From the start, you will be developing the key skills and theories required to be a Physiotherapist. This will include developing Physiotherapy knowledge and practical skills and then applying these in a variety of simulations. Your journey begins with learning and applying foundation skills essential to a Physiotherapist.
These key skills with being revisited throughout the 2 years of study utilising a Spiral Curriculum. Here we will revisit your key skills and knowledge and develop them further by integrating them into more complex situations. This not only develops deeper learning but also provides you with the skills required to be a resilient and effective problem solver Physiotherapist.
Research is threaded within your two years of study, as it is an important element of learning and development in our profession. In the specific research modules, there are opportunities to learn common research skills and theory with other Health and Social Care students (IPL) but with an underlying focus on Physiotherapy research knowledge.
Physiotherapy placements are in the final term of each year of the programme and you will undertake two eight-week placements in practice. Additionally in the programme, you will be sharing many aspects of learning with other health care discipline students in modules. This will allow you to develop a deeper understanding of the roles of others and enhance your communication skills and partnership working.
Year 1: Developing a foundation for practice
The first year of the programme is focused on providing a platform and the foundations of Physiotherapy. It provides an opportunity to develop, explore, and critique the key core concepts, contexts, and skills of the profession, and then apply these in a practice-based setting. This will include the key critical skills such as philosophical underpinnings, theories, knowledge and evaluation of key issues in professional practice as well as critical analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of theoretical concepts central to Physiotherapy from National and global perspectives. Furthermore, it offers you the opportunity to work with other Health and Social Care students including Occupational Therapy who are key partners in delivering Health and Social Care with time to learn and work together across the two years. You will develop communication skills within a team, placing the service user and families at the centre of their care. These Interprofessional Learning (IPL) opportunities are threaded throughout the two years of the programme and allow you to learn and work together so that you can develop confidence in your role as well as develop a deeper understanding of the roles of others.
The Physiotherapy discipline-specific modules have a strong emphasis on developing your understanding of professionalism and the regulatory and professional requirements for Physiotherapists, as well as theory and knowledge of assessment and treatment modalities. Throughout both years we will be integrating theory with practice and consolidating your learning through the use of simulation and Problem Based (PB) scenarios. You will have the opportunity to develop and apply your practical skills within a range of practice settings, making use of the high-tech Clinical Simulation Skills Centre which includes a mock ward environment and Virtual Reality and through engagement with service users.
Applying and evaluating policy and research in practice is essential for Physiotherapists, who are required to adopt the evidence-informed practice. Therefore, from the onset of the programme, how policy and research impact on practice and service provision is explored through core interprofessional shared modules. In Year 1, a long thin module incorporates 2 components Theoretical and Practice Education with 2 placements of 8 weeks which introduce and consolidate your professional and practice skills. This arrangement with placement modules before the commencement of academic study in Year 2 facilitates your practice experience allowing you to develop an understanding of more complex issues and how physical health and innovation play an important role as Physiotherapists. It will also further develop your evidence-based decision making, and professional and communication skills.
At the end of both years one and two, you will have the opportunity to utilise your learned knowledge and skills and apply these in a variety of practice-based settings in your placements. These are in the form of four, eight-week placements, two at the end of both years one and year two.
Year 2: Advancing practice and shaping the future
In the second year of the programme, you will develop your skills in critical reflection, clinical reasoning and your ability to critically evaluate evidence for the practice, within more complex scenarios. This will include working with individuals with complex health and social care needs and exploring specialist areas of Physiotherapy practice. In addition, you will learn about physiotherapists' roles in promoting well-being and physical activity and in undertaking exercise prescription.
You will be asked to take a global perspective, and develop the entrepreneurial capacity and skills required to lead innovation in a changing health and social care environment. Your research experience will be enhanced, culminating in the production of a research- based dissertation which focuses on practical and applied results. You will then undertake two final eight-week placements which will enable you to make the transition into the workplace as a competent, confident and autonomous Physiotherapy practitioner.
In addition, IPL will enable an in-depth consideration of a community in the context of developing team working, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills. Your research experience is enhanced in Year 2 and culminates in the production of a dissertation related to Physiotherapy. Similar to Year 1, in Year 2, a long thin module incorporates 2 components Theoretical and Practice Education with 2 placements of 8 weeks which consolidates your professional and practice skills and your transition into the workplace as a competent, autonomous practitioner.
Subjects include
Year 1
• Foundations of Physiotherapy Practice (PT specific)
• Contemporary Health & Social Care Contexts for Physiotherapists (IPL)
• Application of Physiotherapy Theory and Practice (PT Specific)
• Physiotherapy Research Questions and Methodologies (PT Specific)
• Professional Development for Physiotherapy Practice (IPL)
• Practice Education 1
• Practice Education 2
Year 2
• Physiotherapy Dissertation (PT Specific)
• Leading Innovations in Health and Social Care (IPL)
• Building Professional Autonomy in Physiotherapy (PT Specific)
• Physiotherapy Practice Placement 3
• Physiotherapy Practice Placement 4