Advancing Physiotherapy Practice MSc
Study level: Postgraduate
This clinically focused course is aimed at qualified physiotherapists who wish to develop their reasoning skills to a higher level for their practice.
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
1 year full-time
Course code
HLST255
Start date
May 2024
Course overview
This course provides you with the opportunity to develop your physiotherapy reasoning to a higher level, supported by an experienced and dedicated team of staff.
- Opportunities to develop your assessment, clinical reasoning and treatment skills in the three core areas of practice: cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal and neurological physiotherapy
- Aims to improve your employability by enhancing clinical reasoning, management and leadership skills
- Opportunities to develop and practise your clinical skills in an environment which closely resembles real-life clinical practice.

Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects
Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2023Why you should study this course
- This course offers physiotherapy graduates the opportunity to progress their professional development after successful completion of a relevant undergraduate programme.
- You will have the opportunity4 to be taught in our multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building, which has skills labs, simulation suites, therapy equipment and technological support.
- Our current teaching staff are both experienced in teaching and also clinical experts (staff are subject to change). Staff view providing support to your transition to master’s level learning as an integral part of their teaching role and past students have found this support to be an invaluable contribution to their academic development.
- You will have the opportunity to develop interpersonal skills and cultural competence from learning alongside a diverse group of students in both the physiotherapy classes and the inter-professional classes.
- You will have the opportunity to undertake the Global Professional Development module, which has been developed in partnership with the Chartered Management Institute1. You will have opportunities to develop skills in strategic leadership and entrepreneurship and on successful completion will gain additional qualifications from the CMI (see accreditation section for more information).
Accreditation and professional recognition
This course is accredited1 by the following bodies:

Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
As part of this course, you will undertake a professional development module which is currently accredited by the Chartered Management Institute for the 2023-24 intake. Upon successful completion of this module, you will gain the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice at no additional cost. Coventry University’s accreditation with CMI is currently ongoing for the relevant modules and is regularly reviewed and monitored by CMI through their quality systems.
What you'll study
How you'll learn
A wide range of teaching methods will be used during the course, such as:
- lectures
- seminars
- tutorials
- practical workshops.
These are all supported by the university’s virtual learning environment which offers a broad selection of support materials.
The clinically focused modules will be taught by clinical specialists and will be based in clinical skills labs, with access to state-of-the-art equipment including gait assessment lab, assessment tools and simulation models. The use of case studies, illness narratives and videos are used to help you apply your learning to practice. In addition, service users contribute to teaching and learning so that you gain an authentic perspective on the effect of disability on a person’s quality of life.
You will learn alongside other qualified physiotherapists in the clinical skills modules, and during the theoretical modules you will learn alongside students from a range of professional and cultural backgrounds. Group discussions and presentations will allow you to develop your communication skills and cultural competence.
Teaching contact hours
You should expect to engage with a mixture of online and face to face activities, including face to face classes for approximately three to six hours each week during term time. In addition to this, there are mandatory support sessions which aim to enhance your study skills and employability. Content includes sessions on searching the literature, academic writing, planning assignments and careers advice. International students have access to an in-sessional academic English course.
Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 15 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.
The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials. As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2023/2024 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. Formative assessment is used in all modules to provide you with useful feedback about your work which can be used to enhance subsequent summative assessments.
Assessment methods include:
- Essays
- Presentations
- Reports
- Vivas
- Critical appraisals
- Dissertation
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Entry requirements
Typical offer for 2023/24 entry.
Fees and funding
2023/24 tuition fees.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | £11,200 per year | Not available |
EU | £11,200 per year with EU support bursary** £18,600 per year without EU support bursary** |
Not available |
International | £18,600 per year | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
- Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).
*Irish student fees
The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.
**EU support bursary
Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in-line with that of UK students. Students studying a Degree with a Foundation Year with us are not eligible for the bursary.
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How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Facilities
This course will take place at our Coventry University main campus with access to the Alison Gingell Building which features a number of innovative classrooms and facilities4.

Clinical Skills Labs
You will have access to clinical skills labs, with the opportunity to use state-of-the-art equipment including gait assessment lab, assessment tools and simulation models.

Mock Operating Theatre
Our Alison Gingell building includes a full-size mock operating theatre, containing scrub sinks and theatre lights. We also have a mock hospital ward so that we can study a complete patient pathway.

Hospital Wards
We have two fully-equipped mock hospital wards, each containing 4 beds. The wards are built to NHS standards and contain moveable beds, first aid equipment and patient monitoring tools.
Careers and opportunities
Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to:
- Critically discuss the principles of assessment, treatment and holistic management of clients with a range of impairments and activity limitations
- Justify clinical decision-making through effective clinical reasoning
- Critically evaluate the theoretical basis of physiotherapy practice.
- Critically appraise contemporary research to formulate evidence-informed approaches to physiotherapy management
- Use critical self-reflection effectively as an integral part of life-long learning
- Communicate decision-making effectively with others
- Critically evaluate the principles for leading and developing people and entrepreneurial practice in strategic contexts
- Justify choice of research design, methodology and methods to investigate (under supervision) a research question relating to physiotherapy practice and present it in a way that would stand up to critical review in academic and professional settings.
This course aims to improve your employability by enhancing clinical, management and leadership skills, so that successful graduates can influence practice and service delivery, working in line with government initiatives.
As well as providing opportunities to develop advanced clinical physiotherapy skills, the course aims to enhance your understanding of research- and evidence-based practice. In addition, you will have the opportunity to develop your communication and leadership skills to a higher level. This skills and knowledge development is designed to allow graduates to move into higher positions within the field of physiotherapy and wider health and social care, research or education.
Where our graduates work
Previous graduates have gained advanced clinical physiotherapy positions in the UK and in places as far afield as Japan, India, Pakistan, Thailand, the Middle East, Africa, Canada and the USA. Many graduates have progressed into teaching roles, others have taken research positions or enrolled in doctoral studies.
How to apply
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UK students
To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online.
For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form.
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International students
Full-time international students applying to start in September should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for postgraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team.
Complete our contact form.
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Disclaimers
Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.
1Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Due to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2023/24 contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
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