Physiotherapy BSc (Hons) with Foundation Year

What makes Physiotherapy with Foundation Year at Worcester special?

This four-year programme will equip you with the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to start your journey towards a successful Physiotherapy career.

As a successful graduate you will be able to register with the Health & Care Professions Council to practice as a Registered Physiotherapist across a range of health and care settings.

The course has been carefully designed to equip you with the necessary skills, abilities and knowledge to thrive in the health and social care service arena and make a positive change for good. It will develop transferable skills that will underpin your academic success and maximise your employability within a variety of settings including the NHS, private, voluntary and community sectors; as caring professionals and in areas such as research and development, human resources, leadership and management.

You will be taught alongside other Foundation Year students with an interest in other Allied Health specialisms such as Occupational Therapy, Paramedic Science, Nursing, Radiography and Dietetics for the first year of the course before joining the other Physiotherapy BSc students for the remaining three years.

Subject to approval

Overview

Key features

Excellent facilities - our own on-site educational facility, and clinical suites equipped with extensive simulation equipment
On site Student-Led Clinic in physiotherapy and Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine
A supportive teaching team with expertise in Personal Academic Tutorship
Strong emphasis on inter-professional learning and teaching, with healthcare professional staff
Strong practice links ensure the course embraces contemporary practice
The course offers an innovative approach to learning that includes; lectures from academics who are Internationally recognised; supportive small-group learning; internationally renowned e-learning resources

Years 2, 3 and 4 of this course is validated by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Successful completion of the course gives you eligibility to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff points

Academic entry requirements

32 UCAS tariff points

You should be at least 18 years old and normally have GCSE English and Maths at grade c/4 or above, and 1 A Level (or equivalent Level 3 qualification).

However, all applicants will be judged on their individual merits and we may take other skills, qualifications and life experience into account. We welcome mature students without the usual formal qualifications and will consider your application based on your suitability and preparedness to complete the Foundation Year.

The BSc Physiotherapy with Foundation Year course is aimed at individuals who may have few or no relevant formal qualifications but who can demonstrate a clear commitment to pursuing a career in Physiotherapy. Personal, professional and educational experiences will be considered to determine motivation and ability to progress onto the degree course.

Applicants are particularly encouraged from:

Low participation neighbourhoods
People from ethnic minority backgrounds
First in family to study Higher Education
Care leavers.

Starting with a year's foundation is a way to build your knowledge of health topics, science and research, so that you can then progress onto the degree programme and take your career forward.

All applicants are required to complete:

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check*
Occupational Health Checks*

*All information will be treated in confidence and only taken into account when absolutely necessary.

If you meet the subject requirements for Physiotherapy BSc without foundation year we are unable to consider you for the course with Foundation Year.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English and who are required to provide a language test certificate as evidence of their proficiency must ensure that it is, or is comparable to, IELTS level 7.0 with no element below 6.5. (HCPC 2017)

Additional information

No offers will be made without Interview. Meeting the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee an interview, or a place on the course. For full details please see the UCAS website.

All offers are subject to satisfactory Health Clearance and Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

Students will also be required to sign a Code of Conduct and Fitness to Practice disclosure on commencement of the course.

The University strongly recommends that all students join the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) from the second year of this course. Joining this professional body will enable you to access a wide range of academic material that will enhance your learning. Additional benefits include clinical negligence insurance that may be necessary for practice learning in some non-NHS practice placements. Not becoming a member may affect your opportunities to experience the widest range of placements.

