Physiotherapy

Studying physiotherapy at Cardiff means you will be studying at one of the top 3 physiotherapy courses in the UK as ranked by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019.

Our physiotherapy programme will result in you being eligible to apply to the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) for registration which means you will be licenced to practice as a qualified physiotherapist after graduating.

Physiotherapy is an exciting and ever-evolving professional career concerned with supporting individuals to live fulfilling and active lives. A career in physiotherapy opens up opportunities for you to work closely with public health organisations, exploring innovative ideas around health promotion.

Physiotherapy offers you the chance to work in stimulating, sociable and supportive environments working closely with other professions as part of multi-disciplinary teams, patients and their families.

Our hands-on course offers you the chance to study through both academic and placement learning. Meaning you get to take what you’ve learnt in theory and put it into real practice when you’re out on placement.

You will study areas such as movement and exercise, manual therapies, electrotherapies, education and advice, and behavioural and psychological therapies. Your academic learning will be supported by researchers and academics. You will have a designated personal tutor to support your learning throughout your studies with us. Practical teaching takes place in specially designed labs and simulation suites.

Your placement learning takes place across Wales and takes up about one third of the course. Placements are an essential part of the course and they will give you the confidence and skills to practice physiotherapy professionally in real-life situations with qualified professionals supervising and supporting you. Placement learning also helps you gain insight as to the wide-ranging employment opportunities available to you upon qualification.

We constantly try to make sure you have plenty of opportunity to take part in extra-curricular activities such as physiotherapy-related support with the annual Cardiff Half Marathon. Above all else, we strive to ensure that our graduates are ready for the next step in their career. That’s why 97% of our physiotherapy students are in employment or further study after 6 months of graduating (UNISTATS 2018).

Distinctive Features

Here are some of the reasons why we think our programme will make you the best physiotherapist you can be:

Our programme is validated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP).

For Home/EU students you have the option to choose a fully funded place on the programme or receive a full NHS bursary for Tuition fees providing you agree to work in Wales for two years after qualifying.

Throughout the 3 years there is opportunity for you to undertake a global learning experience, either within the UK or overseas.

You’ll be studying at a Russell Group University which supports a strong research profile. Our programme is one of the few physiotherapy courses where you complete a full dissertation project opening up careers in research.

We have well-equipped skills laboratories which enable you to learn in simulations relating to your profession. Lifelike simulations mean you can safely practice and develop essential skills, developing your confidence and expertise before going out into placement.

Placement learning across Wales is an essential part of the programme and with unrivalled access to clinical settings throughout Wales means we can offer you a range of practice-based learning opportunities to ensure your experience is competitive in the UK employment market.

There are opportunities to participate in professional body activities, such as becoming a Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Student Representative, and to take part in ‘Community Engagement’ projects.