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LOCATION
Stratford Campus
Location Fees and Funding
Here's the fees and funding information for each year of this course
Overview
Physiotherapists treat patients of all ages, helping them to maximise functional movement caused by accidents, illness and disability. Their expertise helps improve mobility, independence and quality of life.
This course prepares you to be a physiotherapist and includes the minimum of 1,000 clinical hours you need to qualify.
You'll learn how to treat patients and to communicate with them effectively, gaining hands-on experience from year one through your clinical placements in the National Health Service and private sector.
You'll also develop a thorough understanding of the human body, what happens when injuries occur and how to treat and manage them.
We've worked hard with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) to ensure the course content is highly relevant. Our course is validated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), so you can apply for registration with the HCPC and full membership of the CSP on graduation.
Our graduates enjoy outstanding success in the jobs market. Six months after graduating, 95 per cent of them are already in a clinical position, according to 2016 government statistics.
We advise students to check Health Education England for regular up to date information.
Applicants are required to complete an enhanced occupational health assessment to ensure that you are occupationally fit to work in the health and social care setting.
Please see entry requirements for more details.
Please note: This course has mandatory placements within the NHS where you will come in contact with high risk and vulnerable patients and you are therefore strongly advised to ensure you are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 prior to starting the course.
What makes this course different
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Our three-year, full-time course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to practise as a qualified independent physiotherapist in a clinical environment.
In your first year, you'll get to grips with physiotherapy fundamentals. Learning about rehabilitation and how patients develop and maintain physical function and movement are key components.
In years two and three the emphasis moves to more specialist areas such as musculoskeletal, respiratory and neurological issues. You'll also work on your decision-making, learning how to manage patients with complex conditions.
Throughout your course, you'll undertake clinical placements with NHS trusts or private healthcare organisations.
You'll enjoy hearing from some of the very best physiotherapists, who not only teach you but also share their extensive experience.
As well as gaining theoretical knowledge and practical skills, you'll also develop your ability to think clearly and critically - to make a sound professional judgment from the evidence available.
Physiotherapy is a science-based profession and takes a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, which includes the patient's general lifestyle. You'll gain important life skills as well such as the ability to listen and to communicate effectively and to work as a member of a healthcare team.
DOWNLOAD COURSE SPECIFICATIONS
COURSE SPECIFICATION -BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy
pdf, 353.84 KB
MODULES
- Core Modules
Anatomy and Assessment Skills 1 CloseAnatomy and Assessment Skills 1
Introduction to Physiology CloseIntroduction to Physiology
Anatomy, Assessment and Treatment Skills- Upper Limb CloseAnatomy, Assessment and Treatment Skills- Upper Limb
Physiotherapy Clinical Skills ClosePhysiotherapy Clinical Skills
Introduction to Physiology 2 CloseIntroduction to Physiology 2
Practice Based Learning 1 ClosePractice Based Learning 1
- Core Modules
Cardiovascular Physiotherapy CloseCardiovascular Physiotherapy
Neurological Physiotherapy CloseNeurological Physiotherapy
Research Methods CloseResearch Methods
In this module you will develop an understanding of some of the methodologies commonly used so that you may contribute to the design of appropriate investigations and to an evaluation of the likely limitations and possible implications of the completed study. (These will include qualitative research methodologies, e.g. ethnography and phenomenology, as well as quantitative, e.g. the cross-sectional survey, case control and cohort studies, and the double-blind randomised controlled trial).
The module will develop your ability to organise, analyse and interpret data so that you may draw your own conclusions and may check whether researchers' claims appear to be reasonable and/or offer a distorted representation of the evidence.
You will develop an understanding of some of the questions commonly asked so that you may contribute intelligently to the collection of service-related data and be ready to modify your thinking and amend practice accordingly. (These will include questions about the cause of a condition, the relative efficacy of alternative interventions, and the relative cost of alternative modes of delivery, but they will also include questions about the effect of practice on outcome, the extent to which professional standards have been implemented, the management, evaluation, and improvement of performance, and the satisfaction of patients).
Physiotherapy Rehabilitation ClosePhysiotherapy Rehabilitation
This module builds on the basic background knowledge and skills gained from level 4.
Patient cases will be utilised to demonstrate the application of fundamental Physiotherapy rehabilitation principles.
Exercise prescription skills introduced in level 4 will be developed by applying knowledge of exercise physiology, biomechanics and anatomy.
By the end of the module, you will be able to design, facilitate and progress basic, safe, appropriate and effective rehabilitation plans for patients presenting with movement dysfunction.
Clinical reasoning will be introduced to interpret clinical findings, provide a rationale for treatment choice(s) and assist in the evaluation of proposed interventions.
Knowledge of common pathologies across the human lifespan will be applied to patient presentations.
Analysis and evaluation of assessment and intervention will be supported by reference to current literature and evidence-based practice.
Physiotherapy Rehabilitation ClosePhysiotherapy Rehabilitation
This module builds on the basic background knowledge and skills gained from level 4.
Patient cases will be utilised to demonstrate the application of fundamental Physiotherapy rehabilitation principles.
Exercise prescription skills introduced in level 4 will be developed by applying knowledge of exercise physiology, biomechanics and anatomy.
By the end of the module, you will be able to design, facilitate and progress basic, safe, appropriate and effective rehabilitation plans for patients presenting with movement dysfunction.