Course content

Year 1 (foundation year)	Mandatory Essential skills for learning in healthcare Science for healthcare Health and wellbeing in today’s society Becoming a healthcare professional
Year 2	Mandatory Structure and Function of the Human Body Principles of Physiotherapy 1 Principles of Rehabilitation Foundations for Professional Practice Health and Wellbeing Introducing the Evidence
Year 3	Mandatory Principles of Physiotherapy Practice 2 Acute Management and Rehabilitation Integrated Community Physiotherapy Practice Teamwork for Professional practice Research Methods: Developing the Evidence
Year 4	Mandatory Challenging Pathologies and Complex Needs Contemporary and Developing Physiotherapy Practice Generating the Evidence (Dissertation) Leadership Throughout Professional Practice Enhancing Employability

Teaching and assessment

The University places emphasis on enabling students to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. A mixture of independent study, teaching and academic support through the personal academic tutoring system enables you to reflect on progress and build up a profile of skills, achievements and experiences that will enable you to flourish and be successful.

Teaching

You will be taught through a combination of interactive workshops, lectures, seminars and e-learning. Throughout the Course, you benefit from an integration of both innovative and traditional teaching methods. Large group lectures and cutting-edge research seminars delivered by academics as well as external speakers will complement your studies. Lectures may contain students from a variety of different courses for which the lecture content is also relevant.

A variety of stimulating, cutting-edge resources are also available to support your learning. Your learning will be supported by the University’s virtual learning environment. You will have individual access to electronic journals, content-rich study guides, and interactive online learning materials covering various science disciplines, formative online assessments and group discussion forums.

In tutor-led seminar groups of 8-12 students you will investigate key concepts and systems that includes case studies. These small group sessions will also develop your critical thinking, problem design and solving, teamwork, presentation and lifelong learning skills which are essential for your career development.

In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are scheduled on at least four occasions in the first year and three occasions in each of the other years of a course. Throughout your degree you will have the opportunity to apply your developing knowledge and build on the depth of your understanding.

Contact time

A typical week in year 1 (level 3) is likely to be a minimum of 12 hours per week. Typically contact time will be structured around:

2 hours of interactive workshops
2 hours of (large group) lectures
6 hours of seminars in groups of around 12 students
2 hours of personal development.

In a typical week at levels 4 and 5 (years 2 and 3) students will have 13-19 contact hours of teaching per week. In level 6 students will normally have slightly less contact time (10 hours) to facilitate independent study. On average, 90% of teaching will be campus-based face to face teaching with 10% blended online learning.

Typically, class contact time each week is structured around a 1-hour lecture and a two-hour practical, or a 2-hour lecture/seminar.

Students will undertake placement hours at levels 4, 5 and 6. Full-time practice learning placements equate to 37.5 hours for practice learning in each week of the 6-week placement block. All of these learning hours will be formally recorded and signed by an authorised signatory.

Independent self-study

In addition to the contact time, you are expected to undertake around 25 hours of personal self-study per week. Typically, this will involve completing online activities, reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library and online, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations.

Independent learning is supported by a range of excellent learning facilities, including The Hive and library resources, the virtual learning environment, and extensive electronic learning resources.

Duration

The Course is full time and will be delivered over 4 years. There is a placement requirement in Years 2, 3 and 4 but no placement in year 1.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. The team includes senior academics, professional practitioners and work-based learning tutors all with industry experience.

Teaching is informed by the research and consultancy, and (as at March 2019) 100% per cent of counselling lecturers have a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy. You can learn more about the staff by visiting our staff profiles Staff Profiles.

Assessment

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments.

Each module has one or more formal or ‘summative’ assessments which are graded and count towards the overall module grade. Assessment methods include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, presentations.

The precise assessment requirements for an individual student in an academic year will vary according to the mandatory and optional modules taken, but a typical formal summative assessment pattern for each year of the course is:

The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of practice or ‘formative’ assignments.

Year 1 (Foundation Year)

1 learning development plan
2 essays
1 reflective portfolio
1 presentation
1 seen exam

See the Physiotherapy BSc course page for details of the assessment pattern in the remaining three years of the course.

Feedback

You will receive feedback on practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback on examination performance is available upon request from the module leader. Feedback is intended to support learning and you are encouraged to discuss it with personal academic tutors and module tutors as appropriate.

We aim to provide you with feedback on formal course work assessments within 20 working days of hand-in.

