Course in brief

The Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) MSc – previously called the Rehabilitation Science (Physiotherapy) MSc –allows you to apply for registration as a physiotherapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This course is also approved by the professional body, The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

It is ideal for graduates with related first degrees who wish to gain both a professional and academic qualification and start a career in this challenging and highly rewarding field.

This accelerated course follows innovative problem-based learning approach, with an emphasis on students' active learning, engagement, and practical application of skills and knowledge in the context of real life situations. Through this balance of theory and practice experience you will graduate a capable and confident physiotherapist. 

The recognition that patients come first in everything the NHS does, and the values of the NHS constitution – respect, dignity, compassion and working together for patients – are embedded in our curriculum.

Our high quality teaching and research are renowned, and have an applied focus. We have established strong links with specialist practice educators to ensure the provision of support and guidance both within the university and in practice.

Key facts

Location Eastbourne

Full-time 2 years

Accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council, and The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

We are a top 10 university for world-leading research impact in allied health professions, nursing and pharmacy (REF 2014)

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Please make sure that you meet the entry requirements before applying. If you have any questions the course team will be happy to help.

Apply now for your place

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer, they should be used as a general guide.

We do not make any decisions before the closing date for applications. Please ensure that you submit your final transcript, evidence of physiotherapy work experience and two references.

If you do not meet these entry requirements, you could look at our Physiotherapy BSc(Hons) course. It is ideal if you wish to start a career in this challenging and highly rewarding field.

Degree and experience

  • Undergraduate degree of 2:1 or above (or equivalent for international students), to have been completed in the last five years, in biological sciences, behavioural sciences or other health professional education.
  • At least one week of work experience in a physiotherapy setting, preferably in the NHS or other hospital setting is expected before application, please submit evidence of this with your application.
  • Successful applicants will be invited to attend a selection event comprising a group task and an individual interview.

For non-native speakers of English
IELTS 7.0 overall, with no element below 6.5; or equivalent qualification.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country
 
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 institute

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For academic preparation courses.

Course in detail

Course structure

This intensive programme runs over 45 weeks per year, for two years. Your time on the course will be balanced between campus-based study and clinical practice.

The course begins in September and consists of five campus-based modules and five practice modules. Year 1 is mainly campus-based and year 2 predominantly involves practice placements alongside the campus-based Research Dissertation Studies.

The course is delivered in a variety of ways, typically via problem-based tutorials, subject specialist resource sessions, skills workshops, and simulation in our high-tech Human Movement Laboratory, and Clinical Skills and Simulation Rooms.

Completion of the Project Studies module and the submission of a dissertation lead to the masters award.

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 our applicant portal.

 

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Syllabus

Your study will focus on real-life situations, integrating subjects such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, therapeutic skills, behavioural sciences and research methods.

Year 1 modules

  • Physiotherapy in Health 
  • Physiotherapy in Rehabilitation 
  • Practice Placement (six weeks)
  • Neurological Physiotherapy
  • NMS Physiotherapy
  • Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy

Year 2 modules

  • Practice placements (five placements each lasting six weeks)
  • Research Dissertation
Physiotherapy students in a simulated consultation

Facilities 

Human Movement Laboratory

The high-tech Human Movement Laboratory is used widely in teaching and research for students in the school of health professions studying physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry, and is also used for commercial consultancy. 

In the lab you will use the latest technology to measure and assess all aspects of human movement, joints, muscles, soft tissue structure and nerves. The laboratory has state-of-the-art equipment for conducting cardio-pulmonary investigations including Cosmed metabolic system and spirometry.

human movement lab

Practical Skills and Simulation Rooms

Our practical skills rooms are equipped so that you can learn and practise practical skills including palpation, massage and manipulation with other students before you work with real patients and clients.

We also have specialist classrooms for physiotherapy practise, including manual skills and exercise therapy rooms, which are equipped with treatment couches.

Physiotherapy students

Problem-based learning

Our educational philosophy mirrors the philosophy of occupational therapy. We believe that an individual's positive engagement in learning activity leads to advanced productivity, increased perception of self-worth, improved quality of life and enjoyment of the course.

Our occupational therapy courses use problem-based learning (PBL), a technique recommended by authorities around the world. All subjects covered are integrated around problem-solving within a real life situation. We find that learning in this way significantly increases our students’ engagement with the subjects.

 

Advantages of the problem-based learning approach are:

  • Students report that they feel more motivated to learn theoretical knowledge as they can see where they can apply it to real-world situations
  • Teamworking and improved communication skills are developed, as students share their expertise and rationale behind their potential solutions
  • Students find they are more confidently able to search for information from a wider range of sources, such as journals, textbooks and the internet, and take more responsibility for learning independently
  • It encourages deeper learning, as it focuses on activities and activating knowledge in practice contexts, rather than traditional rote memory recall in a predominantly classroom-based context.

Careers and employability

This professional course prepares you to work as a chartered physiotherapist in the UK, with professional and portfolio development running from course start to finish.

Graduates are equipped for careers in the NHS and the private health sector, both in the UK and abroad.

Many graduates secure employment in the local area by developing networks through their placements.

After a period of work experience, you will also be given the opportunity to progress to PhD research programmes and contribute to the evidence base of the profession.

