MSc Sport and Exercise Physiotherapy
Cardiff, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 28,200 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for overseas | for home: £9,450
Key Summary
Introduction
Our Sport and Exercise Physiotherapy programme is designed in collaboration with the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports and Exercise Medicine (ACPSEM) and international organisations such as the International Federation of Sports Physiotherapists (IFSP).
Our established programme is suited to qualified physiotherapists, from across the UK and internationally working in a wide variety of sectors that involve managing people with sport or exercise-related injuries. A minimum of two years of physiotherapy clinical experience is required, whether this be experience in a high-performance sport level or in a physiotherapy clinic.
It gives you the chance to take your learning to the next level, enhancing your skills and knowledge in order to challenge and critically evaluate your own professional practice and the wider areas of sport physiotherapy such as service improvement and patient care. This will help inform the way you practice
safely and effectively and help you to inform sport and exercise physiotherapy healthcare in your country.
Our modules cover a wide range of sport and exercise physiotherapy competencies, as identified by the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy to include Sport and Exercise Participation, Inter-Disciplinary Management and Injury Prevention.
Your learning will be supported by experienced researchers and academics who are experts in their field. You can look forward to working with our highly experienced team who between them have worked within an impressive range of contexts, such as major multi-sport Games and professional sports at the international level. You will also be designated a personal tutor who will support you throughout your studies.
Your teaching can take place in our specially designed physiotherapy labs and simulation suites. Our School benefits from a range of equipment such as an anti-gravity treadmill and a motion capture centre which uses techniques to analyse human movement which could be used to support your learning.
In addition, you will be part of a wider physiotherapy cohort where you will benefit from learning alongside a globally diverse group who are studying at various points in their career. Sharing knowledge and gaining an understanding of sport and exercise physiotherapy practice across the world.
Above all else, we strive to make sure you are ready for the next step in your career. On completion, you will have achieved the theoretical requirements of the Gold Level Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports and Exercise Medicine and be working at a master’s level within your field and influencing healthcare in Wales and beyond.
Be part of something life-changing and take on a new challenge today.
Why Study this Course
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.
3rd in the UK
For physiotherapy, according to the Complete University Guide 2023.
Internationally Renowned Researchers
Professor Shea Palmer, Professor Nicola Phillips (OBE), and Professor Val Sparkes make up just some of our internationally renowned team who are leaders in their field.
Engage with External Partners
We work with a wide range of partners including service users, clinical partners, professional bodies and local and national industry.
English Language Support
We offer a free, bespoke in-sessional English language course to support healthcare international students (limited spaces available).
Playback Teaching Sessions
Where appropriate, all of our sessions are recorded and made available online for review and revisit.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
We are committed to investing up to a total of £500,000 in this high-value competitive scholarship scheme to support UK students who are planning to start an eligible Master’s programme in 2024/25.
Each Scholarship is worth £3,000 and will be awarded a tuition fee discount.
Eligibility
UK students are eligible to apply for the Scholarship. You normally need to have achieved at least a 2.1 or equivalent in your first degree to be eligible. You need to submit an application to study at Cardiff University and be made an offer to study before your fee status can be confirmed.
Curriculum
The MSc Sport and Exercise Physiotherapy programme is modular, with five core taught modules and a dissertation. The dissertation module (60 credits) then leads to an MSc (180 credits total).
Three modules are specific to Sports Physiotherapy and there is also 1 core generic research module. The modules are presented in block format, with students required to attend the University for two to three-day blocks during the year.
Year One
In year 1 you will complete 120 credits in the taught component of the programme
Core Modules for Year One
- Science of Performance and Injury in Sport
- Assessment and Treatment of Sports Injuries
- Sport and Exercise Participation, Inter-Disciplinary Management and Injury Prevention
- Research methods and data analysis in healthcare
Year Two
In Year 2 you will complete your Dissertation
- Empirical Dissertation
How will I be Assessed?
You will be assessed through a variety of written assignments and an oral presentation.
This enables you to demonstrate your ability to analyse and evaluate a situation but also to use a variety of ways to present your ideas and abilities. The dissertation is a culmination of the development of all these skills.
Program Outcome
What Skills Will I Practise and Develop?
Knowledge & Understanding of
Develop a holistic approach to the rehabilitation of an injured sportsperson or healthy active individual and be able to communicate with other health and sports-related professionals to promote awareness of management and prevention of injury.
Intellectual Skills
Evaluate practice and critically appraise advances or changes in professional practice.
Initiate change and lead in the management of change and the advancement of the profession in the sport and exercise environment through research.
Professional Practical Skills
Practise your profession using an analytical and problem-solving approach and show advanced skills in the management of injuries within sport and exercise
Transferable/Key Skills
Develop standards of practice based on reflective thinking and problem-solving.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Our course is designed to help you develop towards the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports & Exercise (ACPSM) Gold standard level, using competencies defined by the International Federation of Sports Physiotherapists (IFSPT).
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.
Program delivery
How Will I Be Taught?
You will be taught through a combination of:
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Group discussions
- 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 you if you’re 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.