Meet The Team

Rachel Kyte

Rachel qualified as a Physiotherapist at Keele University in 2000. She worked as a rotational Physiotherapist in Nottingham before travelling overseas and working in New Zealand. Rachel continued her clinical career in a variety of settings including NHS, private practice, and industrial and occupational health, before obtaining a band 7 community musculoskeletal role in Birmingham.

Rachel completed a master’s degree in acupuncture and discovered a passion for teaching, becoming an accredited tutor for the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) and training clinicians in acupuncture for pain management. Rachel joined the University of Worcester teaching team in 2013 when the Physiotherapy course started and has enjoyed taking the leap into academia, supporting students throughout their degree. In addition to teaching, Rachel is the School Learning and Teaching Co-ordinator.

When she is not working, Rachel enjoys rowing and walking on the Malvern hills.

Qualifications

PG Cert in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2015)

MSc Acupuncture (2009)

BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy (2000)

Dr Helen Frank

I am the Deputy Head for the School of Allied Health and Community and I am also a Principal Lecturer in Physiotherapy. I work within a team of dedicated, motivated and excellent academic and support staff who deliver outstanding courses in health professions at undergraduate and post-graduate level.

I am a Physiotherapist, and was an international swimmer, and competed in the Olympics in 1988.

Gordon Smith

Gordon Smith joined the University of Worcester in June 2013 to take up his first undergraduate lecturing post. Gordon has over 30 years experience as a clinical physiotherapist. He has worked in a variety of locations including the USA and New Zealand. He has been a Physiotherapy Team Leader, working in the NHS in Worcestershire for over 20 years. Gordon has been actively involved in promoting a 5:1 placement model in the MSK OP clinic where he is based at Evesham Community hospital. Gordon has previously been a Fellow of the Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine which involved post graduate lecturing to physiotherapists and doctors.

Katharine Wood

Katharine joined the University of Worcester in 2013 to take up her first undergraduate lecturing post. She has worked predominately in the NHS but has left to establish a charity that specialises in the rehabilitation of neurological conditions. Alongside lecturing she also works part-time as a clinician treating a range of individuals with neurological diagnoses. Kat leads the student led clinic at the McClelland Centre on City Campus.

Sam Targett

Sam is the Course Leader for the BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy programme and Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy. Sam has been a Chartered Physiotherapist since 2007 and her clinical background is focused on people with Cardiorespiratory conditions. Sam has worked in a range of secondary care settings in the UK specialising in Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy for Adults and Children, including the UK's largest Cardiothoracic specialist centre. Prior to her role at Worcester, Sam was part of the teaching team on the MSc Physiotherapy (pre-registration) programme at the University of Lincoln. She also has experience of supporting and managing students in clinical practice for several Allied Health professions, having been clinical practice and placement lead for a large NHS trust. Sam loves working with and supporting AHP students both academically and in practice and feels privileged to be part of such an innovative and supportive team here at Worcester.

Dale Turner

Dale Turner joined the University of Worcester as a Lecturer in Physiotherapy in 2022. He qualified as a Physiotherapist in 2018 and has worked in a range of roles including Private Practice, Sport, and Occupational Health.

Dale has worked with a range of service users including Paediatric patients, athletes, and elderly patients.

He is specialised in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy (MSK) and is currently undertaking his MSc in MSK Physiotherapy.

Anna Billingham

Anna qualified as a Physiotherapist from The University of Manchester in 2005. She has predominantly worked in clinical practice in the NHS, in both inpatient and community settings. Anna is particularly interested in neurorehabilitation and the management of long-term conditions. More recently she has worked in elderly care supporting care homes to enable their residents to have a meaningful quality of life. Anna has been involved in several service development and service re-design projects. This has developed her interest in teamwork, change management and leadership, and she feels strongly about these principles being encouraged from the beginning of a healthcare professionals' career.

Anna has always enjoyed being a clinical educator for students out on placement. This has led her to make the move across to a teaching role at the University of Worcester and she feels excited to join the team in developing and inspiring the next generation of physiotherapists.

