Physiotherapy BSc(Hons)

International requirements and visas

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

Visas and immigration advice

Other requirements and interviews

Knowledge

All candidates must be able to demonstrate good knowledge of physiotherapy as a profession, acquired for example through visits to departments, talking to qualified physiotherapists or reading relevant material. This should provide an insight into how this experience has informed your decision to become a physiotherapist.

Observational experience of physiotherapists working within an NHS or hospital setting is essential but this may be complemented by observing physiotherapists in other settings such as private practice, private hospitals or sports clubs.

Experience of working in other caring environments and/or voluntary work is also beneficial.

A minimum period of one week is preferred, but this may be accumulated, and consideration will be given to applicants who have been unable to fulfil this requirement due to local circumstances.

Interview

If your application is successful, you will be invited to attend an interview.

Interview dates for applicants wishing to start in September 2025 will be published soon.

Top reasons to choose this course 

• Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. 
• 3rd in the UK for physiotherapy courses – Guardian University Guide 2025. 
• On-campus facilities include a physiotherapy exercise rehabilitation gym, physiotherapy suites and a virtual anatomy lab. 
• Clinical placements in settings including hospitals, rehabilitation centres and patients’ homes, plus an opportunity to gain a global perspective in Kenya.
• Non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 each academic year. 
• 95% of our graduates are in work or further study 15 months after their degree – Graduate Outcomes Survey.
• Brighton is in the UK top 25% for graduate earnings in allied health, three years after graduating – Longitudinal Education Outcomes 2022.

Course structure

Year 1 of the course focuses on the core theory needed to start your career as a physiotherapist such as anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, health psychology, exercise prescription, surgery and orthopaedics before you start your clinical placements in year 2.

Years 2 and 3 of the BSc(Hons) Physiotherapy degree are a mixture of clinical practice and university-based studies. On your placements you’ll work with senior physiotherapists and other health professionals such as nurses, doctors and occupational therapists. You could be based in settings including hospitals, rehabilitation centres and patients’ homes.

You’ll share learning with other health professionals, allowing you to benefit from interprofessional collaboration, sharing knowledge and expertise.

As a student on this course you’ll also get to participate in Schwartz Rounds – hour-long sessions where students come together to listen to stories and share reflections in a supportive and confidential environment. The sessions offer the opportunity to reflect on the emotional aspects of clinical practice and are designed to support students and recent graduates working in complex settings.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 1

Year 1 focuses on the underpinning theory needed to be a physiotherapist, such as anatomy. You will be introduced to core physiotherapy skills such as exercise prescription and massage. Running through the first year is a professional module which explores what it is to be a physiotherapist.

In the second semester you will gain physiotherapy-relevant work experience and have the option to work with a voluntary organisation. This will develop your interpersonal and professional skills and enable you to start work with service users.

Modules

• The Physiotherapist as a Professional 1

  This module introduces key concepts underpinning professional behaviour/practice and interprofessional working. You will gain the academic skills required to search, record and structure information from a wide range of sources and develop your abilities in scientific writing, critical appraisal and basic statistics. You’ll learn presentation skills, gain confidence and improve your communication and team-working skills. You will also develop the knowledge necessary for the safe moving and handling of patients.

• Foundations of Physiotherapy Patient Management

  This module introduces some of the basic concepts of working with patients, such as holistic person-centred care, communication skills and health psychology – cornerstones in the physiotherapist’s clinical reasoning processes. You’ll develop your clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills to enhance critical thinking and support clinical decision-making. You will develop an understanding of partnership working including collaborative goal-setting, person-centred care and shared decision-making.

• Applied Musculoskeletal Anatomy

  In this module you will cover the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system, including basic terminology, and progress to a detailed study of the bones, joints and muscles of both the upper and lower quadrant along with the trunk. You will learn about nerves, blood vessels and lymph nodes in the living body and gain anatomical knowledge relevant to clinical tests of joints, ligaments and muscles, as well as nerve integrity testing. 

• Foundations of Physiotherapy Assessment

  This module develops your understanding and assessment of human physiology in health and illness. You will learn how to perform physiotherapy assessment skills to measure a person’s functioning. The module takes a whole person approach, integrating all body systems throughout the lifespan to understand and develop appropriate physiotherapy assessment skills.

• Foundations of Physiotherapy Treatment Skills

  This module develops your understanding of pathology alongside physiotherapy treatment skills. It will take a whole person approach, integrating body systems throughout the lifespan and developing associated skills of treatment and ongoing monitoring.

• Exercise for Health and Rehabilitation

  This module provides a foundation in exercise prescription and physical activity guidelines across the lifespan, in both healthy people and as part of rehabilitation programmes. You will develop the knowledge and skills to design safe and effective exercise programmes for individuals and groups to maintain and improve fitness. You will also explore the physiology that underpins your exercise prescription.

Year 2

In year 2 you will go out on your first six-week clinical placement.

Modules

• Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation in Contemporary Healthcare

  This module prepares you to assess and manage people with musculoskeletal dysfunction within a biological, psychological and social context. It builds on your previous knowledge of human movement, physiology and pathology, and integrates this with an exploration of clinical presentations in some common adult and paediatric musculoskeletal conditions.

