Physiotherapy

Description

The course aims to prepare you for professional autonomy and excellence in practice.

To achieve this aim, the course provides you with opportunities to acquire a sound scientific foundation, develop excellent clinical skills and a well developed ability to clinical reason, all of which are essential in order to safely and effectively treat patients.

The course also provides you with the means to critically evaluate the effectiveness of your own treatments and those of others. Grounding in research methodology provides the basis for this evaluation process and also enables you to develop your own research interests at any stage of your professional career.

The course aims to produce graduates with excellent communication skills who are able to function as independent clinicians and as fully interactive members of the multidisciplinary health care team.

course prepares you for professional autonomy and excellence in practice. You will acquire a sound scientific foundation, develop excellent clinical skills and a well developed ability to clinical reason, all of which are essential in order to safely and effectively treat patients.

Careers

At Brunel, the physiotherapy teaching team strongly recommend that graduates enter the NHS on qualification. The structure and breadth of the NHS offers graduates the best environment in which to further professional development.

Professional Accreditation

Successful completion of this course means you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health Professions Council and practise as a physiotherapist in the UK (subject to Criminal Records Bureau [CRB] and Home Office clearance).

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 16000 Year (Non-EEA)

UK nationals resident in the UK for three years prior to the start of the programme will normally qualify for an NHS award (ie fees paid place plus a means tested bursary).
EU nationals resident in the UK for at least a three year period directly prior to the start of the programme will normally qualify for an NHS award (ie fees paid place plus a means tested bursary).
EU nationals and UK nationals who do not normally live in the UK or who are not able to provide evidence of residency in the UK for at least the three year period directly prior to the start of the programme will not qualify for an NHS award. Such individuals will be required to self fund at the UK/EU rate for each of the three years. A small annual increment may occur and applicants are encouraged to budget for this fact.

Overseas Fees

Students not designated as UK/EU citizens will be subject to international tuition fees. Currently (2014/15) these fees stand at £16,000 pa. Applicants should budget for the fact that the fees can increase annually.

• English

Course Content

The Physiotherapy BSc (Hons) programme at Brunel University London is long established, with historical roots extending over four decades. The programme is continually reviewed and adapted to reflect current practice and to ensure it fully best prepares the graduates for their role in a changing work place. The programme has consistently produced high calibre graduates and high levels of graduate employment.

In accordance with good practice and the requirements of the regulatory body (HCPC) all UK physiotherapy programmes are revalidated every five to seven years to ensure they are capable of producing graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to deliver quality health care in today's health arena. The Brunel programme was most recently revalidated in the spring of 2011.

In keeping with recent changes in government health policy which include a concerted move towards the primary prevention of ill health, and the delivery of physiotherapy in community settings, we took the opportunity to make minor modifications to our programme to reflect the changing NHS and the changing needs of patients. We are confident that these changes - made with input from client groups, students, our alumni and our NHS partners - will enable us to continue producing students who are happy, confident and competent in their studies, and graduates who are excellent clinicians.

The full-time BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy course is an exciting and innovative modular programme, delivered full-time over three years. Applicants should be aware that the programme is delivered over a period of three terms per year. The course is intense, the volume of learning is high, contact hours are significant. All students must be ready to assume responsibility for their own learning. It may be necessary for some students to develop or improve upon their current learning skills and strategies in order to step up to degree level academic work.

Students should expect campus based studies from 9 am to 5 pm five days a week. Where possible we try and keep Wednesdays free of teaching to allow students time for sport and recreation or private study.

Scheme of Study

The schema of the programme (Excel) shows how the course is arranged term by term and year by year. The schema indicates where modules lie in relation to each other so you can see how your learning will build up. It also shows you where examinations and holidays fall.

After you have reviewed the schema why not read on to learn about module content.

Please note that all modules without exception are considered core to the curriculum, and are therefore compulsory.

Below you will find a brief description of each of the modules including an outline of the assessment format for each module. Practical modules are likely to be assessed practically while the more theoretical modules may be assessed by unseen exam papers, a viva or a written assignment.

Note all students will normally have a maximum of two attempts to pass any module and to progress through the programme. Re-sitting any failed component for the second time is dependent upon attendance. Students failing to meet attendance requirements will not automatically receive the right to re-sit examinations.

Bypass the module outlines to find out more about clinical education.

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 7

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

We expect all applicants to have thoroughly researched the profession prior to applying for the physiotherapy programme. This research requires review of the CSP website and other relevant web sites/literature and an observational clinical experience is advised.

Note: applicants will be short listed from their UCAS forms on the basis of their academic profile and their insight into the profession. Short listed applicants will be required to attend a Selection Day (see below for further details).

Standard entrants:

These are the requirements which we would normally expect from applicants under the age of 21 at the proposed point of entry onto the programme.
For all standard entry applicants 6 GCSEs or equivalent at Grade C or above are required, to include English Language, Mathematics and two Science subjects. GCE A-level AAB (B for Biology or Human Biology - ideally) and at least one subject from our preferred list at grade A: Chemistry, Classical Civilisations, Economics, English, Geography, History, Languages, Law, Maths (Further Maths or Statistics), Physical Education, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Sport Studies. General Studies/Critical Thinking not accepted.

