Physiotherapy BSc (Hons)

 

Course Code

UCAS Code: B160

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

 

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

3 years full-time

Start date

September 2022

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Course overview

Study level: Undergraduate
Professionally Accredited Programmes

Note: Course closed to further international students

Physiotherapists play a vital role in enabling people to maximise their health, wellbeing and quality of life through movement, exercise, manual therapy and education.

Our course will result in you being able to register with the Health and Care Professions Council and enter this exciting professional career as a qualified Chartered physiotherapist.

  • Accredited1 by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP)
  • All eligible home students on this course can apply for a minimum payment from the Government of £5,000 per year, with additional payments for students incurring childcare costs6.
  • State-of-the-art teaching facilities including mock wards with interactive manikins, operating theatre, community houses, sport and exercise environments4.
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Global Ready

An international outlook, with global opportunities
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Teaching excellence

Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field
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Employability

Career ready graduates, with the skills to succeed

Why you should study this course

Our Physiotherapy BSc (Hons) course is designed to provide you with the skills, knowledge and experience required to be a safe, effective physiotherapist who can make a difference to individuals throughout their life but also impact wider society in a variety of healthcare contexts.

The physiotherapy programme allows you to develop problem-solving skills, enterprise and resourcefulness to respond to the dynamic healthcare environment. Your learning experience will support you to adopt the professional values and behaviours expected of a physiotherapist - working respectfully within a multidisciplinary team, providing healthcare underpinned by current evidence and placing the clients in the centre of the therapeutic process.

As a professionally accredited course, it is designed to prepare you academically, professionally and personally for a successful career as a chartered physiotherapist. You will develop a wide range of practical and academic skills in contemporary physiotherapy with multiple opportunities to develop your clinical skills through practice-based learning – a total of 1,120 hours completed over the course of five clinical placements5 – in which you will participate in physiotherapy practice under the supervision of a fully qualified, experienced physiotherapist. This is well in excess of the minimum hours required by the CSP.

The course not only provides you with an academic qualification but also a professional status, as the course is accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and enables you to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) (additional costs may apply).

A distinctive feature of our course is that your skills development and essential learning takes place in your first year prior to clinical placement. This foundational learning occurs in our state-of-the-art Alison Gingell Building, allowing the use of authentic simulation experiences to put your learning into context in a supportive environment prior to your first placement. We are regularly informed that clinicians enjoy having Coventry students because they are so well-prepared for placement and can optimise the experience.

The multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building provides facilities for teaching and research, featuring hospital simulation, interactive manakins, community houses, rehabilitation, clinical skills training, sport and exercise environments.

You’ll be taught by a team of enthusiastic, research-active staff who place great emphasis on your individual development, equipping you with the theoretical, practical, analytical, interpersonal and research skills required for effective clinical reasoning (staff may be subject to change). You will have the opportunity to develop the confidence to make informed, competent treatment decisions, initially during placement and subsequently as you move forward into your physiotherapy career.

You’ll have the opportunity to attend guest lectures led by experts in their fields and employers in large NHS trusts, private practice, industry and sport (subject to availability). Previous speakers have included the Head of Sports Medicine at WBA FC, and Karen Middleton, Chief Executive of the CSP.

It is acknowledged that working as an allied health professional requires emotional intelligence, resilience and a dedication to lifelong learning. Throughout the course you will be supported in your personal and professional development in order to meet these demands. This will allow you to develop strategies to protect your own personal health and wellbeing as well as identify opportunities to flourish in your career.

No. 8

for Health Professions in

The Guardian University Guide 2022

Accreditation and Professional Recognition

This course is accredited and recognised by the following bodies:

Health and Care Professions Council

Health and Care Professions Council

This course is currently approved by and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, which conveys a licence allowing you to use the title of physiotherapist and to practise physiotherapy in the UK following successful completion of the course. This course is accredited by the HCPC for the 2022/23 intake.

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP)

This course is accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) for the 2022/23 intake, allowing you to apply for membership with the CSP on successful completion of the course (additional costs apply).

