How should you assess and manage patients experiencing chronic musculoskeletal pain? What are the evidence-based approaches to rehabilitating a person who has experienced a neurological injury? How may you support the healthy ageing of older people?
Designed for registered and qualified physiotherapists, this course gives you the opportunity to develop your knowledge and professional practice across a range of practical and theory-based units.
You’ll complete core units of study and choose optional units that are intended to complement different areas of physiothera...
Full-time: 15 months
Part-time: 3-5 years, flexible
We offer a range of optional units of study to assist practitioners in developing their knowledge and evidence-based-practice. These are focused predominantly around:
To help you fit studying around your work commitments, you can exit this course with a postgraduate certificate (PgCert) or postgraduate diploma (PgDip) in advanced physiotherapy instead of a full masters degree (MSc). Alternatively, you can just complete individual units from this masters degree as continuing professional development (CPD).
On our masters course, you’ll have a mix of lectures and practical sessions. Some of the topics you might explore include exercise prescription for patients and mobilisation techniques.
For units with practical content, we’ll teach you the theory behind the techniques in your lectures. We will demonstrate how to perform the techniques in practical sessions and then you will practice with fellow students, supervised by your lecturer.
A number of our units have guest lecturers including experts in their field of clinical practice and researchers producing internationally excellent research.
As well as core units, you will choose optional units to help you meet your personal and professional goals. You’ll need to currently be working in clinical practice for some of the optional units. We offer a range of modules to further your career in advanced practice and first contact practitioner roles. You can find the HEE Multiple-Professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice here.
If you’re interested in studying option units focused on sport, you might be able to take one or two of the units on our MSc Sport and Exercise Medicine course as part of your advanced physiotherapy qualification. These are delivered in collaboration with experts currently working in sport.
Whichever area you focus on, in order to graduate from this masters degree, you will need to complete the majority of your units from the advanced physiotherapy course syllabus. These must form at least two - thirds of your final credits.
Your largest unit within the masters course is an Advanced Physiotherapy Project (APP). This involves conducting research, writing a paper of 6,000 words, and a viva voce (oral examination).
Whether you've already made your decision about what you want to study, or you're just considering whether postgraduate study is right for you, there are lots of ways you can meet us and find out more about postgraduate student life at Manchester Met.
We offer:
Your studies are supported by a department of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field.
We often link up with external professionals too, helping to enhance your learning and build valuable connections to the working world.
Applicants must hold a minimum 2:2 UK undergraduate honours physiotherapy degree (or international equivalent) and have post-qualification clinical experience. Students with graduate diplomas in physiotherapy with evidence of recent practice can also apply.
Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification. Accepted English qualifications can be viewed here.
Applicants who wish to take the Musculoskeletal Medicine Injection Therapy are required to have:
A minimum of four years’ clinical experience is required, of which 12 months should have been with musculoskeletal patients.
Access to musculoskeletal patients while attending the course.
Successfully completed postgraduate training in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal lesions in musculoskeletal medicine in the upper and lower limb.
Clinical supervision is in place with an appropriately qualified practitioner (doctor or physiotherapist qualified and experienced in injection therapy) for the inter-unit course work/supervision of injections.
Applicants who wish to take the First Contact Practice and Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice unit are required to have:
An entry requirement of four years’ clinical experience is normally required, of which 12 months should have been with musculoskeletal patients.
Access to musculoskeletal patients whilst attending the course.
Applicants who wish to take the Manual Therapy Clinical Pathway are required to have:
a) A BSc Physiotherapy degree at 2:2 degree classification or equivalent (there is further information for international students on our international website if you’re applying with non-UK qualifications).
b) A minimum of two years' post-qualification clinical experience, of which 6 months should have been with neuro-musculoskeletal out-patients.
c) Health and Care Professions Council registration.
d) IELTS of 7 (with no element below 6.5) for students whose first language is not English.
e) Two character references. One reference must be from a clinical manager or someone who can report on the applicant’s physiotherapy working knowledge and performance. Both references must be provided on headed paper or have an organisation stamp.
