Course content

Physiotherapists play a vital role in healthcare and are actively engaged in a broad range of career paths from clinical practice through to leadership and management roles. The physiotherapy course at Keele will help you develop high standards of academic and professional competence, combined with interprofessional learning alongside other healthcare profession students, to promote an awareness of the present and future demands in healthcare.

Our course embraces a vision of patient-centred care within a wide range of healthcare settings, and you will gain invaluable experience in public and private sector based clinical, rehabilitation and sport environments. You will study in inclusive and supportive learning environments, that encourage reflection and that are enriched by case-based and evidence-based learning.

You will be taught by highly experienced lecturers, clinicians and leading researchers in physiotherapy. You will spend time on clincial placement throughout the programme - the volume of practice hours along with our leadership and management modules will enhance your skillset and prepare you for your future career.

If you already have a degree you may qualify for our 2-year accelerated pre-registration Master's. Please see our website for further details. 

The programme is approved and accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Foundation year

You may choose to study this course via foundation year.

If you’re returning to education following a break, wish to study a new subject or don’t have the grades or sufficient equivalent experience for direct entry to this course, a foundation year may be a good option for you.

Following successful completion (including any additional progression requirements) of the foundation year you can progress on to this course.

The foundation year offers September starts across all subjects, and January starts across all science, humanities, social sciences and business routes.

The January intake excludes the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery degree with Foundation Year and other health-related foundation Year degree

For more details visit our foundation year webpages.

Foundation year

Fees and funding

Going to university can be a daunting as well as an exciting experience. It can be difficult to understand the true costs of being a student, as well as the financial support that is available to help you meet those costs.

We can help you to manage your funds, create a budget and ensure that you receive any funding for which you may be eligible. We also offer financial support such as the Keele University Hardship Fund and emergency loans.

For more information visit our money, advice and guidance section.

Student Grant

Physiotherapy students can benefit from additional financial support of at least £5,000 a year to help with living costs. The grant is given to all new and continuing degree-level physiotherapy students via the NHS Learning Support Fund. More information and the full eligibility criteria can be found here.

Career prospects

96% of Keele graduates were in a job or further study within six months of graduating (HESA, 2017)

A physiotherapy degree from Keele will ensure you graduate with clinical and research skills that will enable you to work as an autonomous professional across a variety of national (including the NHS, private sector, occupational health and performance sport) and international healthcare settings.

If you already have a degree you may qualify for our 2-year accelerated pre-registration Master's, click here for details.

Our 4 year programme will ensure you are academically, clinically and research skilled to meet the future demands of the evolving physiotherapy profession. A master’s degree will get your career off to a flying start and enable you to more easily progress to higher bands and increased responsibility.

Regardless of which career you pursue after Keele, employers will want evidence of the range of skills and personal qualities you possess and which are required for the job. Your degree is clearly important in this respect but don’t forget the extra-curricular activities, positions of responsibility, jobs and voluntary work you may have been engaged in while studying at Keele. These activities allow you to demonstrate the skills and personal qualities required by employers and will be vital in your attempts to secure graduate employment.

Find out more about our careers and employability services, including career planning, alumni mentoring, jobs, internships, starting your own business and much more.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion in Physiotherapy Practical Skills Education

The educational programmes in the School of Allied Health Professions prepare students to practice in a wide range of healthcare and wellbeing settings.

Each programme equips students with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours required to practice safely and effectively in a constantly changing healthcare environment. Programmes must also ensure students are prepared for professional practice which truly embraces and promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Students will learn both the theory and practice of their chosen profession and will be taught in both the university and the clinical/healthcare environment.

Practical skills will initially be taught in the classroom and students will both practise and personally experience the skills of the profession. Students are required to act as patient models both in the classroom and, where appropriate, in the clinical setting. Acting as a patient model is a valuable part of learning by offering the experience of healthcare from the perspective of a patient which will contribute to the students’ development in becoming an empathetic healthcare professional. Through classroom-based and practice-based settings students will experience a wide diversity of healthcare situations and environments in which their professional skills are developed for practice as a qualified, registered health professional.

The School recognises and understands that, for a variety of reasons, some students may find being a model or practising skills on fellow students and/or professional colleagues uncomfortable. Please be assured that the School is committed to provide an inclusive environment for all students to thrive and as such provides screens in practical teaching sessions, respects an individual's preference for how they wish to be addressed, plans assessments in cognisance of holy days and offers the adaptation of dress, where possible, to maintain modesty and dignity requirements of religious (or other) dress codes. A culturally and ethnically diverse student body will enhance understanding of, and healthcare provision for, the diverse communities that they will serve, as such, we welcome the opportunity to work with you to find culturally competent and/or sensitive solutions for you. For any questions or concerns you may have about practical skills education, please do contact the school at your earliest opportunity to discuss with a member of academic staff (Primary contacts: Dr Claire Stapleton, c.stapleton@keele.ac.uk, (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Lead) for all aspects of equality, except disability, where Dr Dale Cooper, d.cooper1@keele.ac.uk (Disability Liaison Officer) should be contacted).

The School of Allied Health Professions is committed to ensuring its graduates are fully prepared for practice across the widest range of healthcare situations and settings and that they are also able to embrace, reflect and influence the values and behaviours required to promote inclusive cultures and diversity.