Intro

The Advanced Physiotherapy MSc provides high quality continuing professional development opportunities for physiotherapists from the UK and overseas.

Core modules on the course focus on the four pillars of advanced practice (clinical practice, leadership, education and research) and help you to develop complex decision-making skills, apply evidence-based practice and develop innovative solutions that will enhance patient, family and carer experience and improve clinical outcomes.

This course is open to applicants from the UK and overseas, supporting a multicultural exchange of clinical knowledge and approaches and giving an exciting extra dimension to learning.

Find out about postgraduate events

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

Full-time 1–2 years 
Part-time 2–6 years

Apply online

Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us.

Apply now for your place

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

Degree and experience
This course is for qualified physiotherapists. Applicants should hold an honours degree in physiotherapy but those with suitable alternative qualifications, such as a diploma in physiotherapy, will be considered.

A minimum of two years of physiotherapy post-registration work experience is required for entry to this course.

If you do not meet these entry requirements and wish to start a career in this challenging and rewarding career, you could look at our Physiotherapy BSc(Hons) or if you already have a degree you may be eligible to apply for our accelerated Physiotherapy (pre-registration) MSc.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Course content

Course structure

The structure of this course allows you to focus on your own area of interest within the physiotherapy profession. This means that you will be able to find support for your ongoing learning and career development. 

Interdisciplinary learning is a strong feature of this course. Many of the modules are attended by occupational therapy, podiatry, nursing, midwifery and paramedic colleagues.

A flexible modular framework normally involves six one-week study blocks at the university.

To be awarded the MSc you will complete six modules and a relevant dissertation. Modules comprise three core modules, two professional modules and an option module. The dissertation may be based on research carried out either in the university or in another suitable environment.

The course is delivered in a variety of ways, typically via e-learning, lectures, seminars, workbooks for work-based learning and practise in our Clinical Skills and Simulation Rooms.

Health sciences postgraduate education
This course is part of our postgraduate education programme. The programme allows you to sign up for one module at a time and build your qualification as you go. It also gives you access to interdisciplinary modules across a broad selection of health and social science subjects.

Two physiotherapy students using tablets

Syllabus

As a student on the course, you will share your learning with other health and care specialities, allowing you to benefit from intra-professional collaboration. Our programmes are designed to allow professionals from other disciplines the opportunity to exchange knowledge and expertise.

Core modules

  • Research Theory and Application for Health Professionals
  • Health Professional as an Educator
  • Leadership and Service Development in Health and Social Care
  • Dissertation

Plus two from:

  • Physical Activity and Exercise Rehabilitation
  • Practice Development Through Independent Learning
  • Clinical Biomechanics and Musculoskeletal Pathologies of the Lower Limb
  • Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy: Evaluating Practice
  • Dementia, Frailty and Wellbeing in Later Life
  • Exploring Pain
  • First Contact Practice –Stage 1
  • First Contact Practice – Stage 2 Placement
  • Independent Prescribing
  • Advanced Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology and Clinical Decision-making

Plus one further module which may come from the list above or choose from suitable modules in our postgraduate education programme.

Physiotherapists discussing a patient file

Lecturer with spine teaching students

Facilities

From September 2024 this course will be taught at our Brighton, Falmer campus. The Falmer campus is being redesigned, renovated and upgraded and will have lots of new facilities for sport and health science students.

As a physiotherapy student you will use a range of specialist facilities which will include: 

  • a physiotherapy exercise rehabilitation gym with the latest technology to measure and assess all aspects of human movement, joints, muscles, soft tissue structure and nerves
  • physiotherapy suites with consultation and physio rooms so you can hone your practical physiotherapy skills alongside your fellow students
  • a virtual anatomy lab that houses our 3D anatomy visualisation table. 

You won't be able to view the new facilities until autumn 2024 but you can get a feel for them by watching the short video and checking out our Falmer 2024 information. 

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.

Study advice

There are lots of resources to support you with postgraduate level study. Our Build your study and digital skills page contains advice and tips for developing your key skills, alongside guidance on how to make the most out of your learning experience.

For further support and resources make sure to visit the library support pages and our LinkedIn Learning site.

Physiotherapy students using tablets with lecturer

Careers

Masters-level education is an important component of advanced and specialist practice. It allows you greater autonomy and to accelerate personal and professional development or promotion in your practice.

Roles that our graduates have secured include clinical specialists, consultant physiotherapists, physiotherapy management positions, general management roles, clinical educator and physiotherapy education positions.

Completion of the Advanced Physiotherapy MSc will also prepare you for further study at MPhil and PhD level if you wish to continue pursuing an academic path.

student delivering presentation

Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 8,400 GBP

International (full-time)  14,900 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2024–25.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Sport and Health Sciences in the 2022–23 academic year are listed here.

  • Where health course includes a placement
    • UK students – travel costs which are over and above your daily journey to university and dual accommodation costs may be reimbursed by the NHS learning support fund.
    • Overseas students are not covered by the NHS scheme, this means that any additional travel or accommodation costs for this course will be your responsibility. Travel to placement may be up to 90 mins each way/ travel on public transport at peak time cost, and you may incur additional accommodation and living costs if staying away from your usual home base for the length of your placement.
  • An initial set of specialist clothing and uniforms, where required, are included in the course fees.
  • DBS checks and occupational health checks, where required, are included in the fees.
  • Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £100 if buying your own copies.
  • In sport courses, UK-based field trips are available in some option modules in the final year. You do not have to take these option modules to complete the degree programme. Where a field trip is present costs are covered but you are expected to make a contribution towards food. Typically this is £50.
  • For sports courses which require a placement, you’ll be expected to pay for your living costs and travel. Physical Education (QTS teacher training) students can claim travel costs to their school placement.
  • The school runs a number of day trips which students do not pay for. There may be some food and drink costs and you should budget around £30 per year.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. Students based here study a range of subjects – from 2024 these will include education studies, teaching, sport and exercise, nursing and midwifery, allied health professions and medicine. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes and the students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources, and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. New facilities are being developed ready for September 2024 when all of our sport and health students will be based here. Learn more about the changes at Falmer.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

Brighton: Falmer

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

  • You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:
    • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls offer a range of rooms on our Falmer campus, minutes from your classes, and on the edge of the South Downs.
    • Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Falmer campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Students dining at Westlain

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Falmer campus

Loading maps...

Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Students playing frisbee

Stay in touch

Find out about postgraduate events

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644

Search again

Find your course