Specific Clinical Placement Unit Requirements:
Manual Therapy Clinical Pathway students undertake mandatory clinical placement units. They must obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and health screening through the University procedure on admission to the programme.
Full-time fee: £9,500 for 15 months. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
Part-time fee: £1,056 per 20 taught credits. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
Full-time fee: £18,500 for 15 months. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
Part-time fee: £2,056 per 20 credits. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).
A masters qualification typically comprises 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits, and an MFA 300 credits. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of study provided the course is completed in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study). Part-time students may take a maximum of 90 credits each academic year.
Compulsory estimate: £0.00 to £51.00 depending on your status
DBS checks - before starting on your course, you must undergo a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check (Enhanced Disclosure). The University covers the cost of payment for the DBS application and ID verification for new students where the DBS check is a requirement of the course, and where the application is made through the University, using the University’s approved service provider, currently First Advantage Disclosures.
Responsibility for DBS clearance on employment-based and CPD programmes normally lies with the employer, not the University. Where a DBS check is required for placement but not supported by your employer, the University will cover the cost of the first check when completed through the University, using the University’s approved provider, currently First Advantage Disclosures, as above.
Upon completion of the DBS check on whichever course, students have the option to subscribe to the DBS Update Service. The Update Service allows individuals to keep their DBS certificates up to date, and allows employers or education providers to check a current certificate, without the need to request a new certificate. At April 2022, the cost of subscription to the DBS Update Service is £13.00 per year, to be paid by the student. Subscription is strongly encouraged for students embarking on programmes, where DBS clearance will be an ongoing requirement for placements and professional practice.
Students who have resided outside the UK continuously for a period of twelve months or more in the last ten years, while over the age of 18, will also be required to provide evidence of a satisfactory overseas police check, and to meet any associated costs, including the cost of a certified translation if required.
Returning students who have previously obtained DBS clearance but who require a new check, for example, due to a suspension of study, are required to pay the DBS application fee of £38.00 (accurate at 6th April 2022) and any associated costs, including the cost of ID verification through the Post Office Certification Service, which is approximately £13.00 but subject to the relevant cost at the time of application.
You may also need to budget for student membership of professional bodies.
Optional estimate: £400
All of the books required for the course are available from the library. The University also has PC labs and a laptop loan service. However, many students choose to buy some of the core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop. Students may also need to print their assignments and other documents. Campus printing costs start from 5p per page. Estimated costs are £300 for a laptop and up to £100 each year for books and printing.
On our course, you’ll develop the knowledge and critical thinking to help you in clinical practice along with evidence-based practice and research skills.
Upon completion of this course, you will have gained significant knowledge and skills, widening the opportunities to apply for more senior and specialist physiotherapy roles within the NHS. Here, you could apply for a promotion to the next band in the NHS pay scale or help improve the clinical competencies required to gain a first contact practitioner status. In particular we have unit learning that is matched to the clinical competencies required to complete the clinical pillar of the ‘First Contact Practitioners and Advanced Practitioners in Primary Care: (Musculoskeletal) A Roadmap to Practice.’
In the private sector, this qualification might open routes to work or establish your own private practice. It may also open avenues in higher education teaching or research. Those working in part time sport environments may benefit from adding the masters levels clinical reasoning skills to apply for full time post in sporting environments.
Please contact our course enquiries team.
Get advice and support on making a successful application.
You can review our current Terms and Conditions before you make your application. If you are successful with your application, we will send you up to date information alongside your offer letter.
Programme Review
Our programmes undergo an annual review and major review (normally
at 6 year intervals) to ensure an up-to-date curriculum supported by the
latest online learning technology. For further information on when we
may make changes to our programmes, please see the
changes section of our Terms and Conditions .
Important Notice
This online prospectus provides an overview of our programmes of study
and the University. We regularly update our online prospectus so that
our published course information is accurate. Please check back to the
online prospectus before making an application to us to access the most
up to date information for your chosen course of study.
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