BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Science
- UCAS Course Code
- B160
- Entry Requirements
- AAB (specific subject requirements apply)
- Course Length
- 3 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2024
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Why you should choose us
Course Overview
Choose to study physiotherapy and you could have an incredibly positive impact on people’s lives, helping them overcome physical setbacks and get back on their feet – often literally. It’s a career ideally suited to great listeners who are able to piece together the physical with the emotional to build a complete picture – and to anyone one who likes going beyond the theory and actually making things happen.
Our innovative approach is both varied and interactive and is based on the very latest research. You’ll have access to our superb, dedicated learning facilities, including our anatomy room and assistive technology suite. So you’ll develop the solid academic grounding and practical skills you’ll need to kick-start your career.
Our course is fully approved by and prepares you for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Our three-year physiotherapy programme focuses on working with people to maximise their functional ability – and their potential. Whether your service user’s condition is recovering, stable or deteriorating, we’ll equip you with the necessary skills to help them overcome their challenges.
Our course focuses on body systems and exploring how they impact on the body’s ability to move and function effectively. Core areas include musculoskeletal, neurology, cardiovascular and respiratory therapy in both acute and primary care settings.
Our interdisciplinary ethos means that you’ll be studying with students from therapies that you’ll encounter in your working life. Inter-professional teamwork will be a central element of your career, and UEA remains one of the only UK universities to offer this approach.
With a sound knowledge of the clinical sciences that underpin human function and dysfunction, you’ll start hands-on practice. You’ll focus on the specific needs of each client or client group, and you’ll become expert in understanding specific psychological, cultural, and social factors in the context of care, as well as learning about due consideration of the needs and abilities of others involved with the client, including carers and other health and social care workers.
You’ll learn how to apply problem-solving and clinical reasoning to assess and evaluate a client’s health. You’ll master specific assessment and treatment techniques. You’ll gain understanding of how to manage both yourself and those around you. And you’ll develop and hone the interpersonal skills key to enabling the negotiation of action plans, and to engaging effectively with patients, carers, and the multidisciplinary healthcare team.
Study and Modules
Structure
Our Physiotherapy degree is strong on both theory and practice. In each of your three years you’ll undertake mandatory modules, which will vary in credit weight, as well as two practice placements. You’ll need to pass each of the modules in order to progress onto the next level. Then you’ll have introductory sessions at the start of each academic year to support your transition between the academic levels.
In your first year, you’ll study five compulsory modules. These are all year long modules and consist of a mix of profession-specific and interdisciplinary learning, varying in weight from 20 to 60 credits. You’ll also complete practice placements, focusing on core transferable and profession-specific knowledge, skills and behaviours.
This first year will provide the foundations for developing your professional practice and will include anatomy, physiology, sociology and psychology, alongside the theory and practical physiotherapy skills and professionalism.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
As a physiotherapist, you’ll need to be able to operate autonomously and make educated decisions about patient care, and our course is designed to help you do just that.
One of our primary aims is that you’re able to link the theory with practice, so your learning will balance teaching with a series of placements in health, social and educational settings, as well as supervised practice on fellow students.
Our teaching methods are extremely well regarded, with a student-centred approach that mixes lectures, seminars, group work and self-directed learning. You’ll focus on enquiry-based learning, through which you’ll be able to take control and direct your own learning. You’ll discover links between your new and existing knowledge, develop team-working and clinical reasoning skills, and you’ll take a creative, autonomous approach to problem-solving, which will be essential to your future career.
You’ll have a personal adviser who will work with you as you develop a portfolio, demonstrating both the ways you’ve progressed and your reflective practice. As you progress through the course, you’ll be expected to take on greater responsibility for your professional development.
We use a range of media to support your learning to full effect. In particular, we use Blackboard – our virtual learning environment – to guide you and support the syllabus throughout the course, especially during placements when you will be studying at a distance.
Assessment
In each of the years, we’ll assess each module you complete using a range of methods including online MCQs, practical assessments and portfolios of evidence. Written work will be based on critical enquiry and clinical reasoning. Live oral presentations and posters will also be completed.
You’ll receive feedback throughout, so that you can reflect on your practice and learning, helping you identify your strengths, as well as any areas you may need to work on.
Structure
In your second year, you’ll undertake two further practice placements, building on your core skills. You will continue to engage with learning across a range of year-long modules to enhance your transferable and profession-specific knowledge, skills and behaviours. You will explore in greater depth musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiovascular and respiratory cases.