Gavin Hayden

I am a qualified Sport Scientist & Physiotherapist. After completing my degree in Sport Science at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, I spent a year working as a Physiotherapy Assistant before deciding to undertake a Master’s degree in Physiotherapy at Glasgow Caledonian University. I worked for 8 years in Glasgow Royal Infirmary gaining a diverse range of experiences of Physiotherapy in a variety of clinical areas.

After relocating to the West Midlands, I worked for 3 years in a Community Hospital in Shropshire as the Lead Inpatient Physiotherapist before deciding to embark on a long held ambition to teach in Higher Education. I worked as a Lecturer / Practitioner in Skills & Simulation on the Undergraduate Nursing Degree Programme for nearly 3 years, before successfully gaining my current post in Physiotherapy in 2019.

Professor Derek M Peters

Professor joined the University of Worcester in 2001 as a Lecturer in PE & Sports Studies, having previously completed a PhD in ‘Body fatness and fat distribution during the early years of maturation’ at the University of Exeter in 1995, and having then worked for six years as an Exercise Physiologist in the Public Sector.

In his 15 years in the School of Sport & Exercise Science Professor Peters has published research across nearly all academic disciplines associated with sport & exercise science and taught research methods modules and training on nearly all of the courses offered within the Institute at HND, Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate levels.

Catherine Barrett

Catherine qualified as a physiotherapist in 1998 from the University of Manchester. She completed an MSc in Neurological Physiotherapy in 2006 at University College London and a PGCE in 2009 whilst working as a physiotherapy lecturer at Bournemouth University. Catherine has worked as a specialist neurological physiotherapist across a range of settings including inpatient stroke rehab and community neurological rehabilitation as well as a research physiotherapist at the National Clinical FES Centre.

Careers

Physiotherapists are employed in a wide range of organisations and specialities. Many work for the National Health Service and Social Care organisations but there is a growing number of opportunities in the private sector as well as the Independent sector. Physiotherapists work with people of all ages from childhood through to the end of life and support people with physical or mental health needs, learning disabilities and those whose opportunities are restricted by circumstance.

Practical interview and self-development skills are taught and practiced, and students have opportunities to meet with local employers to develop an understanding of what makes a successful candidate for a specific job role. Opportunities are provided for students to explore the employment possibilities of the NHS, Social Care, Private Sector and Voluntary Organisations. In addition, the course acts to support the development of key transferable skills required by different settings, enabling students to apply for such jobs within the voluntary sector, private sector, public sector or NHS.

Ecem

Having the opportunity to study Physiotherapy at The University of Worcester has helped me gain skills to develop both in my career and as an individual, especially through the courses emphasis on leadership.

The inter-professional environment of learning has provided me with invaluable teamwork experience which I have been able to carry over to my work. To make the experience even better, we were given a wonderful opportunity to complete our final placement in Vietnam, which allowed me to enhance my communication and life skills on top of working in a completely new and unconventional setting out of my comfort zone.

I have been able to use all these skills in my current role working for Kings College Hospital NHS foundation trust. Throughout the variety of other rotations I have worked in, my role always involves promoting independence and improving the quality of life of our service users, as well as developing the service itself.

Carl Biles

Carl has achieved a First Class Honours in BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy

“I was extremely grateful for the University’s efforts in diagnosing my dyslexia and providing me with the relevant equipment, without which I would not have succeeded on the course.” said Carl.

It has been a busy year for Carl, besides finishing his degree in the midst of a global pandemic and launching himself on to the NHS front line, he has taken up the opportunity to return to the University of Worcester to deliver lectures for final year students on trauma and orthopaedics, as well as welcoming his first child in to the world.

“I want to progress my career as a physiotherapist,” he said, “but I would also like to get involved more in the training of the next generation of physios, as well as doing more lecturing at the University, and of course, one of my main priorities for the future is to enjoy raising our baby.”