• Physiotherapy Management in Acute Care Settings

  You will be introduced to the assessment and management skills associated with physiotherapy in acute care settings in this module. You’ll develop a holistic understanding of problem identification and clinical reasoning for acutely ill patients, across the lifespan. You will also examine issues in care management including prioritisation, escalation and discharge in different contexts, for example A+E, medical/surgical wards and ITU.

• Physiotherapy Across the Lifespan

  This module will focus on the skills and knowledge required by physiotherapists working across the lifespan. It will explore the complexities of healthcare provision for individuals with long-term and complex conditions who transition between different practice settings. It provides a sound understanding of approaches to rehabilitation that support people in managing their condition and maintaining their health, independence and wellbeing.

• Practice Placement 1

  This module focuses on the development of your knowledge, skills and attitudes within a diverse range of practice settings. During the module, you will have the opportunity to apply your prior learning, considering the four pillars of practice – clinical, education, leadership and research – during a six-week placement in a clinical setting.

• The Physiotherapist as a Professional 2

  This module will develop your understanding of evolving and innovative healthcare provision. It will consider complex case management scenarios and explore multidisciplinary team involvement across practice settings, complex service decisions and service delivery. You will explore different care models in professional practice both nationally and globally and discuss professional and clinical guidelines.

• Research Methods In Healthcare

  This module provides a sound theoretical understanding of audit and research methods in healthcare. You will design and carry out two exercises in data collection to answer a research question (one qualitative and one quantitative). This will enhance your understanding of the research process and facilitate your ability to understand and evaluate published research.

Final year

During your final year you will consolidate your clinical practice on placement (by the end of the course you will have completed a minimum of 1,000 hours) while working on your dissertation. The dissertation gives you the opportunity to evaluate an area of physiotherapy practice in depth.

The final module prepares you for professional physiotherapy practice and develops your professional portfolio. Local managers and clinicians from the NHS, private practice, sports and local companies contribute to this module.

Modules

• Practice Placement 2

  This module includes a six-week placement which will further develop your knowledge, skills and attitudes in a range of different practice settings. During the module you will be able to apply your previous learning, taking into account the four pillars of practice: clinical, education, leadership and research.

• Practice Placement 3

  During this module you will develop your skills through direct contact with service users via a six-week placement in a practice setting. You will put your problem-solving abilities into practice and evaluate the effectiveness of your assessment, treatment and management programmes to meet the needs of individuals. You will reflect on your practice and manage your work with increasing autonomy and accountability.

• Practice Placement 4

  You will increase your knowledge and skills in a diverse range of practice settings during the module, which places you in direct contact with service users during a six-week placement. This will enable you to use your problem-solving skills and evaluate your assessment, treatment and management strategies in meeting the needs of individual service users. You will reflect on your work and become increasingly autonomous and accountable in your practice.

• Practice Placement 5

  This module features a six-week placement which will see you come into direct contact with service users in order to expand your knowledge and skills in a diverse range of practice settings. You will develop your problem-solving abilities and work to ensure your assessment, treatment and management programmes meet the needs of the individual. You will evaluate your practice and work with increasing autonomy and accountability.

• Research for Evidence-based Practice

  With the guidance of a dissertation tutor, you will work in small groups in this module to collaborate on a systematic review or primary data collection in an area relevant to physiotherapy practice. You will produce an individual piece of work in the form of a research paper which reflects on previous modules, in particular critical evaluation skills, evidence-based practice and research design.

• The Physiotherapist as a Professional 3

  As part of the requirements for continuing professional development, in this module you will explore your professional development by reflecting on your placement. The module will prepare you for the workplace and explore the opportunities available within and outside the health service, nationally and globally. You will consider and evaluate professional roles and responsibilities including the four pillars of practice – education, research, leadership and clinical – in quality health and social care.

Practice placements

You will undertake five placement modules during your physiotherapy degree which are delivered in six-week, full-time blocks.

Your first placement is in year two of your degree and four are in your final year. The placements will enable you to acquire the 1,000 hours of practice placement experience needed to meet the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) requirements and qualify as a physiotherapist.

Practice placements aim to develop your knowledge, skills and behaviours in a variety of areas within physiotherapy practice and align with the CSP’s four pillars of practice.

Types of placement
Placements can have a clinical, research or leadership focus. We work closely with local employers to develop placement opportunities.

Placement locations
Our main placement areas are across the south-east of England, including Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Placements can be within the NHS, charitable organisations and private organisations.

It may be necessary for you to travel up to 90 minutes each way to placements. You will also need to be prepared to stay away from home for up to three placements to gain suitable experience. Placements are likely to include school holidays.

There may also be opportunities for an overseas placement.

How placements are allocated
We select your placements from information you provide to us about your commitments outside of university, your previous experiences and your interests. 

If you have commitments outside of university, such as caring responsibilities, we ask you to start to consider your contingency plans due to the need travel up to 90 minutes to your placements. 

Support when on placement
We provide preparation sessions prior to placements and run debrief sessions afterwards.

A practice educator will support you on placement and our placement team will also be available for you to contact. A university tutor will visit or call you and your practice educator halfway through the placement to discuss your progress.

Facilities

As a physiotherapy student you will use 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 other students
• a virtual anatomy lab that houses our 3D anatomy visualisation table.

You can view our facilities when you visit us. You can also get a feel for them by taking a tour, watching the short video and checking out our Falmer campus information.

Course fees

Additional funding support

UK students studying nursing, midwifery and some allied health professions subjects receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 each academic year. Find out more on the NHS website.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

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

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

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