the majority of your units from the advanced physiotherapy course syllabus. These must form two-thirds of your final credits.
Your final assignment for the master's course is an Advanced Physiotherapy Project (APP). This involves conducting research, writing a paper of 6,000 words, and a viva voce (oral examination).
Year 1
In addition to studying a range of selected units, you'll normally undertake a mix of core and option units.
As a full-time student, you'll complete taught units within 15 months. If you're a part-time student, you must undertake a minimum of one unit per academic year.
Core units
- Research Methods
- Advanced Physiotherapy Project
Optional Units
- Assessment And Management Of Neuromusculoskeletal Dysfunction In The Upper Quadrant
- Assessment And Management Of Neuromusculoskeletal Dysfunction In The Lower Quadrant
- Soft Tissue Manipulation
- Biomechanical Analysis (Lower Limb)
- First Contact Practitioner And Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice
- Musculoskeletal Medicine Upper Quadrant
- Musculoskeletal Medicine Lower Quadrant (Part Of The Sports And Exercise Medicine But Can Undertake Up To 2 Units Towards Your Advanced Physiotherapy Master’s Qualification)
- Musculoskeletal Medicine Injection Therapy
- Multi-Professional Approach To Stroke Rehabilitation
- Evidence-Based Approach To Acute Stroke Management
- Approaches To Neurological Rehabilitation
- Rehabilitation In Sport
- Principles Of Clinical Management For Patients With Neuromusculoskeletal Dysfunction (Foundation Unit)
- Rehabilitation Of Older People
- Management Of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain
- Independent Study
- Foundation For Effective Leadership And Management Within An Organisation
- Physical Activity And Health
- Principles Of Health Economics
- Clinical Placement Upper Quadrant
- Clinical Placement Lower Quadrant
- Radiology In Musculoskeletal Practice
Additional information about this course
Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies require students to achieve results that demonstrate their ability to practise safely. There are therefore some exceptions to the standard University Assessment Regulations for those students, for example, limitations on resits and on the compensation for failed marks.
Career Opportunities
In our course, you’ll develop the knowledge and critical thinking to help you in clinical practice along with evidence-based practice and research skills.
Upon completion of this course, you will have gained significant knowledge and skills, widening the opportunities to apply for more senior and specialist physiotherapy roles within the NHS. Here, you could apply for a promotion to the next band in the NHS pay scale or help improve the clinical competencies required to gain a first-contact practitioner status. In particular, we have unit learning that is matched to the clinical competencies required to complete the clinical pillar of the ‘First Contact Practitioners and Advanced Practitioners in Primary Care: (Musculoskeletal) A Roadmap to Practice.’
In the private sector, this qualification might open routes to work or establish your own private practice. It may also open avenues in higher education teaching or research. Those working in part-time sports environments may benefit from adding the master's levels of clinical reasoning skills to apply for full-time posts in sporting environments.