Studying physiotherapy at Coventry happens to be one of the best decisions I have made. The modules are in-depth. Even though it can be challenging sometimes, the lecturers are always helpful and readily available with fantastic communication and support. It has been a brilliant experience being on the course as it has help me develop mentally, psychologically and academically.

Anie Asuquo, first year student, 2021
A physiotherapy student in uniform helping a woman walk up some stairs acting as a patient wearing black clothing

What you'll study

In your first year you will be taught the key theoretical knowledge and foundation practical skills required to assess and treat a variety of client groups. Through the learning approaches employed you will develop your communication, teamworking, problem solving and critical thinking skills. You will also be introduced to the values and behaviours required by a professional physiotherapist. Simulation, service-user involvement, interprofessional activities and innovative teaching practices will provide authentic learning experiences in a supportive environment to facilitate a smooth transition into the professional environment.

Modules

  • This module introduces you to the concept of professionalism and the values and behaviours associated with this. The learning experiences within the module will develop your understanding of equity and diversity, the role of communication and reflection within your professional work.

    You will be supported in becoming independent, evidence informed, life-long learners with the key academic study skills needed for success in your course and future career.

    Compulsory

  • Anatomical knowledge is an essential base in supporting the effective clinical practice of a physiotherapist. This module covers the gross anatomy of the spine and the upper and lower limbs. Knowledge of the gross anatomy is integrated both theoretically and practically.

    You will aim to develop the palpatory, handling and observational skills required by a physiotherapist. The acquisition of anatomical knowledge and understanding requires periods of reflection, consolidation and skills development through both self-directed study and practice.

    Compulsory

  • This module is designed to introduce you to the normal structure and physiological functioning of the tissues and selected systems of the body required for the effective clinical practice of a physiotherapist. The module aims to develop your understanding about the changes that occur to normal physiology as a result of common pathologies.

    The module is delivered using a problem-based learning approach to allow you to develop as independent lifelong learners with an ability to apply fundamental pathological terms and general pathomechanisms to a variety of conditions. Through problem-based learning you will explore the impact of health and disease at a physiological, individual and societal level.

    Compulsory

  • This module aims to develop your knowledge and understanding of the social, politico-economic, cultural and environmental factors that influence individual and community health and wellbeing. The module will draw upon key international, national and local initiatives to support learning and learning will take place within an inter-professional context. To achieve this aim, you will explore concepts of wellbeing, disability, disease and illness, health inequality and inequity. In addition, you will examine key health and social care initiatives that will enable you to understand the importance of person-centred approaches to wellbeing, prevention, care and support. As you progress through the module, you will develop inter-professional capabilities of communication, role clarification, decision-making and teamworking enabling you to practice and promote healthy conversations about lifestyle.

    Compulsory

  • This is an exciting hands-on module, giving you the opportunity to consolidate and build on the knowledge and skills learnt so far and link them to clinical decision-making: a vital skill and behaviour of the physiotherapist. In this module you will be introduced to the principles of the physiotherapy assessment. These principles serve as a basis for clinical decision making and person-centred goal setting in a diverse health and social care context. You will also develop your ability to formulate, deliver, adapt and record a physiotherapy management programme safely and effectively.

    Compulsory

During your second year, you will complete three out of five placements offering you a wide range transformative learning opportunities5. Each placement lasts for 6 weeks, and you will accumulate 40 hours of practice-based learning per week, giving you a total of 1200 practice hours throughout the course. You will have a named tutor, whilst out on placement, who will meet with you to ensure you are meeting your learning objectives and support you and our clinical colleagues in the exciting process of transferring theory into practice.

We have strong partnerships with practice to ensure placement quality and capacity. These partnerships are within both NHS, local authority, voluntary, charity and private sectors, ensuring a wide range of experience representative of the diversity of your chosen profession.

Placements are positioned within the course between blocks of university-based study. This supports your advancement through the placement modules with the expectation for you to take on greater demands and autonomy in a progressive and supported manner. Some assessments in this year of study require you to link theoretical knowledge learnt in university with you practice experience. This means the assessments are authentic and explicitly relevant to your professional practice.

