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.
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.
"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! "
"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!"
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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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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!"
"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."
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Entry requirements
Additional information
Please note: Satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or overseas police check, and health checks are required for all applicants whom are successful at interview.
Applications received before 20th June 2024 will receive equal consideration. Applications for January 2025 entry are currently open. All applications received by the application deadline (23:59 30 June 2024) will be given equal consideration. You will not receive a decision on your application until after this date.
There are three key stages to our Admissions process for the Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) programme - detailed below. Please note, you must be successful at each stage to proceed through the process.
Stage 1
Application reviewed against published entry requirements
Stage 2
Review by the academic team for scoring of the application and personal statement
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 subjectAdditional 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
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
We don’t accept degrees from certain universities, please see our Bangladesh Country Page for more information
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Canada
75% or a GPA of 3.0 in a degree (Ordinary or Honours) in a health science or exercise subject or 70% or C or a GPA of 2.5 in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
China
75% in a degree in a health science or exercise subject or 70% in a degree in a health science or exercise subject from a '211' university or 70% in a degree in a health science or exercise subject or 65% in a health science or exercise subject from a '211' university and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Ghana
Upper second class degree in a health science or exercise subject or lower second class degree or a GPA of 2.5 in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
India
60% or CGPA 6.5/10 in a degree of at least 3 years in a health science or exercise subject or 55% or CGPA 6/10 in any degree of three years or longer in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Kenya
Upper second class degree in a health science or exercise subject or lower second class degree in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nepal
70% / 3.0 in a 4-year Bachelor's degree or 75% / 3.4 in a 3-year Bachelor's degree in a health science or exercise subject or 60% / 2.4 in a 4-year Bachelor's degree or 65% / CGPA 2.8 in a 3-year Bachelor's degree in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nigeria
Upper second class degree in a health science or exercise subject or lower second class degree in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Pakistan
We accept a range of qualifications from Pakistan. Please visit our Pakistan Country Page for more information
or we will consider demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need an English language qualification (see below)
South Africa
Second class division 1 / 70% in a Bachelor's degree with Honours or First / 75% in an Ordinary Bachelor's degree in a health science or exercise subject or Second class division 2 / 60% in a Bachelor's degree with Honours or Second class division 1 / 70% in an Ordinary Bachelor's degree with Honours in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Sri Lanka
60% in a Special Bachelor's degree in a health science or exercise subject or 55% in a Special Bachelor's degree in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Uganda
Upper second class degree in a health science or exercise subject or lower second class degree in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Zimbabwe
Upper second class degree in a health science or exercise subject or lower second class degree in a health science or exercise subject and three years relevant clinical experience with evidence of continued professional development activity
Applicants with a 3 year Diploma in Physiotherapy should contact our Admissions Team at enquiries@keele.ac.uk
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Additional information
Please note: Satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or overseas police check, and health checks are required for all applicants whom are successful at interview.
Applications received before 20th June 2024 will receive equal consideration. Applications for January 2025 entry are currently open. All applications received by the application deadline (23:59 30 June 2024) will be given equal consideration. You will not receive a decision on your application until after this date.
There are three key stages to our Admissions process for the Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) programme - detailed below. Please note, you must be successful at each stage to proceed through the process.
Stage 1
Application reviewed against published entry requirements
Stage 2
Review by the academic team for scoring of the application and personal statement
Stage 3
Interview
English language requirements
All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from Group D.
References
Normally, you will need to provide at least one academic reference to support your application unless you have been out of study longer than two years. If it has been more than two years since you last studied on a degree-level programme, you will normally need to provide an employment reference instead. For more information about Academic References, please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages.
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which enables applicants to receive recognition and formal credit for learning acquired in the past through formal study or work and life experiences.
RPL can also be requested for admission onto the start of a programme in lieu of the admission requirements. For more information, see our Recognition of Prior Learning web pages.
General information
The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.
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"I enjoyed attending interesting lectures learning from vastly experienced practitioners that made the learning process fun and engaging, whilst creating life long friendships in the process. The MSc Physiotherapy (pre-reg) programme was extremely challenging at times, but also incredibly rewarding and by completing this course I have developed not only as a medical practitioner, but also as a human being."
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Funding
Living costs
Keele University is located on a beautiful campus and has all the facilities of a small town. Student accommodation, shops, restaurants and cafes are all within walking distance of the teaching buildings. This is a very cost effective way to live and to reduce your living costs.
