Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy - MSc

As a practitioner looking for a specialist qualification in sports physiotherapy, this MSc will enable you to develop your knowledge of sports science and injuries, as well as your critical thinking skills, in order to further your career within your specialist profession.

Overview

This well-established full-time MSc Sport & Exercise Physiotherapy course aims to develop sports physiotherapy practitioners to work at a specialist level within their field.

The course is suited to individuals working in a wide variety of sectors that involve managing people with sport or exercise related injuries, whether at high performance sport level or in a physiotherapy clinic. A minimum of two years clinical experience is required.

The curriculum was designed in collaboration with the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine (ACPSM) and international organisations such as the International Federation of Sports Physiotherapists (IFSP). It is designed to help you develop towards ACPSM Gold standard level, using competencies defined by IFSPT, as well as developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours that could help you further your career within sport and exercise.

The course aims to develop your evaluative, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and to increase your practical and theoretical knowledge of sports science and injury, so that you can apply these skills in the further advancement of your career.

Full-time students undertake the taught modules in one academic year and then have up to a further six months to complete the dissertation.

Distinctive features

• We are ranked in the top 10 in the country for physiotherapy, and are well known for our expertise within the sports physiotherapy specialist area.
• Graduates of the MSc will have achieved the theoretical requirements of the Gold level Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine certificate.
• The course was designed with input from national organisations such as the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine (ACPSM) and international organisations such as the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT).
• The programme is delivered flexibly, enabling you to pursue a professional career in sport while studying part-time, or to take a career break and complete on a full-time basis.
• Course content focuses on the acquisition of high quality clinical reasoning skills and the development of innovative ideas.

Learning and assessment

How will I be taught?

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, group discussions and practical sessions. All content will be supported by online material through the Virtual Learning Environment, Learning Central to facilitate self-study, which is particularly useful for students living and working away from Cardiff. Self-study contributes to approximately 75% of the notional learning hours.

At the dissertation stage of the MSc, you are also required to undertake a research project involving data collection and some degree of originality.

How will I be supported?

The University offers a wide range of services and activities designed to support students. These include a student counselling service, a student advisory service, crèche and day facilities, sport and exercise facilities, as well as campus information, library and IT services.

This programme gives you the opportunity to share ideas with health professionals. As well as developing your own intellectual abilities, this sharing of ideas will enables you to learn and benefit from the experiences of others. Opportunity is given for this sort of discussion and exchange of ideas through seminars and tutorials.

All students are given a named personal tutor following registration onto the programme, who is able to assist with any pastoral care as well as advice on writing style, grammar and academic mentoring.

All modules within the programme make extensive use of Cardiff University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Learning Central, on which students will find course materials, links to related materials and assessment exemplars.

For students whose first language is not English there are open access English Language courses available. These are 5 week courses run on a first come first served basis and cost an administration fee of £25.

Career prospects

The course is designed to help you develop towards Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports & Exercise (ACPSM) Gold standard level, using competencies defined by International Federation of Sports Physiotherapists (IFSP).

The knowledge, skills and behaviours you will develop during your MSc will provide the ideal foundation on which to build your career in sports and exercise physiotherapy.

Nnaemeka ANOZIE (Chris) is from Nigeria. Following graduation, he is now the physiotherapist for the Nigerian National Football Team. He has travelled all over the world with this team and was in Rio Olympics 2016

"The team have put an MSc programme together that created an environment which gives an in-depth insight into sports physiotherapy, and so prepared me to fulfil my ambition to work in professional sport. The programme allowed supported learning supplemented by expert guest lecturers who shared their experience and knowledge. I learned how to recognise my personal areas of strengths and weakness in order to direct my own learning, a skill that has been invaluable in ensuring I continually learn and develop in the highly competitive environment of professional sport.

Coming to Cardiff and doing the MSc in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy was a great experience. My critical appraisal mind sharpened, clinical reasoning broadened and understanding deepened. I would encourage all to come to Cardiff University, the citadel of great learning."

Visit the Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy - MSc page on the Cardiff University website for more details!