Modules

  • This module aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of the principles, theories, and evidence base which underpin physiotherapy practice. You will be encouraged to identify your own developmental needs and develop strategies to meet these needs across three core areas of physiotherapy practice - cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal and neurology. Building upon existing knowledge and skills secured in previous modules, you will look to develop your professional practice skills in physiotherapy assessment, therapeutic interventions, decision-making and communication within a broad range of clinical contexts. This will allow you to acquire and deepen knowledge and understanding of the breadth and scope of physiotherapy practice. A wide range of teaching and learning strategies will be used to achieve these aims.

    Compulsory

  • The primary aim of this module5 is to enable you to consolidate your theoretical knowledge by integrating and applying it in practice and to develop your understanding of treating and communicating with clients. While you will be expected to be involved with holistic patient management, the idea of structured guidance and supervision will frame the learning experience in this module. Opportunities will be provided to apply your skills in assessment, identifying problems, and establishing and implementing therapeutic plans with a focus of addressing individual clients’ goals. Throughout this placement, you will begin the process of acculturation into the profession and acquire the attitudes and behaviour that characterise a health professional.

    Compulsory

  • This module aims to explore the principles and strategies of evidence-informed practice and enable students to apply, creatively, a wide range of sources of evidence to their clinical decision-making. The module will consolidate and refine knowledge and experience gained from previous modules, enabling you to further develop and apply your clinical reasoning skills and practical competency in physiotherapy practice. Through the range of teaching and learning strategies used in this module, including problem-based learning, you will have the opportunity to develop collaborative values of communication, team working and decision-making required to meet the responsibilities of interprofessional practice within a health and social care context.

    Compulsory

  • This is the second of the five placement modules found within the course5. Within this placement block, you will continue to consolidate your theoretical and practical skills and demonstrate the judicious use of current and relevant evidence in making clinical decisions. You will develop your personal and professional insight and an ability to constructively reflect on your own performance within interprofessional and multicultural health contexts. During this module you will be prepared to assume more responsibility for your physiotherapy practice.

    Compulsory

  • This module aims to develop your ability to learn from experience by reflecting on your practice and in particular on events related to values-based physiotherapy. Values-based healthcare is central to effective and ethical practice. Professional bodies, such as the NHS, CSP and HCPC, place values at the heart of the principles and behaviours that underpin contemporary practice and drive standards.

    You will use your experiences and reflective models to explore events on your practice placements that are relevant to values-based physiotherapy. You will utilise a variety of perspectives to aid your reflection including their peers and appropriate literature. You will include a consideration of the enablers and barriers that drive values-based practice in practice.

    Compulsory

  • This is the third of the five placement modules found within the course5. During this practice-based learning module, you will be provided with opportunities to further develop your ability to practice safely, effectively and independently in a diversity of settings whilst enhancing your ability to be reflective, evidence informed practitioners. You will continue to gain guidance as you develop the knowledge and skills required to further develop professional autonomy when addressing the specialist dimensions of different practice settings.

    Compulsory

  • This module aims to develop your skills and understanding of research processes necessary to become creators of evidence for practice. You will develop your understanding of appropriate research process to answer and investigate an area of interest. This module prepares you for your dissertation module in your final year of study.

    Compulsory

Employment and your future career will be at the forefront of your mind as you approach the end of your course. The final year modules focus on preparing you for entry into the physiotherapy profession as autonomous practitioners.

Modules

  • This is the penultimate placement module5 and you will be prepared to assume increasing responsibility for the effective management of caseloads including efficient time management and resource allocation. This practice-based learning opportunity allows you to consolidate your knowledge, skills, values and behaviours in order to integrate into professional practice. You will make positive contributions to interprofessional team functioning and understand the importance of continuing professional development in maintaining quality and standards of practice.

    Compulsory

  • This module aims to facilitate your preparation for entry into the physiotherapy profession. You will explore issues relating to employment to support your clinical practice and career development. In addition, this module aims to enable you to explore the principles of entrepreneurial practice and understand the context in which entrepreneurship can flourish. These ideas will be discussed in relation to physiotherapy, including the pursuit of an opportunity in respect to an innovative business start-up, an innovative re-invention of a service or a creative approach to problem solving in clinical practice.

