Preparing for Research in Health
Postgraduate
MSc
Advanced Physiotherapy
School of Health and Society
Attendance
Full-time
Part-time
Course
One year
Three year
Next enrolment
September 2023
In a nutshell
International applicants: please check the international intakes page for the latest information and application dates.
This course is designed for qualified physiotherapists who are looking to further develop their skills and enhance their career.
The programme leader is Dr Nicky Spence: N.Spence@salford.ac.uk
The application window for 2023 entry is between 14th November – 20th January at 5pm. Please note that you may not hear about the outcome of your application until after the closing date for applications. If you submit your application after the closing date, we may not be able to consider your application.
You will:
- Focus on the development of evidenced based clinical assessment and management skills
- Study on a CSP accredited programme with learning outcomes aligned to HCPC registration
- Partake in individual and group based supervised research projects
International
students accepted
Course accreditations
This is for you if...
1.
You want to improve patient outcomes and experiences
2.
You want to enhance your current skills and knowledge to improve professional and workforce development
3.
You want to influence across professional and organisational boundaries, locally and nationally
All about the course
The programme is taught by an academically and clinically experienced staff team who are enthusiastic, supportive and approachable. Over the years we have had a diverse range of students join the programme from around the world, which enables discussions around different experiences and practice styles across the profession.
You will be taught in small groups how to locate, critically comment on, and disseminate a range of contemporary evidence. The programme uses a blend of lectures, tutorials, group discussions, practical and research supervision.
You will have the opportunity to be involved with staff research projects and may do individual or group based research depending on your particular area of interest or work; this will enhance your critical thinking, presentation and writing skills. The supervisors will challenge you and help to facilitate your progress. This journey may help you to continue to PhD studies or publication.
This course is available on a full time or part time study basis, depending on your preferred study route.
Full-time:
You'll study two modules in the first two semesters and attend the University on Wednesday and Thursday of each week.
Part-time:
You'll study one module per semester and attend the University for two days on alternate weeks.
MSc (one year full-time or three years part-time)
PgDip (nine months full-time or two years part-time)
PgCert (six months full-time or one year part-time
Year one
This module is led by the programme leader and runs in the first term. The module will aid you to develop your undergraduate research skills.
The module begins with a recap of level 5 and 6 undergraduate skills, and moves to develop your range of search strategies and a greater depth of understanding of the research process, governance, and ethics. The module, with the aid of your supervisor, will guide you to conduct and design a primary or secondary research project, individually or within a group to address a clinically relevant question.
This module will give you the skills to develop a detailed rationale of what is known around your theme, developing your range of critical appraisal skills, and understanding of research design an appropriate research question and methodology to address this.
The module is assessed by the production of a 5,000 word detailed extended protocol that is marked by your supervisor and then carried forward into data collection the following semester.
Neuromuscular Function and Dysfunction
An exercise and advanced functional examination module which includes motor control and skill acquisition.
Manual Therapy
In this module we will be developing your hands-on and critical thinking skills with reference to manual therapy techniques. You will develop your underpinning knowledge for how and why manual therapy techniques can be used for the management of musculoskeletal pathologies.
Teaching is delivered via a blended learning approach; including practical sessions, online lectures, group work, and problem based learning activities. The practical sessions will help you refine your skills using techniques such as joint mobilisations (Maitland) including grade 5 manipulations, Mulligan NAGS/SNAGS and MWM’s, Combined movements, as well as soft tissue treatments such as Myofascial Release, and Muscle Energy Techniques.
Throughout this program there is a strong emphasis on your critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills to underpin your clinical decision making.
The assessment for this module is a 30minute VIVA in which you will be presented with a case scenario where you then design and demonstrate your treatment plan, with supporting clinical reasoning and critique of relevant literature to support your treatment choices.
Staff teaching on this module are all lecturer-practitioners who work with the general public through to elite athletes, with current and real world experience to share.
Rehabilitation Strategies
This module will develop your critical thinking skills that reflect the current evidence base that underpins contemporary rehabilitation. Innovative sessions will be delivered by nationally and internationally renowned researchers in the areas of neuroscience, motor control and exercise. This is a practically based module that will facilitate your skills for autonomous and effective management of a range of neuro-musculoskeletal disorders, Assessment is by a poster/ conference presentation.
Research Project
This module is commenced once the students have secured 90 credits; that must include PRIH to allow them to progress to this dissertation phase.
This module sits in the third and final semester for full time students or the third and final year for part time students. The module aids the student in conducting their primary or secondary research and data collecting to assist in the development of their results section. The student completes two pieces of work with the aid of twenty hours supervision and formal teaching during the second and third semester in the form of a research week.
The second semester teaching focus on the transition from PRIH to RP, ethical issues, data collection issues and statistics support. The research work address results, discussion, and poster construction and report writing.
Assessment in this module is in the form of:
A 4,000 word article that we encourage the student to get published if of sufficient quality with the aid of their supervisor on the completion of the module;
and the production of a poster focusing on the clinical implication of their project that past students have presented at national conferences. This is examined by a thirty minute poster viva examination, where the student and supervisor discuss the work.
Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
The School of Health and Society
The School of Health and Society is a forward-thinking, dynamic school with a commitment to lifelong learning and real world impact.
We live in a rapidly changing world, and we’re keen to leave a productive legacy of helping people at all stages of their lives, improving their physical, psychological and social wellbeing.
