Course description
This course provides flexible continuing professional development.
It differs from our applying physiotherapy course in that we designed it for experienced specialised physiotherapists who want to expand and deepen their specialist skills and knowledge.
Its variety and flexibility provides high level specialist expertise and allows you to tailor your learning to suit the skills you need in your workplace. We offer specialist modules in musculoskeletal manual therapy, respiratory physiotherapy and neurological rehabilitation.
The course is modular and you can take most modules individually. Each module carries credit points. You get the postgraduate certificate at 60 credits, the postgraduate diploma at 120 credits and the MSc at 180 credits.
We assist with your module selection to ensure that the course meets your interests and aspirations. Full-time students may have some restrictions in available modules.
You can discuss your module choice with your course leader before enrolling or with your professional development tutor once enrolled.
Course content
Postgraduate certificate
Core module
• measuring health outcomes (15 credits)
Optional modules
At least 30 credits of modules from the following advancing physiotherapy choices
• musculoskeletal manual therapy 1 (30 credits)
• medical examination (15 credits)
• governance and management in advanced practice (15 credits)
• bloods investigations in advanced musculoskeletal practice (15 credits)
• cardiac rehabilitation (15 credits)
• community management in chronic lung disease (15 credits)
• acute case management in chronic lung disease (15 credits)
• critical care (30 credits)
• understanding neurological therapy (30 credits)
• contemporary interventions in neurological rehabilitation (30 credits)
• analysis of movement control (15 credits)
• musculoskeletal rehabilitation (30 credits)
Up to 15 credits of the postgraduate certificate may be optional modules available from outside the advancing physiotherapy programme, such as
• structured accreditation of prior clinical learning (15 credits)
• understanding core stability (15 credits)
• pain management (15 credits)
• international practice – community based rehabilitation (15 credits)
• teaching skills in higher education (15 credits)
Suitably qualified candidates may include modules available from our MSc Sports Injury, MSc Advancing Paediatric Practice or other interprofessional course.
Postgraduate diploma
Core modules
• research methods for practice (15 credits)
Optional modules
Plus at least 15 credits from the following advancing physiotherapy modules
• musculoskeletal manual therapy 2 (30 credits)
• evaluating practice (15 credits)
• medical examination (15 credits)
• governance and management in advanced practice (15 credits)
• bloods investigations in advanced musculoskeletal practice (15 credits)
• cardiac rehabilitation (15 credits)
• community management in chronic lung disease (15 credits)
• acute case management in chronic lung disease (15 credits)
• critical care (30 credits)
• understanding neurological therapy (30 credits)
• contemporary interventions in neurological rehabilitation (15 credits)
• analysis of movement control (15 credits)
• musculoskeletal rehabilitation (30 credits)
• evaluation and integration of prior clinical learning (30 credits)
One of the following clinical practice modules may be included
• exploring clinical practice (15 credits)
• advancing clinical practice (30 credits)
• MACP clinical practice in musculoskeletal management (30 credits)
Up to 30 credits of the postgraduate diploma may be optional modules available from outside the advancing physiotherapy programme, such as
• structured accreditation of prior clinical learning (15 credits)
• understanding core stability (15 credits)
• pain management (15 credits)
• international practice – community based rehabilitation (15 credits)
• teaching skills in higher education (15 credits)
If you wish to expand your professional skills in areas other than your main experience, you may choose to include one of the optional applying physiotherapy practice modules
• musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice (30 credits)
• neurological physiotherapy practice (30 credits)
• problem solving in acute respiratory care (30 credits)
• paediatric physiotherapy practice (30 credits)
Suitably qualified candidates may include modules available from our MSc Sports Injury, MSc Advancing Paediatric Practice or interprofessional provision.
Interprofessional modules include
• healthcare management
• image interpretation
• palliative care and oncology
• ageing and non-medical prescribing
You may wish to study modules at other universities, in which case up to 40 credits may be imported into our postgraduate diploma.
If you have included 45 credits of advancing physiotherapy modules in your postgraduate certificate you can study 45 credits of optional modules in your postgraduate diploma.
MSc
• dissertation (60 credits)
Specialist awards
These awards are for physiotherapists who are already specialised in their field of physiotherapy but who want to develop their clinical skills and reasoning and make a contribution to developing practice.
MSc Advancing Physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal)
You can choose a manual therapy focused-course or include a broader range of approaches in your study.
To gain this award you must study the core modules plus at least two of the following modules
• musculoskeletal manual therapy 1 (30 credits)
• musculoskeletal manual therapy 2 (30 credits – can only be studied after you successfully complete musculoskeletal manual therapy 1
• musculoskeletal rehabilitation (30 credits)
• evaluation and integration of prior clinical learning (of musculoskeletal courses) (30 credits)
• advancing clinical practice (in a musculoskeletal placement) (30 credits)
• exploring clinical practice (in a musculoskeletal placement) (15 credits)
• MACP clinical practice (30 credits – can only be studied after you successful complete musculoskeletal manual therapy 1 and 2.
Your dissertation must be in musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice.
After you successfully complete a postgraduate diploma that includes musculoskeletal manual therapy 1 and 2 and the MACP clinical practice you can apply for membership of the Manipulative Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP). MACP is recognised as the UK’s specialist manipulative therapy group by the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manual Therapists, a subgroup of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy.
MSc Advancing Physiotherapy (Neurological)
We designed the neurological modules to stand alone and give a different perspective on practice. There is no recommended order in which you study the taught modules. We designed them to reflect a pragmatic and eclectic approach to practice, and to give you the opportunity to study neurological problems in depth.
To gain the neurological award, you must study the core modules plus at least 45 credits of the following modules
• understanding neurological therapy (30 credits)
• contemporary interventions in neurological rehabilitation (30 credits)
• analysis of movement control (15 credits)
• advancing clinical practice (in a neurological placement) (30 credits)
• exploring clinical practice (in a neurological placement) (15 credits)
• evaluation and integration of prior clinical learning (of neurological courses) (30 credits)
Your dissertation must be in neurological physiotherapy practice.
MSc Advancing Physiotherapy (Respiratory)
You may wish to study all five taught respiratory modules to gain an in depth knowledge of respiratory practice and maximise your employability. Alternatively, you can choose 45 credits worth of acute hospital-based or community practice-based modules. You could combine either of these with clinical practice modules to focus on developing skills in a particular work environment.
You must study the core modules plus at least 45 credits of the following modules
• cardiac rehabilitation (15 credits)
• community management in chronic lung disease (15 credits)
• acute case management in chronic lung disease (15 credits)
• critical care (30 credits)
• advancing clinical practice in a respiratory placement (30 credits)
• exploring clinical practice in a respiratory placement (15 credits)
If you do not choose the specified combination of subject specialist modules you gain MSc Advancing Physiotherapy. All postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma awards will be in advancing physiotherapy.
