Undergraduate areas of study - Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is concerned with the prevention, treatment and ongoing management of injury and disease. Physiotherapists manage the health of people across the lifespan – from the very young to the very old. Physiotherapy studies include, but are not restricted to, aspects of sports physiotherapy, post-surgical care, trauma and emergency care and the management of strokes and neurological disorders in adults and children.

The Bachelor of Physiotherapy is a full-time, four-year course based at the Peninsula campus. During the early years of the course, fundamental biomedical and behavioural sciences are introduced alongside the foundations of physiotherapy practice and research in the context of a case based approach to learning. An additional feature of the course is inter-professional education, where students learn from and about other health disciplines to assist the knowledge and development of professional roles and team work in the clinical setting. During years 3 and 4 of the degree, the emphasis moves to a clinical focus and learning is undertaken primarily in the clinical environment where students gain knowledge and practical experience in the delivery of physiotherapy as a member of the multidisciplinary health care team.

Clinical education is undertaken in a range of clinical settings, with clinical challenges increasing from year 3 to 4. Students complete 37 weeks of full-time clinical education throughout the course. Paediatric and elective units form part of year 4. All students undertake a component of clinical education in a rural location. An honours stream is also available.

The Bachelor of Physiotherapy is accredited by the Australian Physiotherapy Council and upon completion students are eligible to register to practice throughout Australia.