BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy
NHS Learning Support Fund
- Training grants of at least £5,000 a year are available for eligible healthcare students which you will not have to pay back.
- You may also be eligible for an additional £2,000 towards childcare costs to help balance your studies with family life and £3,000 for students who find themselves in unforeseen financial hardship.
Key information
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Typical offer:
Entry requirements -
Fees: See below
Full details -
UCAS code: B160
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Institute code: H36
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Work placement option
Find out more
"Physiotherapy is a very diverse profession where students can follow many different career paths. The course at the University of Hertfordshire is designed to allow students to follow a range of careers in multiple areas; including across specialities ranging from respiratory, neurological rehabilitation and sports medicine. The skills I gained from the University have allowed me to move to the United Arab Emirates where I work clinically for an international healthcare provider."
Check out our student blogs
Student Blogs
Jasmine - Week at a glance
My week at a glance
Hi and welcome to ‘My week at a glance’ studying Physiotherapy at the University of Hertfordshire!
So my ‘week at a glance’ has changed throughout all three years of Physiotherapy and also changes throughout the semester as when you are on placement your week is very different to when in lectures.
At the beginning of each week, I find it best to plan and organise my week to ensure I manage to get all of my work done but also have a work/life balance. Before practicals or lectures, there is usually prep work to be done which may be reading certain journal articles/ pages in books or watching videos. I try to do Monday's prep work on a Sunday evening, Tuesdays on a Monday evening and so on which means I can stay a day ahead throughout the week. This is also important for me as I really like my weekends to be free so I can relax, visit my family back home or see friends. I find printing off the lecture slides and reading them prior to the session can be helpful so you are aware of what content will be covered and can ask any questions you may have. They also become a particularly good revision resource.
Once completing the prep work, I then attend all my lectures, practicals and tutorials that I may have for my different modules. Lectures are completed with all Physiotherapy students within your year group while practical and tutorials are broken down into much smaller groups, usually about 10-15 people. A typical day may vary from 09:00-15:00 or may be 09:00-19:00, however on a Wednesday, lessons never run past 13:00 as it is sports afternoon. If you are into your sport this is great as you will most probably have matches/games but if you are not into sport this is a great afternoon to either catch up on any work or socialise with friends! The long days mean that time management is crucial!
Prior to assessments, I usually increase the amount of time that I spend completing University work and revising and I do start to complete University work and revision over the weekends. I like to make revision cards a few weeks before the assessments so that the week prior I can simply look over them and revise.
As I mentioned before, my week at a glance when out on placement is vastly different. The weekend before starting placement I will complete all the necessary paperwork and any pre-reading and work that the placement requires. If I have to stay away from Uni/ home for the placement as it is far away then I will pack everything up on Saturday and move into my new accommodation on Sunday to ensure I am ready to start on Monday. I find that placements can be tiring therefore during weekdays by the time I have completed placement, got home, completed any work required for the following day and had dinner…. I am so tired and need to go to bed. This means that any extra work I have such as extra reading, researching or University assignments usually get done on a weekend, however, I try to get these done as early as possible which then means I can focus on my placement only.
My time is also spent taking part in extra-curricular activities building up my CPD (Continued Professional Development) portfolio and CV (Curriculum Vitae). Activities to get involved in include: teaching anatomy sessions for younger years, the Superhero series, visiting the anatomy lab and listening to guest speakers, just to name a few.
Most evenings my time is split and spent both completing Uni work and playing a sport which, I find it a great stress relief and is also great for socialising. Aside from University work, I also have a few part-time jobs which allow me to earn some money but also build up some experience and skills. I usually work on Wednesday afternoons as a student ambassador for the University, two evenings a week umpiring netball matches and then one weekend a month as a sports massage therapist. This may seem a lot, but they are jobs I LOVE therefore it doesn’t feel like work for me!
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and I wish you the best of luck!
Student Blogs
Jasmine - Things you should know
Things you need to know before studying Physiotherapy at Herts
Hello! My name is Jasmine and here’s my guide to what I think you should know before studying Physiotherapy at Herts!
Do your research and gain work experience
Many people have the belief that Physiotherapy is all about sports or massaging which is not the case. It is important that before applying for Physiotherapy you have researched what is included within the course, have some knowledge around the main components (Cardiorespiratory, Neuromusculoskeletal and Neuroscience) and know what you are getting yourself into! Gaining work experience is not only a requirement before applying for Physiotherapy but this will also give you an insight into what you may be doing once completing your degree and whether it is for you or not. (TOP TIP: Ensure you have had some work experience within the NHS, whether it be working as a rehabilitation assistant or as a work experience student).
Hard work and perseverance
As many of you may have already been told, physiotherapy is HARD WORK!! It is NOT a course for those who do not want to put in the work as it can be very stressful, time-consuming and at times can be emotionally draining BUT it is extremely rewarding when you see patients progress, achieve goals or get better which makes it all worthwhile. There is also LOTS of support along the way and always someone to speak to. At Herts, the Physiotherapy team have an ‘open door’ policy which means that if a lecturer’s door is open you can always knock and ask questions or ask for help which is great!
Assessments
When studying Physiotherapy, you need both the knowledge but also the hands-on skills therefore there are so many ways in which you are assessed over the three years. Different assessments include assignments, practice placements, OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examinations), written exams and presentations. This is great if there is a specific assessment type that you do not enjoy as you will be assessed on a variety however I would say if you do not like speaking in front of people then get some practice in before starting Physiotherapy as this is a skill you will definitely require throughout both your degree and career!
