Physiotherapy (pre-registration)

Physiotherapy (pre-registration) - MSc

Our 2 year pre-registration MSc in Physiotherapy is a qualifying programme for graduates with a relevant undergraduate degree. The course is accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and approved by the Health and Care Professions Council. We offer a supportive environment with excellent opportunities for you to excel as you develop the knowledge and skills required of a highly competent physiotherapist capable of meeting the demands and challenges of current and future healthcare environments. This challenging course comprises of a balanced delivery of theoretical learning, practical skills teaching, self-reflection and practice-experience placements.

Month of entry

January

Mode of study

Full time

Location

Keele University campus

Subject area

Physiotherapy

Fees for 2025/26 academic year

UK Full Time - £9,535 per year*
International - Full time £24,900 per year

Duration of study

Full time - 2 years

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Why study Physiotherapy (pre-registration) at Keele University?

Accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council

Gain experience in a variety of healthcare environments alongside accredited practice educators

Promotion of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion throughout all aspects of the programme

Develop interpersonal, analytical and critical skills to enable you to practice effectively in your chosen career

Eligible students can apply for the £5,000 NHS grant

Course summary

MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) at Keele focuses on the delivery of patient-centred care within a range of health and social care environments. Physiotherapy emphasises the use of physical approaches in the promotion, maintenance and restoration of an individual’s physical, psychological and social wellbeing - all which underpin the key themes of our programme.

Our two year MSc enables you to develop the scientific knowledge, clinical skills, behaviours and values that underpin contemporary evidence-based physiotherapy practice. You will explore the importance of clinical reasoning and informed evidence-based decision-making which will enable you to confidently manage patients with a range of clinical needs. You will work in partnership with patients, assessing and identifying the appropriate management and care which considers their overall wellbeing to achieve optimum health benefits.

You will engage with theoretical and practical teaching to become an independent thinker who can make informed decisions confidently. Through active participation in inter-professional learning, you will develop an appreciation for the multiple professions whom may be involved in a patient's care, developing your ability to work collaboratively within the multi-disciplinary team.

You will explore and evaluate the role of current physiotherapists considering how future practice may advance. Your ability to critically analyse and draw conclusions will enable you to consider scenarios from different perspectives and with this insight, you will be equipped to positively adapt to changes in circumstances. These experiences will develop your confidence to make informed clinical decisions with the best interest of the patient at the heart of your care. You will cover all four pillars of advanced Physiotherapy practice (Clinical, Leadership - which includes equality, diversity and inclusion, Research and Education) to prepare you for your future career and the development of the profession. Towards the end of your programme we will guide you in searching and seeking for employment and applying for Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration.

Student support

Academic mentor

You will be assigned an academic mentor who will support you with your academic development and queries. They will be your initial contact and are able to refer you to a range of student services offered by the university including welfare and financial support.

Student experience and support team

Our Student Experience and Support team will be on hand to deliver an array of services to help guide you through your studies. Each school has an allocated Student Experience and Support Officer who will be available to help with pastoral queries and one-to-one support.

Practice educators

Your practical experience will involve various healthcare environments and you will be supported by an accredited practice educator who will be on hand to provide feedback and support during your placements. Practice educators have a breadth of knowledge and experience in a variety of settings (clinical/professional body/leadership/research) which will help to provide insight into a range of careers and specialisms that may be of interest.

Next steps

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"The MSc programme has enabled me to massively develop my clinical and my personal skill set, which has enabled me to secure my dream job. The passion the staff have for the course content is reflected each day in their teaching, and the atmosphere created in each teaching sessions has been great! The most challenging, but also most rewarding two years! "

Sam, MSc Physiotherapy (pre-registration)

"Studying Physiotherapy at Keele has been an amazing opportunity. The lecturers here come with a wealth of knowledge which they love to share, and a variety of teaching methods are adopted (lectures, interactive seminars, PBL, group work and practicals) which really helps to embed all the information you need (and there’s a lot!). The opportunities at Keele are endless and what makes this intense course that little bit easier is the way the teaching staff listen to us as students and will adapt/change their session to suit our preferred way of learning. Keele really do go above and beyond and I’m excited to expand my knowledge and practical skills even further on my journey to become a Physiotherapist!"

Hannah , MSc Physiotherapy (pre-registration)

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Course structure

This programme is studied across two years and each year is divided into two semesters. You will engage with a number of practice-experience placements, contributing to your practice hours that will allow you to meet the requirement to register as a qualified physiotherapist.

Your placements may offer experience and insight into the following areas of Physiotherapy practice:

Hospitals
Acute healthcare
Community healthcare
Private, independent and/or voluntary organisations (including sports clubs)
Virtual healthcare
Leadership and/or research

Modules

The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

Year 1: Compulsory modules

Pre arrival introduction and work packages

Transition into Physiotherapy Studies (incorporating Interprofessional Education 1)
This module provides you with the opportunity to develop your understanding of the Physiotherapy profession and develop skills, knowledge and attributes that are essential for a health professional. In addition, you will be supported in reflecting on your knowledge and previous experiences in order to identify learning needs and action plans to address gaps in knowledge relating to anatomy, physiology and movement science.

Essentials of Physiotherapy Assessment
Introduces you to the knowledge and skills required to undertake and interpret the information gained from a subjective and objective assessment in order to formulate an effective management plan within each of the main specialties of physiotherapy: musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiovascular and respiratory practice.

Foundations of Physiotherapy Management
Builds upon the knowledge and skills gained in the Essentials of Physiotherapy Assessment module and prepares you to deliver, and analyse the efficacy of, physiotherapy management within each of the main specialties of physiotherapy: musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiovascular and respiratory practice.