• International Baccalaureate Diploma 35 points, with a 5 in Biology at higher level and 6 in a higher level subject from the preferred list (above)

• BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma D*D*D with an A-level grade B in Biology or Human Biology

Non standard entrants / mature students:

These are the requirements which we would normally expect from applicants over the age of 21 at the proposed point of entry onto the programme.

Non standard entrants and mature students (over the age of 21 years) are welcome and considered on an individual basis. However applicants are normally required to provide evidence of formal academic study of human biology/biology to A-level standard or equivalent within the four years prior to the start of the programme. For all non-standard entry applicants a minimum of 6 GCSEs or equivalent at Grade C or above are also required, to include English Language and Maths. Please check our Admissions pages for more information on accepted equivalencies in place of GCSEs.
A selection of possible entry level academic qualifications is given below:

• GCSE All applicants must have GCSEs in English and Maths (grades CC) – equivalents are not normally accepted

• GCE A-levels At least Grade B in A-level Biology or Human Biology ideally taken within the last four years plus a second A-level at grade C

These qualifications do not have to be attained within the same time period.

Alternatives to the preferred A-level route follow:

• A minimum of 2 A levels BB to include biology – ideally human and a second from our preferred list (see above)

• Access to Higher Education Diploma Complete and pass a related subject Access course, topics studied to include modules in cardiovascular, pulmonary, skeletal muscle physiology and basic neurophysiology at level 3. Distinction profiles required in these topics . In addition all Access students must be able to offer us a B grade at A level human biology or biology..

• Birkbeck Life Sciences for Subjects Allied to Medicine Applicants considered with a distinction profile in biology and a merit profile in chemistry.

• Open University Where applicants otherwise meet our entry criteria except that it is over four years since they last studied a biological science, a 70% pass minimum of the 30 credit Level 2 module in Human Biology (SK277) will be considered.

• Graduates All graduates with a 2.2 minimum profile may be considered. Degrees must be underpinned by a sound academic profile; normally this must include Human Biology/ Biology Grade B at A-level. Any appropriate level study of biology must have been satisfactorily completed within the 4 years prior to proposed start of physiotherapy programme.

Advice for mature students: In order to present us with enough detail on which to base a decision we ask that you:

• document your full academic history on the UCAS form and not just give us your most recent qualifications(s).

• Access students please list only the modules you intend to study, not all the ones available for study. Remember that we require GCEs in English and Maths – we do not accept equivalents offered as part of an Access diploma.

• present documentary proof of previous academic achievements at the point of course enrolment.

Health and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

In addition to meeting our entry criteria and a satisfactory selection day outcome, applicants under offer must demonstrate satisfactory health declaration and complete a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application, previously known as a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check.

For further guidance please Contact Admissions.

Observational Clinical Placements and the Application process:

It is vital that all applicants to the programme are thoroughly aware of what the physiotherapy profession entails. This awareness needs to be properly grounded in reality rather thannotional. Therefore we ask all applicants to undertake a thorough review of the available literature.
We prefer applicants to undertake an observational clinical placement, although we do recognise that this can be difficult.
We advise you in the first instance to write to the physiotherapy managers of your local NHS hospitals requesting a day or two of observation. You may need to write to several hospitals. Asking for short periods of time tends to be received better than asking for too much!
You will not require a long period of observation although the exact time will vary from person to person. However you do need long enough for you to be able to make an informed decision that Physiotherapy is the profession for you.
Once you have got to this point you should find it relatively easy to write your personal statement, demonstrating your insight into the profession, explaining how your observational experience has informed your decision to study physiotherapy and highlighting the personal characteristics of the physiotherapist and why you think you’d be a good one!
If you do not manage to secure an NHS short placement, try the private sector – predominantly small physiotherapy private practices. Alternatively try to secure time in a nursing home. These placements have several limitations which you should be aware of but are still extremely valuable. Then it’s up to you to tell us (on your UCAS personal statement) how your experiences have informed your decision to be a physiotherapist and how your experiences can be translated to physiotherapy.

The Selection Process

In order to select the very best applicants, short listed applicants will be invited to one of our full day selection days which run between December and March/April.

The selection day consists of

• Review of academic certification (students are advised to bring all documentation not just the most recently obtained certificates as well as a passport photo with name printed on back)

• Commencement of registration for the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

• Programme presentations from staff and students

• An opportunity to tour our facilities and the campus

• A short written exam (the subject of which will not require specific advance preparation).

• A group interview – likely to include a group verbal and group practical task. (No prior preparation is required).

The applicant’s written work and performance at interview will be assessed by members of the physiotherapy team and in addition input may be obtained from invited clinicians, current students and members of the public.
Applicants attending selection days will be ranked and the top ranked applicants will receive offers.

We expect to make offers from January through to the end of March/April.
Applicants who are not invited to selection days or who do not perform satisfactorily at selection day will be informed as soon as we can.

Selection Day Dates:

Short-listed applicants only will be invited to one of the following Selection Days:

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than Brunel University.

Funding

Full-time home/EU students normally receive NHS funding for tuition fees. Additionally, home students and EU students who have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least three years are normally eligible for an NHS means-tested Bursary.

Part-time home/EU students may be eligible for NHS funding for fees. There are 10 fundable places which are initially offered to London-based NHS physiotherapy assistants, then to other London-based applicants. Should there be any fees paid places left after this, they will be offered to applicants from outside London on a first come first served basis. Independently-funded students and those funded by other sponsors are welcome to apply.

Note: this course is not open to international applicants.