FACILITIES
We have some of the best facilities in the UK, including our comfortable plinth rooms, Human Performance Laboratory and gait analysis rooms. Our purpose-built laboratory is probably the best in the country and contains almost every type of physiological and biomechanical equipment you can imagine including:
- 9 AMTI Force Plates, 5 of which are situated in a 40m running track
- ProReflex 10 Camera real-time motion analysis system which can be integrated with force plate data using Qualysis software. Primarily this is used for clinical studies on patients with gait problems. It can also be used by Sports Scientists to analyse athletes performance and technique. We also use a range of Digital Video and High-Speed Digital Video cameras along with Quintic software for the same purpose
- KinCom Isokinetic Dynamometer for muscle strength testing
- EMG (electromyography) system used to measures the electrical activity of muscles and to gather information about the muscular and nervous systems
- Esaote AU5 Ultrasound used to study skeletal muscles, tendons and ligaments
- Laveg Speed Gun which is used to determine the speed of sprints
Take a 360 tour of the facilities here.
We have a range of cycle and rowing ergometers, two treadmills, and two online gas analysis systems. There is also an off-line gas analysis system for use with Douglas Bags.
We can perform blood analysis with our Analox GM7 Multi-Assay Blood Analyser to measure blood lactate, glucose and a range of other blood substrates.
There is also the Reflotron which another multi-use system that can measure blood cholesterol and haemoglobin as well as portable blood glucose and lactate analysers.
Teacher Profiles
Joint programme leader and physiotherapy lecturer, private practitioner and senior Higher Education Academy fellow.
Clinical areas of research and publication interest are neurological rehabilitation, outcome measurement and quality of life.
Email: N.Spence@salford.ac.uk
Duncan Mason
Module Leader, physiotherapy lecturer, private physiotherapy practitioner and sports coach and trainer.
Interests and publications relating to biomechanics and kinematics of running and risk factors for commonly occurring lower limb injuries in runners.
Raymond Healy
Physiotherapy lecturer and private physiotherapy practitioner.
Interest and publications relating to biomechanics and the assessment and management of the shoulder.
What about after uni?
This course will boost your career prospects and broaden your skills portfolio. You’ll have the opportunity to choose modules and assignment topics of relevance to your interests and area of professional practice. Graduates of the MSc may also choose to pursue an academic or research-based career path.
You may also choose to pursue further study and research on our Professional Doctorate (Health and Social Care/Advanced Practitioner/Social Work).
Career Links
The Programme teams are linked with Health Authorities within the North West in their roles as visiting lecturers. Four of the Programme lecturers are physiotherapy practitioners.
What you need to know
The application window for 2023 entry is between 14th November – 20th January at 5pm. Please note that you may not hear about the outcome of your application until after the closing date for applications. If you submit your application after the closing date, we may not be able to consider your application.
APPLICANT PROFILE
This course is suitable for qualified physiotherapists who wish to further develop their skills. The modules within the course may also be relevant for health professionals including occupational therapists, podiatrists, chiropractors, sports therapists and strength and conditioning coaches.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
To gain a place on the MSc Advanced Physiotherapy, you’ll have to submit a personal statement and meet our entry requirements when you apply.
Within your personal statement (up to 500 words), we’ll want to understand:
• What motivates you and what undergraduate and post qualification clinical experience you have had.
• What are your clinical interests.
• What continuing professional development (CPD) courses you have attended post-graduation and how these have helped you.
• What are your future career goals.
• Why you have chosen to apply to the University of Salford and the MSc Advanced Physiotherapy programme.
You should also provide a CV and two references (at least one should be an academic reference) provided on letterhead paper, signed, and dated.
As English qualifications are an essential entry criteria for the programme, special attention should be paid to your writing style and expression in the statement, avoiding grammatical and spelling errors.
You can read our full personal statement guidance here:
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
If you are an international student and not from a majority English speaking country, you will need IELTS 6.0 with no element below 5.5. We also accept a range of other English language qualifications. If you do not have the English language requirements, you could take our Pre-Sessional English course.
Students will be permitted to register for stand-alone modules as CPD. In this case, students may gain entry with an appropriate healthcare BSc (Hons) degree or a Graduate Diploma in physiotherapy under university APEL regulations.
Standard entry requirements
Undergraduate degree
- A BSc (Hons) degree in Physiotherapy
- Graduate Diploma in physiotherapy under university APEL regulations.
Prospective students would normally be expected to achieve a 2.1 Honours degree, but consideration would be given to students with a 2.2 Honours degree with appropriate experience and satisfactory references. Students who do not have a physiotherapy qualification can also take the programme and attain the MSc qualification but a differently titled MSc.
International Students
We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.
Alternative entry requirements
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
We welcome applications from students who may not have formal/traditional entry criteria but who have relevant experience or the ability to pursue the course successfully.
The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.
Two forms of APL may be used for entry: the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
International students (full-time route only)
We welcome applications from international students and the University offers a wide-ranging support network for those who want to come to Salford to study. Relevant qualifications will be considered.
How much?
| Type of study | Year | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time home | 2023/24 | £8,550per year |
| Full-time international | 2023/24 | £15,750per year |
Additional costs
You should consider additional costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.
Scholarships for international students
If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships.
We have a range of scholarships available for students applying for courses in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Our Global Gold Excellence Scholarship is worth £3,500 and our Global Silver Excellence Scholarship is worth £3,000 - both are available for students studying in our 2021/22 intakes.
See the full range of our International Scholarships.