Clinical reasoning will be introduced to interpret clinical findings, provide a rationale for treatment choice(s) and assist in the evaluation of proposed interventions.
Knowledge of common pathologies across the human lifespan will be applied to patient presentations.
Analysis and evaluation of assessment and intervention will be supported by reference to current literature and evidence-based practice.
Practice Based Learning 2 ClosePractice Based Learning 2
- Core Modules
Practice Based Learning 3 (Elective) ClosePractice Based Learning 3 (Elective)
Complex Practice 1 CloseComplex Practice 1
Practice Based Learning 4 ClosePractice Based Learning 4
Research Governance and Leadership CloseResearch Governance and Leadership
In this module you will discuss the relationship between political, economic, technical, environmental and legal factors influencing practice (PESTEL) and the delivery of high quality packages of patient services. The module will provide you with the knowledge, skills and attitudes in order to understand complex originations and systems of work; manage and facilitate change; and analyse your own employability competencies and career management skills and outline your future development either in employment or enterprise.
Specifically this module will
- Advance your understanding of research methodologies in the clinical setting and enable you to design a research project/research proposal
- Develop an understanding of organisation, analysis and interpretation of data; preparing you to assess the implications of research and evaluation for professional practice and use research in the development and advancement of professional practice e.g. audit, service evaluation, patient satisfaction
- Finally, this module will help you to provide evidence of your development of personal skills and ethical qualities required when conducting research/practice evaluation.
Complex Practice 2 CloseComplex Practice 2
Neuromusculoskeletal Assessment and Trauma CloseNeuromusculoskeletal Assessment and Trauma
Practice Based Learning 5 ClosePractice Based Learning 5
HOW YOU'LL LEARN
You'll be based in the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience in Stratford, but you'll spend at least a third of your time 'learning by doing' away from campus.
We have strong links with local NHS trusts and private sector providers, which means you'll have a range of work placement opportunities.
These placements begin after the Christmas break in your first year and, thanks to our excellent connections, take place in world-renowned hospitals and NHS Trusts. These include: Barts Health, Homerton and Barking, Havering & Redbridge.
Our supportive staff will help set these up to ensure you get the 1,000 clinical hours you need to qualify.
When not on placement, you'll enjoy practical and clinical sessions at Stratford, in small, supportive learning groups with low student-to-staff ratios.
Our modern, purpose-built campus offers superb teaching facilities, including our own on-site clinic with four spacious, well-equipped teaching rooms.
Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.
The approximate percentages for this course are:
- Year 1: scheduled teaching - 360 hours; guided independent study - 840 hours. 150 hours of clinical practice in term 2
- Year 2: scheduled teaching - 360 hours; guided independent study - 840 hours. 300 hours of clinical practice across the year.
- Year 3: scheduled teaching - 120 hours; guided independent study - 270 hours. (Please note, terms 1 and 2 in level 6 are shortened to accommodate clinical placements). 600 hours of clinical practice across the year.
HOW YOU'LL BE ASSESSED
- Year 1 - 70% practical (includes a mix of clinical exams, clinical placements, presentations and vivas), 30% coursework.
- Year 2 - 70% practical (includes a mix of clinical exams, clinical placements, presentations and vivas), 30% coursework.
- Year 3 - 60% practical (includes a mix of clinical exams, clinical placements, presentations and vivas), 40% coursework
You'll always receive detailed feedback outlining your strengths and how you can improve. We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 14 working days, although you will receive immediate feedback following many of our face to face assessments.
CAMPUS and FACILITIES

Stratford Campus, Water Lane, Stratford
WHO TEACHES THIS COURSE
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
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Our students and academics are more critically engaged and socially conscious than ever before. Discover some of the positive changes our students, alumni and academics are making in the world.

The UEL team gave me the motivation and support, both clinically and personally, to get involved with events early on as a student physiotherapist. Many links and networks were set up by the course tutors. The course itself was practical, the support was great and the encouragement was never short from an amazing group of tutors. As a team, they made it feel like you could aim for and achieve opportunities that I would never have thought I could do, for example being a part of the Olympics."
Martina Kehoe
Physiotherapy, BSc (Hons)
YOUR FUTURE CAREER
A physiotherapy degree puts you in a powerful position when it comes to entering the world of work. Physiotherapists are in high demand across the UK and abroad.
You could opt for a career in the NHS, where physiotherapists are deployed across the medical spectrum, from intensive care and stroke rehabilitation to recovery from major surgery or trauma to care of the elderly and paediatrics. We are proud to say that our physiotherapy staff and students were involved with the delivery of the NHS Nightingale project during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You could specialise in the treatment of physical issues arising from one of the body's systems. This could mean concentrating on bones, joints and soft tissues (musculoskeletal), the brain and nervous system (neurology), the heart and blood circulation (cardiovascular) or the respiratory organs.
There are also plenty of career opportunities for physiotherapists in the private sector.
At the University of East London, we have graduates who have gone on to work in senior roles within the NHS (for example Consultant Physiotherapist in Sports Medicine). UEL graduates have also take key roles in International Sports Organisations (for example the Women's Tennis Association and Essex County Cricket Club), and Major Games Medical Teams (for example the Olympics and Commonwealth Games).
Whatever your particular interest, a UEL physiotherapy degree opens up a wealth of options for your future career.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.