Work/Life balance
A work/ life balance is SO important. It is so easy to get carried away with work as there is so much content to learn throughout all three years therefore time management is crucial. Make sure you are available for friends, family, and hobbies. As mentioned before, Physiotherapy CAN be incredibly stressful therefore find something that you can use to de-stress and completely take your mind off things. For me this was sport; I made sure a few nights a week I took part in sporting activities with friends! (TOP TIP: Start learning and reading around different topics or anatomy the summer before starting university to give yourself a head start… you will be very grateful for it!!)
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and I wish you the best of luck!
Student Blogs
Jasmine - Why I chose Herts
Why I chose Herts
Hello! My name is Jasmine and I have just finished my third and final year at the University of Hertfordshire studying Physiotherapy. I want to give you an insight into the reasons I decided to study at Herts.
When moving away from home, it was important for me to get the right balance between being far enough away from home that I still managed to get the ‘uni experience’ yet not too far from home to allow me to pop home for a weekend. Being from Essex, Herts is about an hour from me therefore this was the perfect distance to achieve this.
Being a campus University, there is everything you need including a bank, bar, club, doctor's surgery, pharmacy, shops, restaurants just to name a few. This really appealed to me as I didn’t know the area prior to starting university but I knew I would have all necessities on campus.
The accommodation was another factor that really influenced me to choose Herts. Compared to other accommodation I visited from different Universities the accommodation was so clean, spacious, and big which I loved. There were so many different options to choose from which was great so I decided to choose a townhouse with 12 people in my first year which then allowed me to meet 11 people immediately as I did not know anyone before starting.
Physiotherapy at Herts won me over massively in comparison to other universities for many reasons. Herts offer two placements within the first year of studying and as a person who learns when ‘doing,’ this was a massive bonus for me. Not only do you get exposure to patients, different health care professionals and different physiotherapy settings but the first year has to be a pass to proceed and does not count towards your final grade, therefore, this gives you an opportunity to find your feet and treat a variety of conditions before being marked.
Another massive attraction to Herts for me was the Physiotherapy facilities that were available. The SIM centre is used throughout all three years of the course and allows exposure to real-life scenarios but without the pressure due to dummies being used. The labs are fully kitted out with machines and equipment and they are always available to practice on when lectures and practicals are not being undertaken which was a big positive for me.
Throughout my schooling life, I have always taken every opportunity to undertake extra qualifications or extracurricular activities to build on my skills therefore this was something I wanted to continue throughout University. At Herts there is the opportunity to undertake many other activities such as a sports massage course, REPS gym instructor course, visiting the anatomy lab and massaging at the London Marathon, just to name a few.
I hope this has given you an insight into why I chose Herts to study at! Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and I wish you the best of luck!
Alumni Stories
Ramatu Nguru
Meet Ramutu Nguru who has excelled as a Registered Nutritionist since graduating in 2016. She currently works as a School Food Nutritionist for Herts Catering Limited (HCL).
Read more storiesCurrent job role | School Food Nutritionist |
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Year of graduation | 2016 |
Course of study | BSc (Hons) Nutrition |
Essential skills for the future
Ramatu graduated having studied Nutrition and has now entered her chosen career as a Registered Nutritionist (RNutr) with the Association for Nutrition (AfN). She currently works as a School Food Nutritionist for Herts Catering Limited (HCL). Her course enabled Ramatu to achieve her career aspirations, providing invaluable experience which included work shadowing, volunteering and practical work placement opportunities alongside various registered nutritionists and dieticians.
Ramatu says, 'Many employers advertise for nutritionists who are already registered with the UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN). In order to register, you would need to be able to demonstrate that you meet the underpinning knowledge and professional skills required.' Studying a BSc (Hons) in Nutrition or related bioscience degree provides students with an abundance of practicable and transferable experience which will enable you to make crucial inroads into the profession.'
Experience is crucial
Experience is crucial and Ramatu attests that it is even more beneficial than good grades. She advises students to seek out as much opportunity as possible to gain professional experience and says, 'My priority is to continually develop professionally as a Registered Nutritionist as there is always room to improve my own practice and service delivery.' The University provides fantastic opportunities for students through work placements, study abroad schemes as well as the fantastic industry led practical elements embedded into the courses themselves.
Alumni Stories
Khan Asghar Iqbal
Meet Khan Asghar Iqbal who is saving lives everyday as a Newly Qualified Paramedic (NQP). He is currently working for the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust.
Read more storiesCurrent job role | Newly Qualified Paramedic |
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Year of graduation | 2018 |
Course of study | BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science |
A unique degree and experience
Khan says his ambition to work in London and move out of his hometown in Cardiff was a key factor in choosing to study at the University of Hertfordshire. However, his course also provided a unique combination of theoretical and practical study which Khan says, 'prepared me to put my knowledge into practice while out on placement each term. The course also gave me a glimpse of future opportunities for paramedics such as teaching, management and advanced practice.'
The vocational nature of the degree enabled him to transition smoothly into his chosen career providing him with the essential professional skills and hands on experience he required to excel as a paramedic. He says, 'The course gives you the knowledge to make lifesaving decisions but also gives you more advanced knowledge regarding complicated conditions and the various medicines that come with each patient.'
Khan speaks fondly of his time at the University and says, 'I truly miss everyone I became friends with on my degree. Some of the nights out in the Forum were the best I've ever had and they will be everlasting memories, with friends both on and off of my course. I really came out of my shell and comfort zone and it has made me into the confident and outgoing person I am today.'
Get your dream job
Khan says that being a paramedic is the 'best job in the World' and, although he has just started his career, he hopes to go onto postgraduate study and experience new cultures by travelling.