 

Physiotherapy student

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time)  10,517 GBP

International (full-time) 15,660 GBP

Funding arrangements for students starting this course from September 2018

From 1 August 2018, new students from England starting this course will have access to the standard government student finance support package which consists of loans to meet the cost of tuition fees (up to £9,250) and a means-tested loan for living costs. In addition, supplementary funding that is means tested as appropriate includes: travel costs for practice and clinical placements, dual accommodation costs during practice and clinical placements, childcare allowances and exceptional hardship fund.

Students can apply for a loan if this is their second degree providing it is not in the same profession/subject.

Closing date

The closing date for September applications is 2 March 2018. 

Suitable international applicants will be offered a skype interview. 

Please note we do not make any decisions before the closing date. Closing dates are final and we are unable to consider any late applications. 


The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2018–19.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. 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. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

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.

Location and living here

Location

About Eastbourne

Sunny, friendly and relaxed, there’s lots to do and enjoy in Eastbourne – music and arts festivals, theatre, galleries and sports – and all against the backdrop of the beach and the beautiful South Downs.

Eastbourne hosts some major sporting events, from Eastbourne Extreme – one of the biggest extreme sports festivals in the UK – to Eastbourne International, an annual tennis tournament where some of the world’s finest players prepare for Wimbledon.

Eastbourne has a close-knit community feel. From where ever you are on campus every place you need to go is around 15 minutes away on foot – the beach, the town centre and the South Downs. There is a great selection of clubs, pubs, restaurants and shops and always plenty of student-friendly deals on offer.

   Eastbourne Festival

Campus where this course is taught

Eastbourne campus

Located in one of the sunniest towns in the UK, our Eastbourne campus sits between the hills of the South Downs National Park and the south coast.

The campus has extensive sporting facilities, including a sports hall, fitness suite, climbing wall, swimming pool, three gyms, a dance studio and an artificial training pitch. For sport and exercise students, there are also exercise physiology labs, a human movement laboratory and an environmental chamber.

Professional-standard facilities on this campus include the Leaf Hospital Clinic, specialist practical skills rooms, culinary arts studio and accredited sports science laboratories.

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Accommodation

Eastbourne

Our Eastbourne hall of residence, Welkin Halls, is in the residential Meads area, next to the Hillbrow and Welkin site and within walking distance of Darley Road. The train station is about 20 minutes away on foot.

Aside from halls, you have the option of Unihomes, which we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. We recommend Unihomes when you’re balancing learning with placements, shifts and other commitments, because they give you more choice and flexibility.

You can also choose to join the many students who live away from campus in private rented accommodation. We have a list of high-quality, university-endorsed private sector accommodation and can help you find housemates to move in with.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages, and if you have any questions, our accommodation team will be happy to help. You can contact them by email at accomeastbourne@brighton.ac.uk or by telephone on 01273 643810.

Welkin Halls

Welkin bedroom


  

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Eastbourne campus map

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Student views  

Letitia Rabey

Letitia Rabey, 25, is in her first year of the Rehabilitation Science MSc course which enables graduates from biological sciences, behavioural sciences and other health professions to convert their first degree to a masters degree. She hopes to secure a rotational junior position in the NHS upon graduating.

Why did you decide to study at Brighton, what attracted you to the course? 
There are a limited number of universities who offer the course. When I came to an open day making my decision to study here was an easy one. Eastbourne has a very characteristic campus, the lecturers and students are extremely friendly and the facilities are ideal.

Has the course met your expectations?
 Completely. The course builds your knowledge very quickly; when they say its an accelerated course they are not exaggerating. There is lots of work to get done but its been manageable as the lecturers ensure it is paced correctly. You just have to balance your work with play!

Have you spent any time on placements? Where have those been? How did you find them?
 I have had one weeks' placement which was organised by ourselves, so I chose to go home to Cornwall. The placement was extremely interesting. It was great to get into a hospital to see how all our learning slots into place, I am already looking forward to the next one!

What has been the highlight of the course?
 We have been very lucky to have had many guest lecturers throughout the course, who have all been extremely motivational and enthusiastic about their profession. The main highlight for me has been the opportunity to visit Chaseley House where we spent time with some residents and physiotherapists. Chaseley was a fantastic first insight into how our skills fitted into the reality of physiotherapy practice.

What has been the greatest challenge?
 My greatest challenge has been trying to keep a cool head through the busy exam time at the end of my first term. At times it was stressful but the whole cohort was in it together and got through OK. Fingers crossed now for results day!

What do you hope to do when you graduate?
 I hope to get a rotational junior position in the NHS once I graduate. I feel my experiences so far may sway me towards neurology but, who knows, there’s still a lot more to learn!

 

Letitia Rabey

Davinder Chatha

"The University of Brighton has equipped me with the necessary skills and knowledge to progress my career and become a successful physiotherapist. The dedicated staff and up to date modern facilities are excellent and offer the highest standards of learning.

From my personal experience the problem-based learning approach has made me a more critical, thorough and efficient physiotherapist. The physiotherapy programme was very detailed and highly demanding which brought out the best in me and made me confident enough to run my own successful physiotherapy clinic."

Davinder Chatha

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