    Compulsory

  • This module aims to develop your critical understanding of physiotherapy practice in a broader context. You will be introduced to specialist areas of practice and novel interventions. Using your clinical reasoning and drawing from current evidence, you will explore clinical problems and apply your existing knowledge and skills to previously unexplored areas of practice. You will critically reflect on current evidence and professional guidelines in order to evaluate the value of different physiotherapy interventions in a variety of contexts.

    Compulsory

  • The primary aim of this final clinical education module5 is to support you in demonstrating your ability to undertake the role of an independent, autonomous and reflective practitioner in such a way that reflects the practice of a newly qualified physiotherapist. You will efficiently manage a client caseload, consistently demonstrate evidence-based practice, and effectively integrate the professional and interpersonal skills acquired during the course. In addition, you will embrace the critical role of lifelong learning and continuing professional development in practising to the highest standards and within your scope of practice. You will be expected to demonstrate a good understanding of managerial and administrative contexts and your ability to contribute effectively in collaborative, multidisciplinary health contexts and to the effective delivery of quality healthcare.

    Compulsory

  • This module aims to give you the opportunity to undertake in-depth exploration of a topic relevant to person-centred physiotherapy practice, enabling you to develop skills necessary to engage with research and evidence as part of your professional practice.

    You will identify a specific research question, and systematically execute a method of enquiry appropriate to the question. You can use a literature-based approach, or an approach that involves collecting primary empirical data, with an agreed population. Primary research approaches may include hypothesis testing, survey methods, or a qualitative approach.

    You will be assessed on your written report of your research, and how you set that account within a critical review of the research context.

    Compulsory

  • This module aims to support the development of the leadership behaviours and management skills required to function effectively as a newly qualified registered healthcare professional working within the multi-professional team in the delivery of high-quality care.

    You will critically examine clinical leadership and “followership” models and the concept of empowerment and distributed leadership, to gain understanding of ethical leadership, culture and values within the delivery of care. You will explore the concepts of service improvement and gain experience of leading and participating in projects, using relevant management tools and techniques.

    You will reflect on your observed experience of clinical leadership behaviours and management skills whilst on clinical placement throughout your course, to develop a personal development plan to guide your ongoing leadership development as a healthcare professional.

    Compulsory

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

The teaching and learning approaches used within the course allow you to develop a wide range of practical and academic skills required to meet the expanding role and diverse career pathways of physiotherapists within the contemporary healthcare setting.

Teaching approaches used, such as problem-based learning and flipped classroom, allow you to develop as an independent lifelong learner and explore theory in your own time. You will be fully supported in these new ways of learning through the use of comprehensive study guides and resource lists. Theory will be applied and practical skills will be developed during seminars and practical workshops in groups of around 20 students.

We recognise the importance of peer support and learning from each other for academic, personal and professional development and so have developed a “buddy system”. You will also have an academic personal tutor assigned to you for academic and pastoral support throughout your course.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the course follows a blended learning approach using emerging technologies within the student experience. Like all courses, we deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods. You will be supported in your learning online through scaffolded self-directed learning which will then be applied during your face-to-face sessions. These sessions will be either seminars, tutorials or practical workshops where you will be supported to consolidate your understanding, apply knowledge and learn new skills.

Teaching contact hours

During your first year of study, you will have between 10 and 20 contact hours of teaching per week. The majority of this will be either seminars or practical workshops. The number of contact hours will reduce in subsequent years as you become a more competent independent learner and focus on individual projects. When on placement you will carry out 40 hours of practice-based learning per week.

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake approximately 15-20 hours of self-directed study each week depending on the module you are studying. As you progress through the course there will be an increased expectation for self-directed study as you have developed independent learning skills. The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.

Assessment

This course is assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. This is to ensure that our assessments are authentic and reflect the challenges faced in the clinical context and allow you to demonstrate our creativity and digital fluency.

Assessment methods include:

  • Exams
  • Video production
  • Practical assessments
  • Group work
  • Reports

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

International experience opportunities

Our course provides international learning experiences to help prepare you for the global employment market as well as strengthen and develop your broader personal and professional skills.

The facilities available for physiotherapy students at the Alison Gingell Building at Coventry University are exceptional. They have been an incredible asset to aid learning on the course and the simulation ward that includes patient simulation manikins are great for practicing valuable assessment skills that are essential to placement.

