Advancing Physiotherapy Practice MSc

Study level: Postgraduate
Physiotherapist assessing patients wrist

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 2025


Course overview

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.
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Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

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5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

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Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why 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 opportunity to be taught in our multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building, which has skills labs, simulation suites, therapy equipment and technological support4.
  • Our current teaching staff are both experienced in teaching and also clinical experts (staff are subject to change). Supporting your transition to master’s level learning is an integral part of our staff's teaching role. Past students have found this staff 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

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 2024-25 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.



What you'll study

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


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 assessment tools and simulation models. The use of case studies, illness narratives and videos are used to help you apply your learning to practice.

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 in 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.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. 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 2024/25 entry.

Applicants should be professionally qualified physiotherapists and hold a minimum BSc (or Diploma) in Physiotherapy from a recognised university with a minimum 2:1 grade or equivalent.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications; speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Applicants should be professionally qualified physiotherapists and hold a minimum BSc (or Diploma) in Physiotherapy from a recognised university with a minimum 2:1 grade or equivalent to the UK. Students whose first language is not English should have achieved a minimum IELTS: 7.0 overall with no element less than 6.5.

Each application will be considered on its merits and the final decision will be made by the course director.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 7.0 overall, with no component lower than 6.5

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Fees and funding

2024/25 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.

*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.


Facilities

This course will take place at our Coventry University main campus with access to the Alison Gingell Building which features innovative classrooms and facilities4.

clinical skills lab

Clinical Skills Labs

You will have access to clinical skills labs, with the opportunity to use equipment including assessment tools and simulation models.

Mock Operating Theatre

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

Hospital Wards

We have two fully equipped mock hospital wards, each containing four 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, while others have taken research positions or enrolled in doctoral studies.


How to apply

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