Eligible Physiotherapy (Pre-Reg) MSc students can apply for funding support via the NHS Learning Support Fund, which includes a £5,000 training grant and certain travel and accommodation costs for placements. More information, including eligibility criteria, can be found on the NHS Learning Support Fund website.
Please note, if your course offers a January start date, the January 2025 start date falls in the 2024/25 academic year. Please see the January 2025 fees for the relevant fees for starting this course in January 2025
Planning your funding
It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses and not all students are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in some cases, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our Financial Support Team.
Scholarships
Pre-registration Physiotherapy students are eligible to apply for funding support via the NHS Learning Support Fund which includes a £5000 training grant. More information, including the eligibility criteria can be found here.
We are committed to rewarding excellence and potential. Please visit our bursaries and scholarships webpage for more information.
For continuing students, fees will increase annually by RPIX, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.
For continuing international students, fees will increase annually by RPIX, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.
Upon successful completion of the MSc you will be equipped with a wide range of research, leadership and clinical practice skills that will provide you with the expertise to work as a Physiotherapist. You will also be eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Physiotherapy is a diverse profession with many areas of clinical specialisms and work environments. Graduates have the flexibility to pursue careers that are clinical, research, professional body or education based or any combination of these.
You may seek to work in a national or international healthcare environment such as the NHS, private sector, occupational health, or sports. Alternatively you may choose to pursue further study or seek opportunities to develop the physiotherapy profession or healthcare services with the high level skill set you will have developed throughout the programme.
Keele’s Careers and Employability team (Shortlisted for Best University Careers Employment Service - National Undergraduate Employability Awards, 2021), offers a variety of personal and career development opportunities to enhance your employability.
Programme lead, Claire Stapleton, talks about our 2 year physiotherapy programme.
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Teaching, learning and assessment
How you'll be taught
Teaching is delivered on campus and in practice-based environments, enabling you to build a foundation of knowledge and experience of practical learning.
In your programme you will sometimes be expected to role play and engage in simulated clinical scenarios with other students, such as the practice and observation of practical skills in physical contact with other students. For some specific practices, this may necessitate modification of dress - e.g., to shorts and t-shirt. These activities will be conducted in a professional, safe, respectful and culturally sensitive way, under the supervision of academic staff, according to a defined protocol.
There are various teaching methods used on this programme, including:
Lectures
Seminars
Individual and group presentations
Student and tutor-led tutorials
Practical work
Group workshops
Web-based learning
Learning in the practice environment
Inter-professional learning
Independent study
You will be taught by a wide range of academics in the School of Allied Health Professions and Pharmacy including Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered physiotherapists and research active staff with expertise across different areas. The practical learning element of this programme will be assessed by practice educators who currently work across diverse healthcare environments.
How you'll be assessed
The assessment methods at Keele will enable you to review your learning, develop a variety of skills reflective of the needs of a workplace (including written - reports, reflections and essays - oral communication and digital) and progress throughout the programme, including:
Written work/assignments
Written and practical examinations
Oral presentations
Reflective assignments
Practice assessments/Interactive Practical Assessment (IPA)
Keele University is one of a handful of universities in the UK to have a dedicated students' union for postgraduate students. A fully registered charity, Keele Postgraduate Association serves as a focal point for the social life and welfare needs of all postgraduate students during their time at Keele.
Hugely popular, the KPA Clubhouse (near Horwood Hall) provides a dedicated postgraduate social space and bar on campus, where you can grab a bite to eat and drink, sit quietly and read a book, or switch off from academic life at one of the many regular events organised throughout the year. The KPA also helps to host a variety of conferences, as well as other academic and career sessions, to give you and your fellow postgraduates the opportunities to come together to discuss your research, and develop your skills and networks.
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Our expertise
The MSc involves collaboration between both peers and professional teaching staff across a range of medical fields, which will benefit your learning experience through discussions and insight into varied healthcare settings. Teaching will be delivered by highly skilled qualified staff, through a blend of modules that reflect different aspects of the physiotherapy profession such as clinical expertise, health and wellbeing, human movement, research and leadership.
At Keele, you will have access to facilities that will help to support your independent study and group work with peers using various resources. You will be able to make use of the Keele campus library as well as the Health Library based at the University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust.
School of Allied Health Professions and Pharmacy
We host a selection of materials that will assist with your theoretical and practical learning, including an ALS Patient Simulator, anatomical models and electrophysical equipment. You will also be able to utilise exercise testing equipment during the programme to help with teaching, such as heart rate monitors and sensory testing kits.
Other facilities may also be used for teaching including the Anatomy Suite, Sports Centre, and Movement Analysis Suite.