Daniel

The physiotherapy course brought out the best in me, allowing me to think critically and constantly learn whilst in University and practice placements. However, the best part about this course was the staff, who supported me through the process unbelievably through their own passion for physiotherapy.

I am currently working in adult mental health services and providing physiotherapy for people with severe and enduring mental illness in both inpatient and community settings.

Constance

The physiotherapy course at the University of Worcester has been a tremendous aspect of my life journey. It didn’t just improve my academic excellence, it played a great part in shaping who I am today. The open door policy promoted support from the amazing lecturers with feedback on strengths as well as areas to improve on.

This course and the brilliant team ensured I was prepared for life beyond the university walls by providing inter-professional learnings, valuable experiences from placements in various settings, enhancing my leadership and employability skills. It advanced my clinical reasoning skills, which I utilise in my workplace to provide holistic treatments adapted to suit individual and group exercise classes.

By incorporating all I’ve learnt from this course, I am able to take positive risks in my role in optimising people's rehab potential as well as injury prevention.

Ella Cottle

“I chose Worcester because of how comfortable I felt during my interview and how I felt really at home,” she said. “One of my interviewers was so lovely and kind, I distinctly remember coming away knowing I wanted to come to Worcester. Worcester never felt like an intimidating, big city university, something that appealed to me.”

“I really enjoyed my time at Worcester and felt incredibly supported throughout my studies. I think the support I had from my tutor, lecturers and friends is the reason I am enjoying work, feeling confident and falling back on all the learning we did.”

Costs

Fees and funding

Full-time tuition fees	UK and EU students The standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £9,250 per year. For more details, please visit our course fees page.	International students The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £16,200 per year. For more details, please visit our course fees page.
Funding for Physiotherapy students	The Government has announced that, from September 2020, students on Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Paramedic Science courses will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year, which they will not need to pay back. This payment is not available on the Foundation Year element of this course (year 1). Find out more about this payment.
Additional costs	Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing and photocopying. The amounts vary between courses. As part of the course you will need to travel to placements and will therefore need to pay any associated costs. You may be able to reclaim these travel expenses depending on your individual circumstances. We pay for a clinical uniform for you but will need a practical kit for physiotherapy sessions such as shorts, jogging bottoms and polo shirts. There is the option to buy a University practical kit. You are strongly encouraged to become student members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, which costs £42 per year. Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are required at a one-off cost of £58
Accommodation	Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study. We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Chestnut Halls' at £131 per week to 'Oak Halls' at £221 per week (2024/25 prices). For full details visit our accommodation page.

Full-time tuition fees

UK and EU students

The standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £9,250 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £16,200 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Funding for Physiotherapy students

The Government has announced that, from September 2020, students on Nursing, Midwifery, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Paramedic Science courses will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year, which they will not need to pay back.

This payment is not available on the Foundation Year element of this course (year 1).

Find out more about this payment.

Additional costs

Every course has day-to-day costs for basic books, stationery, printing and photocopying. The amounts vary between courses.

As part of the course you will need to travel to placements and will therefore need to pay any associated costs. You may be able to reclaim these travel expenses depending on your individual circumstances.

We pay for a clinical uniform for you but will need a practical kit for physiotherapy sessions such as shorts, jogging bottoms and polo shirts. There is the option to buy a University practical kit.

You are strongly encouraged to become student members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, which costs £42 per year.

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are required at a one-off cost of £58

Accommodation

Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study.

We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Chestnut Halls' at £131 per week to 'Oak Halls' at £221 per week (2024/25 prices).

For full details visit our accommodation page.

How to apply

Applying through UCAS

Physiotherapy BSc with Foundation Year - B165

UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for entry onto full-time undergraduate courses in Higher Education in the UK.

Read our How to apply pages for more information on applying and to find out what happens to your application.

UCAS Code

B165

Apply Via UCAS

Get in touch

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

Admissions office

admissions@worc.ac.uk

01905 855111

Liz Davies-Ward

e.davies-ward@worc.ac.uk

01905 542279