Albert Ashley, second year student, 2021
Physiotherapist student practicing in a class room on a students arm

Entry requirements

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Additional requirements may apply

Haven't met the entry requirements or don’t have the right qualifications? You may still be able to progress onto a degree you’d love by studying a foundation or access course.

View our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page. You can also explore our International foundation year courses.

Explore our foundation courses

Fees and funding

Student Full time Part time
UK £9,250 per year Not available

A non-repayable grant of £5,000 and extra payments worth up to £3,000 is available to eligible home students for each year of study. Read more about the Training Grant on The NHS Business Services Authority website.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

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. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

Facilities

Our multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building features a range of mock healthcare settings, including hospital wards, ambulance, therapy suites and community houses, giving you the opportunity to replicate real-life situations before you go on placement.

Hospital Wards

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. You will have the opportunity to engage in high-fidelity simulation giving you the opportunity to practice your physiotherapy skills on a critically unwell patient.

Patient, student and staff member talking in community house setting

Community Houses

There are two fully furnished houses within the Alison Gingell building. This environment allows you to consider how your physiotherapy skills could be applied in the community setting.

Strength and Conditioning Suite

Strength and Conditioning Suite

Our multi-purpose suite is equipped with multiple Olympic lifting platforms, a 20m gait analysis track, an anti-gravity treadmill and even a 3D motion capture system. You will have the opportunity to develop your skills in the sports context.

Careers and opportunities

Our course is designed to prepare you personally and professionally for a successful career as a chartered physiotherapist. You will have the opportunity to develop a wide range of practical and academic skills which you will put into practice on five clinical placements.

The final year modules facilitate your preparation for entry into the physiotherapy profession. A dedicated module exploring employability, enterprise and entrepreneurism will help to equip you with the skills to secure your first job and flourish professionally within public, private or third sector organisations.

An annual physiotherapy Employability Fair, which coincides with a final year poster conference assessment, allows you to explore the career opportunities and in some cases apply and be interviewed there and then (subject to availability).

Your assigned academic personal tutor and “buddies” will also provide individual advice on your future career decisions and offer support throughout the process of securing your first position.

A degree in physiotherapy offers the opportunity for a challenging, rewarding and well-respected career.

There is a huge demand and excellent employment prospects for our newly qualified physiotherapists. Our courses are developed collaboratively with our practice partners to ensure that we produce graduates with the knowledge and practical skills desired by potential employers.

On graduation, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council allowing you to work as a physiotherapist in the UK (additional costs apply). If you wish to progress your studies further, for example on a Physiotherapy or Health Studies master’s course, you will be eligible to apply.

Coventry University and the physiotherapy course team is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. Throughout the course you will be required to record learning experiences in an e-portfolio which provides a foundation for a professional lifelong learning commitment, fulfilling the requirements of the Health and Care Professions Council, which enhances employability.

Where our graduates work

The expanding role of the physiotherapist within both the public and private sectors may offer many career pathways within the NHS, industry, community settings, sports and the private, independent and voluntary sectors. Our multiple placement opportunities throughout the course reflects these diverse prospects. Your qualification may also allow you to apply for overseas accreditation to work abroad (acceptance of HCPC accreditation to practice overseas is determined by the individual countries and may change over time).

If you wish to progress your studies further, for example on a Physiotherapy or Health Studies master’s course, you will be eligible to apply.

How to apply

  • 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 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

    Facilities are subject to availability. Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.

    5Placements

    Satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure is also required. As part of the health clearance checks you will be required to provide information about your immunity and vaccination status. You will also be required to provide information about your COVID-19 vaccination status. We therefore recommend that you are fully vaccinated including the COVID-19 vaccine. The information you provide will be used to determine your eligibility to go on placement(s). Placements are provided at the placement provider’s discretion. The University is therefore unable to guarantee the provision of placements or the location and type of placement offered.

    6NHS payment

    The rules may be subject to review by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in the future and as a result may change. Please therefore check the NHSBSA website for up-to-date information before applying.

    Student Contract

    By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. The 2022/23 Contract is currently being updated so please revisit this page before submitting your application. 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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