This second year will also provide the opportunity to develop your understanding of research.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
As a physiotherapist, you’ll need to be able to operate autonomously and make educated decisions about patient care, and our course is designed to help you do just that.
One of our primary aims is that you’re able to link the theory with practice, so your learning will balance teaching with a series of placements in health, social and educational settings, as well as supervised practice on fellow students.
Our teaching methods are extremely well regarded, with a student-centred approach that mixes lectures, seminars, group work and self-directed learning. You’ll focus on enquiry-based learning, through which you’ll be able to take control and direct your own learning. You’ll discover links between your new and existing knowledge, develop team-working and clinical reasoning skills, and you’ll take a creative, autonomous approach to problem-solving, which will be essential to your future career.
You’ll have a personal adviser who will work with you as you develop a portfolio, demonstrating both the ways you’ve progressed and your reflective practice. As you progress through the course, you’ll be expected to take on greater responsibility for your professional development.
We use a range of media to support your learning to full effect. In particular, we use Blackboard – our virtual learning environment – to guide you and support the syllabus throughout the course, especially during placements when you will be studying at a distance.
Assessment
In each of the years, we’ll assess each module you complete using a range of methods including online MCQs, practical assessments and portfolios of evidence. Written work will be based on critical enquiry and clinical reasoning. Live oral presentations and posters will also be completed.
You’ll receive feedback throughout, so that you can reflect on your practice and learning, helping you identify your strengths, as well as any areas you may need to work on.
Structure
In your final year, mandatory year-long modules continue with increasing complexity to aid your transition from student to qualified Physiotherapist. You’ll also complete further practice placements, focusing on the acquisition of more complex skills. Your final placement is known as the professional development placement, which allows some flexibility to choose and organise a placement of specific interest guided by your profile and previous placement experiences and this could include exploring overseas opportunities.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
As a physiotherapist, you’ll need to be able to operate autonomously and make educated decisions about patient care, and our course is designed to help you do just that.
One of our primary aims is that you’re able to link the theory with practice, so your learning will balance teaching with a series of placements in health, social and educational settings, as well as supervised practice on fellow students.
Our teaching methods are extremely well regarded, with a student-centred approach that mixes lectures, seminars, group work and self-directed learning. You’ll focus on enquiry-based learning, through which you’ll be able to take control and direct your own learning. You’ll discover links between your new and existing knowledge, develop team-working and clinical reasoning skills, and you’ll take a creative, autonomous approach to problem-solving, which will be essential to your future career.
You’ll have a personal adviser who will work with you as you develop a portfolio, demonstrating both the ways you’ve progressed and your reflective practice. As you progress through the course, you’ll be expected to take on greater responsibility for your professional development.
We use a range of media to support your learning to full effect. In particular, we use Blackboard – our virtual learning environment – to guide you and support the syllabus throughout the course, especially during placements when you will be studying at a distance.
Assessment
In each of the years, we’ll assess each module you complete using a range of methods including online MCQs, practical assessments and portfolios of evidence. Written work will be based on critical enquiry and clinical reasoning. Live oral presentations and posters will also be completed.
You’ll receive feedback throughout, so that you can reflect on your practice and learning, helping you identify your strengths, as well as any areas you may need to work on.
Entry Requirements
- A Levels
- AAB including Biology (with a pass in the practical element), Human Biology or PE. If you are taking an EPQ and three A Levels, we may offer you a one grade reduction on our advertised typical offer alongside an A in the EPQ.
- T Levels
- Obtain an overall Pass including an A in the core of the T Level and a Distinction in the Occupational Specialism. Acceptable subjects: Science.
- BTEC
- DDD - see below for accepted subjects and combinations.
- Access to HE Diploma
- Pass with Distinction in 36 credits at Level 3 and Merit in 9 credits at Level 3 in a Health, Care or Science subject, including 12 Level 3 credits of Biology.
- International Baccalaureate
- 33 including HL 6 Biology or Sports, Exercise & Health Science
- English Foreign Language
If English is not your first language, we will require evidence of proficiency in English (including reading, writing, speaking and listening) at the level of IELTS 7.0 overall (minimum 7.0 in each component).
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
INTO UEA also offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study:
- Interviews
The strongest applicants will be invited to interview. Please note that meeting (or being predicted to meet) the minimum academic entry requirements will not guarantee that you will be selected for interview.
Interview invitations will be sent by email. Please keep a close eye on all emails from UEA after you submit your UCAS application.
Interview formatOur interviews for 2024 will take place on our campus. You will be invited to a morning or afternoon session by email. The email will include the arrival time and building location. We use a variety of the buildings on our campus for interviews, but they will either be on our Main Campus or on our West Campus (which is around a 20-minute walk from the centre of the Main Campus, near the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital). The session will last no longer than 3 hours in total.
You will take part in interviews with academic staff members from the School of Health Sciences, clinicians from the profession you are applying for and/or current students from the course.
Note that we will not disclose interview questions in advance of the interviews, but in general terms the interviews will explore a range of issues, including your suitability for the profession and the NHS values (as reflected in the NHS constitution). We’ll look to consider your motivation to study this course, as well as whether you have an interest in people and a clear understanding of the profession (ideally with relevant voluntary or paid work in healthcare).
Applicants who are based outside of the UK at the point of applying will be offered an online interview. The format will match the process outlined above as closely as possible.
COURSE CONDITIONS
Offers will be made to applicants after completion of successful interviews, and will be subject to a satisfactory occupational health check (including evidence of appropriate immunisations), an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and two satisfactory references. We will let you know what you need to do (and when) to meet these conditions if you are successful in gaining an offer.
PLACEMENTS
During the course, practice experience is gained via placements. The placement environments include hospitals, community, social services, or a variety of other sectors. Placement allocation occurs throughout the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, and London.
As this course includes patient facing placements in health or social care settings, and these are a mandatory component of the course, you will need to comply with the placement vaccination policy. Failure to meet the placement vaccination policy may prevent you from joining the course or may lead to your withdrawal from the course in the future. Future employment may also be subject to this condition.
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. If you intend to apply with deferred entry, please let us know about your gap year plans in your UCAS application.
ADMISSIONS POLICY
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Intakes
This course is open to UK and overseas applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
2.1 in Biology, Human Biology or PE.
Alternative subjects considered alongside grade B in A Level Biology, Human Biology or PE.
Grade requirements:
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DDD (made up of Extended Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma subjects)
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DD (made up of Extended Certificate or Diploma subjects) plus A at A Level
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D (Extended Certificate) plus AA at A Level
Subject requirements:
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Extended Diploma in one of the subjects listed below
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A combination of BTEC/OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 subjects, all of which are in Health, Care or Science, with at least one of the subjects to include one of the options listed below
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Any BTEC/OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 subjects in Health, Care or Science, taken in combination with A Level Biology, Human Biology or PE
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A combination of one of the BTEC/OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 subject options below alongside A Levels in any subject(s)
Applied Human Biology (2018 RQF suite) – must include one of the following units:
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Functional physiology
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Diseases, disorders, treatments and therapies
Applied Science (2010 QCF suite) – must include at least two of the following units:
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Physiology of human body systems
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Physiology of human regulation and reproduction
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Diseases and infections
Applied Science (2016 RQF suite) – must include at least two of the following units:
-
Physiology of human body systems
-
Human regulation and reproduction
-
Biological molecules and metabolic pathways
-
Diseases and infections
Applied Science (2020 RQF suite) – must include at least two of the following units:
-
Principles and applications of biology II
-
Functional physiology of the human body system
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Human reproduction and regulation
-
Biological molecules and metabolic pathways
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Diseases and infections
Fitness Services (2016 RQF suite) – Extended Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma.
Health and Social Care (2010 QCF & 2016 RQF suites) – Extended Diploma only.
Sport (2010 QCF suite) – must include at least two of the following units:
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Fitness testing for sport and exercise
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Exercise, health and lifestyle
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Sports injuries
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Sports and exercise massage
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Research investigation in sports and exercise sciences
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Applied sport and exercise physiology
Sport (2016 RQF suite) – Extended Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma.
Sport and Exercise Science (2016 RQF suite) – Diploma or Extended Diploma.
Sport and Physical Activity (OCR Cambridge Technical - 2016 suite) – Extended Diploma. Diploma or Extended Certificate must include at least two of the following units:
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Improving Fitness for Sport and Physical Activity
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Biomechanics and Movement Analysis
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Physical Activity for Specific Groups
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Sports Injuries and Rehabilitation
Sports Coaching and Development (2019 RQF suite) – Extended Diploma only. Must include at least three of the following units:
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Anatomy and Physiology in Sport
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Sporting Injuries
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Functional Sports Massage
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Fitness Training
Sporting Excellence and Performance (2019 RQF suite) – Diploma or Extended Diploma only.