Practice Experience A1
Introduces you to practice in a healthcare setting and aims to prepare you to work in diverse healthcare settings whilst also develop transferable skills (i.e multidisciplinary team working, leadership and advance communication) that can be applied in a variety of healthcare settings and specialities. Graduates of this programme are eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Evaluating Healthcare and Evidence Based Practice
Offers you the opportunity to develop and enhance your knowledge and skills in effectively using research and other forms of evidence to support and underpin their clinical practice as well as recognise frequently used resources and tools used to evaluate healthcare services.

Advancing assessment and Treatment Skills
This module builds on both the Essentials of Physiotherapy Assessment and Foundations of Physiotherapy Management modules.Youwill develop you knowledge, skills and higher order clinical reasoning within several specialties of physiotherapy, including older adults, musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiovascular and respiratory practice.
Teaching will be delivered by a blended approach with both in-situ, and online (asynchronous and synchronous) learning and teaching strategies to ensure that all required knowledge, evaluation and understanding of key principles in physiotherapy are delivered for all types of learners.

Health Wellbeing and Behaviour Change
The module brings together the concepts of health promotion, primary and secondary prevention and health behaviour change, and provides a context for the study of rehabilitation. You will explore the factors which affect health and wellbeing and also the theories, models and principles which underlie health behaviour change. Health promotion strategies are evaluated.

Enhanced Physiotherapy Management for Complex Patients
Allows you to explore the challenges of managing patients/clients with multiple or complex conditions. You will learn to identify and justify priorities in the context of clinical reasoning and integrate knowledge gained from the practice experience and evidence-based components of the programme to develop into their patient management proposals.

Year 2: Compulsory modules

Leadership and Service Development

This module will enable you to understand the characteristics of effective leadership and service delivery, enabling students to take a lead on the delivery of high quality health care.

Research Proposal

The 'Research Proposal' module allows you the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in justifying and designing a comprehensive plan for a research project under the guidance of a supervisor.

Practice Experience A2
Building on Practice Experience A1 and the content introduced earlier on in year one, this module enables you, through physiotherapy practice experience to further develop and apply knowledge and skills in both assessment and therapeutic techniques. It prepares you to work in diverse healthcare settings whilst also develop transferable skills (i.e multidisciplinary team working, leadership and advance communication) that can be applied in a variety of healthcare settings and specialities.

Practice Experience A3
Builds on previous Practice Experiences and teaching content covered earlier in the programme and allows the student to further develop and apply knowledge and skills in these non-clinical areas of practice. It prepares you to work in diverse healthcare settings whilst also develop transferable skills (i.e. mentoring, multidisciplinary team working, leadership and advance communication) that can be applied in a variety of healthcare settings and specialties.

Practice Experience A4
Practice Experience A4 builds on the content covered earlier in the MSc Physiotherapy programme and enables you through physiotherapy practice experience to further develop and apply knowledge and skills. The module aims to prepare you in diverse healthcare settings whilst also develop transferable skills (i.e. multidisciplinary team working, leadership and advance communication) that can be applied in a variety of healthcare settings and specialities.

Research Project
The 'Research Project' module builds on the 'Research Proposal' and 'Planning Research' modules for each programme and enables the student the opportunity to implement the research proposal presented in the previous module and produce a structured written report of their work. The module aims to develop a students ability to carry out subsequent research independently and commission, manage and evaluate the research activities of others.

Management of Complex Patient Caseloads

Enables you to understand the the characteristics of effective leadership and service delivery, enabling you to take a lead on the delivery of high quality health care.

Interprofessional Education 3

Practice Experience A5
Practice Experience A5 builds on content delivered earlier in the MSc Physiotherapy programme and enables the student through physiotherapy practice experience to further develop and apply knowledge and skills in both assessment and therapeutic treatment techniques. The module aims to prepare the student to work in diverse healthcare settings whilst also develop transferable skills (i.e multidisciplinary team working, leadership and advance communication) that can be applied in a variety of healthcare settings and specialties.

Practice Experience A6
Practice Experience A6 is the final practice experience for this cohort and builds on previous Practice Experiences and content covered earlier in the MSc Physiotherapy programme and enables the student through physiotherapy practice experience to further develop and apply knowledge and skills. The module aims to prepare the student to work in diverse healthcare settings whilst also develop transferable skills (i.e. multidisciplinary team working, leadership and advance communication) that can be applied in a variety of healthcare settings and specialities.

Next steps

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"I really enjoyed my time at Keele. The small cohort of the MSc Physiotherapy Pre-Reg stops you from getting lost in the crowd and you become a really tight knit group. The staff are really friendly, approachable and supportive and want to make you the best clinician you can be once qualified. The reputation of high calibre students from Keele as well as Keele’s relationships with local trusts meant I managed to secure a Rotational Physiotherapy post at UHNM 4 months prior to completing the course and I am now working as a qualified physiotherapist within 2 months of finishing the degree!"

Sarah, MSc Physiotherapy (pre-registration)

"Being a transitional course, one could only wish for a strong support system to pull through. Keele provided this support. The lecturers, including those that worked as link tutors in our various placements worked together to ensure that we picked up the skills required to become the best clinicians that we can be."

Chinonyerem, MSc Physiotherapy (pre-registration)

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Entry requirements

The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.

Typical offer

Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English language requirements you may need.

Typical offer: 2:1 degree in a health science or exercise subject Additional criteria apply

Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information

UK

2:1 degree in a health science or exercise subject
or
2:2 degree in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
or
a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy

You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)

Bangladesh

65% in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in a health science or exercise subject from a public university
or
CGPA 3.0 in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in a health science or exercise subject from a private university
or
60% in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in a health science or exercise subject from a public university
or
CGPA 2.8 in a health science or exercise subject from a private university and three years' relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity