Physiotherapy (pre-registration)MSc
- Ranking6thQS World Rankings by Subject
- Delivery formatIn person
- Start dateSeptember 2025Duration2 years full-time
- AwardMaster of Science
- Entry requirements2:1 Honours Degree in a relevant discipline
- Fees£9,250 (full-time)
Page contents
Course overview
Kickstart your career in Physiotherapy with our accredited course and become a qualified, competent practitioner. Unlock your potential and make a valuable impact on the future of modern healthcare services.
Watch our course video
Transcript
Transcript
So, I did my undergrad here—I did three years of the Sports Science undergrad—and I knew I wanted to do a Master's afterwards. And I knew Birmingham was a great uni, I had loads of my friends here, and I think the facilities for physio are so good and I just really liked the idea of the course and the practical element of it. So that's why I decided to stay.
The facilities are fab. So we have in the SportEx building loads of practical rooms and they've got all the equipment that we would see in a hospital as well. And with the Master’s, you're able to book out rooms and, before your exams especially, practice with the equipment that you use. It's just nice to be in labs with the plinths and everything.
So placements, I think they're primarily weighted in the second year. They're between four and six weeks, and you have six placements in total. But you get exposure to so many different areas of physio, like respiratory, neuro, MSK, and they're all based around Birmingham.
My plan is to do my NHS rotations, just to figure out what I enjoy most and what area I'm the best at. I really like paediatrics as well, so I want some more experience in paediatrics and then go from there—that's my plan.
At the core of our programme is a commitment to patient care. We will equip you with the skills to become an independent, evidence-based, and patient-centered physiotherapist. By joining us, you'll be empowered to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those who need it most.
The course is comprehensive, hands-on, and inspiring. It offers excellent learning opportunities with diverse clinical placements and an evidence-based curriculum which prepare you to become a competent healthcare professional.
Course Structure
The course will run over 24 months in a full-time mode equally dividing your time between university and clinically based care settings.
Year 1: 29 September 2025 - 26 June 2026
Year 1 will introduce you to the profession through practice and clinical reasoning. This will include modules centered around theory, application and then exposure on placements. You will primarily be based on campus for this year.
Course highlights
Through our research-informed teaching and interdisciplinary learning environment, you'll gain a holistic understanding of patient care. Dive into high-quality placements and projects and take your place at the forefront of modern healthcare with local practice experiences. Bring your learning to life through opportunities to work in real-world community and other settings during extracurricular activities and placements.
- Learn from field experts at the forefront of groundbreaking research
- Gain real-world experiences in local communities and clinical settings
- Study at the largest custom built Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences facility in the UK
- 6th in the World
for Sports-Related Subjects (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024)
- 2nd in the UK
for Sports-Related Subjects (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024)
- 5th in the UK
for Sport and Exercise Sciences (Research Excellence Framework 2021)
Our commitment to patient-centered care, equality, diversity, and inclusion resonates within the NHS Constitution’s values. You will not only graduate as a skilled practitioner but also as a compassionate and ethical advocate for equality in healthcare.
This course is tailored for those aspiring to become physiotherapists and is not intended for those already qualified. Successful completion of this course will give you eligibility to apply for registration with both the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Health and Care Professions Council.
Course delivery
Through a variety of teaching methods, our blended learning approach ensures that you will engage in theory driven learning and real-life placements. Teaching usually takes place over three or four days per week.
- Mixed teaching methods - benefit from a range of teaching styles such as lectures, small group tutorials, seminars, presentations, peer group learning and self-study
- Practical assignments - home to a variety of practical spaces, you will learn in state-of-the-art facilities equipped with mannequins to simulate clinical settings
- Assessments - you will be assessed in a variety of ways which may differ for each each module you take
Our new Centre for Movement and Wellbeing clinic will provide unique opportunities to interact with patients and gain real-life experiences through placements. The physiotherapy clinic is at the heart of MoveWell, offering targeted therapies to support good health, through the treatment and rehabilitation from injury, acute illness and chronic disease.
Module information
The course comprises of a series of taught core modules, practice placements and a final year research project. Practice education placements comprise 34 weeks of the programme and are organised into six modules, two of which take place in year one and four in year two.
The modules listed for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
The optional module information listed for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.
In Year 1, the following modules must be taken:
Module Title | Credits | Semester |
---|---|---|
LI Practice Education 1 | 0 | Semester 2 |
LI Practice Education 2 | 0 | Semester 2 |
LH Transition to Physiotherapy | 0 | Semester 1 |
LM Clinical Skills | 20 | Semester 1 |
LM Research Methodology in Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation | 20 | Semester 1 |
LM Acute Care and Rehabilitation | 20 | Semester 2 |
LM Contemporary Musculoskeletal Practice | 20 | Full Term |
LM Long term conditions and rehabilitation | 20 | Semester 2 |
In Year 2, the following modules must be taken:
Module Title | Credits | Semester |
---|---|---|
LH Practice Education 4 | 0 | Semester 1 |
LH Practice Education 5 | 0 | Semester 2 |
LH Practice Education 6 | 0 | Semester 2 |
LM Advancing Physiotherapy Practice | 20 | Semester 2 |
LM Dissertation | 60 | Full Term |
LH Practice Education 3 | 0 | Semester 1 |
Entry requirements
To gain a place at Birmingham you will need to meet our general entry requirements, as well as those specific to your course. Your application will be reviewed by the course’s Admissions Tutor, who will decide whether your application should receive an offer.
- 2:1 Honours Degree
in a relevant undergraduate discipline
You should present evidence of study in a relevant discipline, ordinarily holding an honours degree in a relevant discipline at 1st or 2.1 classifications. It is expected that you will have previous knowledge in human anatomy or physiology. Ideally, we would consider life science degrees that contain modules focused around that area, e.g. Human Biology, Biosciences, Sport and Exercise Science, Sports Therapy, etc, where human anatomy or physiology modules will have formed part of the previous degree programme of study.
Alternatively, we would consider applications from graduates of other disciplines who have either a) worked in a healthcare field and gained significant practical experience (e.g. healthcare assistant, physiotherapy assistant or those holding existing professional healthcare qualifications) or b) obtained additional qualifications where the study of human anatomy and physiology has formed a significant part of the programme of study. If you are unsure of whether your qualifications are relevant, you are very welcome to send us your degree transcript so that our Admissions Tutor can take a closer look at what you have studied before you submit an application for the course.
Applicants are required to demonstrate clear evidence of Physiotherapy experience (e.g. signed letters from clinical managers confirming dates and types of experience) or evidence of experience that you can show relates to the practice of physiotherapy. It is expected that you will have previous knowledge in human anatomy or physiology.
In addition, you will be asked to submit a personal statement along with the University application form. The purpose of the personal statement is to support your application. Your personal statement should contain information about your previous experience in Higher Education with particular focus on areas of study and experience relevant to the MSc Physiotherapy (pre-registration), as well as research activity. We are looking for knowledge and some experience of a broad range of physiotherapy practice, or experience that you can show relates to the broad range of physiotherapy practice. Other experience such as membership and involvement in organisations, voluntary work and other work experience and qualifications may be relevant to your application to help show how your personal qualities are compatible with the values identified within the NHS Constitution.
You will not be accepted to the course if you already have a degree in Physiotherapy. Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is not considered.
Applicants with disabilities
If you have a disability, we take a positive view of what you can achieve as future healthcare professionals and take seriously our obligation to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that you can successfully complete your studies. You will be assessed up to and including the interview on the basis of the criteria outlined here regardless of any disability. If you declare a disability we will invite you to work with us together with the disability team, clinical colleagues and specialist services (RNIB, for example) to explore how best we can support your studies.
English language requirements
If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.
For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:
- TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
- Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
- Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
- LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 33 in each skill
English Presessional Programmes
Improve your knowledge of spoken and written English in preparation for studying at Birmingham with our pre-sessional English courses. If you have a conditional offer, you can take one of these courses as an alternative to retaking IELTS or other similar qualifications.
Fees and scholarships
- £9,250
Full-time
We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2025 entry are above.
The fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying courses over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.
Paying your tuition fees
Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. You can check whether you are eligible for UK or international fees with our admissions team.
Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.
Postgraduate Masters Loan
To help with the cost of studies, this loan is available to all UK students. You can use this loan towards fees, maintenance or other costs at your own discretion. It’s available for all full-time, part-time and distance learning Masters programmes, as long as you don’t already have a Masters qualification (or equivalent).If you’re a student from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can apply for Masters loans from your country’s government.
Scholarships
To help you afford your studies, we’ve put more than £33 million into student support and scholarships. We also offer a range of advice on searching for funding and managing your finances.
Birmingham Masters Scholarships
We want to welcome the brightest talent to our postgraduate community. That’s why our Birmingham Masters Scholarships award £3,000 to more than 300 students each year.
Application process
To apply for a postgraduate programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online.
Select whether you are a UK student or an international student for relevant application deadlines.
- 31 August 2025
Application deadline for UK and non-tier 4 applicants. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full. Early applications are encouraged.
Application documents
Before your application can be processed you must submit the following items:
- Completed application form
- Copy of degree certificate (if you have already completed your degree)
- Transcript - official University document detailing modules covered & marks awarded
- One reference
- A personal statement expressing your interest (three A4 pages maximum)
Non-academic conditions of entry
- A satisfactory health declaration, including evidence of appropriate immunisations, and other regulatory checks are required before registration.
- You will be required to complete a successful Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. For healthcare profession courses no convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings are considered “spent”, this includes those that may have been received when a minor (i.e. under the age of 18). Declaring any matter likely to be recorded on your enhanced DBS disclosure does not automatically rule you out from becoming a physiotherapist. However, you will have to provide information about this to enable us to make a decision about any offer made.
- You will be required to sign the subject-specific Fitness to Practise Code of Conduct on entry, details of which will be forwarded with an offer letter.
Interviews
If you demonstrate via your application that you have meet the admission criteria, you will be invited to interview prior to a decision regarding admission to the course. This process will identify and examine your ability to cope with the multiple demands of the programme and will explore personal values and attitudes to ensure your suitability for admission to a registered healthcare profession.
We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.
Career opportunities
Through our patient-centred practice and interdisciplinary approach, you’ll be ready to step into your role as a qualified Physiotherapist.
Embark on an exciting career journey in the NHS, private sector, or community hospitals. Explore opportunities within sports clubs and the military. You could even work on a freelance basis alongside working in the NHS. As a graduate in physiotherapy, you’ll have a diverse range of career paths to choose from.
University of Birmingham students demonstrate the professionalism, competence, and dedication of fully qualified physiotherapists even before completing their degrees. We are impressed with their readiness to contribute meaningfully to patient care and are eager to welcome them into our team.
- Professional Accreditation and Registration
Graduates are eligible to apply for registration with both the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Health and Care Professions Council
Careers Network
Get ready for tomorrow, with advice, guidance and opportunities at every step of your studies. From developing new skills to preparing for a PhD, our Careers Network can help you gain an advantage in the job market or advance in your field.
Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one-to-one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters. We also offer subject-specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.
Student experience
At Birmingham, your university experience isn’t just about studying. You will have the opportunity to discover new experiences, develop different skills and make friends for life.
Our bustling campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of accommodation options in the UK’s second city, exciting activities to get involved in outside your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.
Accommodation
Coming to Birmingham to study might be your first time living away from home. Our student accommodation will allow you to enjoy your independence in safe, welcoming and sociable surroundings.
Living in Birmingham
As one of the original pioneering cities, Birmingham has developed into a melting pot for shopping, food and drink, nightlife, sport, culture, and industry. It’s no wonder our students fall in love with the city.
Campus life
Our green and spacious campus is the place where our diverse community comes together to learn, relax and socialise. Like a town of its own, just minutes from the hustle and bustle of the UK’s second city.
Student support
Whoever you are and wherever you come from, we are committed to providing the best possible support to all of our students, both before you start and throughout your time on campus, so that you can get the most out of your university experience.
Take a virtual tour
Explore our beautiful campus from wherever you are. Get a feel for the wide range of historic and modern spaces and state-of-the-art facilities.