Sport, Fitness and Personal Training (2019 RQF suite) – Extended Certificate, Diploma or Extended Diploma.
Sport and Outdoor Activities (2019 RQF suite) – Extended Diploma only. Must include all of the following units:
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Anatomy and physiology in sport
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Sports injuries
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Fitness training
65% in Year 2, in Biology, Human Biology or PE.
Alternative subjects considered alongside grade B in A Level Biology, Human Biology or PE.
65% in Year 2, in Biology, Human Biology or PE.
Alternative subjects considered alongside grade B in A Level Biology, Human Biology or PE.
70% or above in a Foundation Year of an undergraduate degree programme at a UK university, in Biology, Human Biology or PE, plus ABB at A Level.
4 subjects at H2 and 2 subjects at H3, including Biology, Human Biology or PE
60% in Open University module SK299 (30 credits) accepted in lieu of A Level Biology only
BBC including Biology, Human Biology or PE.
A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable, please contact Admissions for further information.
Grade B or above in Medical Science accepted in lieu of A Level Biology, if taken alongside two other A Levels with grades AAB overall.
WJEC Level 3 Diplomas in other Health or Science subjects can be taken to make up three grades alongside A Level(s) in Biology, Human Biology or PE.
Please contact Admissions if you need clarification or to check grade requirements.
We welcome and value a wide range of alternative qualifications, and we also recognise that some students might take a mixture of some of the qualifications above. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
Please note that we do not consider A Levels in General Studies or Critical Thinking, Apprenticeships, NVQs (any level) or Work-based Level 3 Diplomas (previously NVQs) to meet the minimum academic entry requirements, although these can be used as evidence of recent study. We’ll also be unable to consider you for this course if you’ve obtained an academic fail from a previous health based degree programme, including where an exit award has been achieved.
Graduates may wish to consider our accelerated Masters programmes.
GCSE REQUIREMENTS
5 GCSEs at a minimum grade C or grade 4, including Mathematics, English Language, and a science subject. These requirements apply alongside all other specified requirements.
RECENT STUDY
We would prefer you to be able to demonstrate evidence of recent academic study within 5 years of the start of the course. If your last qualification will have been completed more than 5 years ago by the time the course starts, please contact Admissions.
AGE ON ENTRY AND FEE STATUS
Applicants for this course need to be aged 18 or over by 31 December 2024. This is owing to the integrated nature of placements within the first year of the course and safeguarding implications. In view of this, applicants who will not be 18 years old or over by this date, should consider applying for deferred entry.
Home and overseas fee-paying applicants are considered separately for this course. If your fee status changes during the application process, your application will be re-assessed alongside all other applications that we have received under the new fee status. For example, if your fee status changes from overseas to home, any decisions that we have made on your application up to that point as an overseas fee-paying student will be reviewed and re-assessed for a place allocated to home fee-paying students.
INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
We accept many international qualifications for entry to this course. For specific details about your country, view our information for International Students.
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for this course, entry is available through successful completion of an International Foundation at our partner INTO UEA (as well as a successful interview):
International Foundation in Pharmacy, Health and Life Sciences
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
NHS Learning Support Fund
If you are eligible for tuition fee and maintenance support from the Student Loans Company, you can apply for additional financial support through the NHS Learning Support Fund when studying this course.
Course Related Costs
You can find information regarding additional costs associated on our Fees and finance webpages.
How to Apply
Apply for this course through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services (UCAS), using UCAS Hub.
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information:
Employability
After the Course
You’ll graduate ready to begin your career as a therapist. Our graduates are known for being capable candidates who are well prepared for modern health and social care services. On graduation, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and can look forward to a lifelong career as a qualified health professional.
There will be numerous roles available to you within the NHS, private sector, voluntary sectors, industry, research and education – the opportunities are endless. We’ll support you in developing your portfolio and will work closely with you to get your career off to the best start.
Careers
A degree at UEA will prepare you for a wide variety of careers. We've been ranked 1st for Job Prospects by StudentCrowd in 2022.
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
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NHS
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Private independent practice
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Armed Forces
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Industry/occupational health
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Sport and leisure
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Voluntary and charity sectors
Discover more on our Careers webpages.