Master of Physiotherapy
Course handbook
On this page you will find:
General information
Overview
The Master of Physiotherapy program at Swinburne will produce entry to practice with physiotherapists who are confident and enterprising health professionals who will lead practice, innovation and business creation in healthcare. They will have immediate workforce value with competency in Physiotherapy skills that are informed by research and evidence, literacy in digital health, skills in business and entrepreneurship. Graduates will be agile, resilient and engage in community and global contexts within health.
Study structure
Successful completion of the Master of Physiotherapy requires students to complete units of study to the value of 200 credit points. All units of study are valued at 12.5 credit points unless otherwise stated. The volume of learning of the Master of Physiotherapy is typically an accelerated two years.
Students are required to complete a total of 800 hours of clinical practice across both core and clinical placement units.
Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year
One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)
See the course planner for an example degree structure.
Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year
One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)
See the course planner for an example degree structure.
| Units of study | Unit code |
|---|---|
| Core units | |
|
Functional Anatomy for Physiotherapists
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PHT60001 |
|
Foundations of Physiotherapy Practice
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, 80 hours |
PHT60002 |
|
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PHT60003 |
|
Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, One Semester or equivalent |
PHT60004 |
|
Neurological Physiotherapy
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, One Semester or equivalent |
PHT70001 |
|
Sports, Exercise and Rehabilitation
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PHT70002 |
|
Research and Evidence Based Practice A
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PHT70003 |
|
Leadership and Management For Health Professionals
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PHT70004 |
|
Chronic Disease, Health Promotion and Practice
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, One Semester or equivalent |
PHT70005 |
|
Integrated Physiotherapy Practice
Core unit, 12.5 credit points |
PHT80001 |
|
Lifespan Health and Wellbeing for Physiotherapy
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, One Semester or equivalent |
PHT80002 |
|
Research and Evidence Based Practice B
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, One Semester or equivalent |
PHT80004 |
|
Physiotherapy Clinical Practice A
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, 160 hours of clinical placement |
PHT60015 |
|
Physiotherapy Clinical Practice B
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, 160 hours of clinical placement |
PHT70015 |
|
Physiotherapy Clinical Practice C
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, 160 hours clinical placement |
PHT80015 |
|
Physiotherapy Clinical Practice D
Core unit, 12.5 credit points, 160 hours clinical placement |
PHT80025 |
This course has unique key timetable dates
Download the course specific academic calendar to find key timetable dates for semester teaching, assessment and placement periods.
Outcomes and course rules
Aims and objectives
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Exhibit contemporary knowledge, critical thinking, skills and behaviours that meet the professional threshold standards for autonomous entry-level physiotherapy practice in a range of contexts across the lifespan
- Critically analyse and apply an ethical and evidence-based approach to inform sound clinical reasoning for safe and effective person centred practice in local, national and global contexts
- Communicate appropriately and responsively across oral, written and digital modalities to develop therapeutic and professional relationships with individuals and within and across teams
- Adopt a commitment to lifelong learning including the ability to critically evaluate own and peers’ skills to continually develop as reflective physiotherapists prepared to adapt within emerging and rapidly changing local, national and global healthcare environments
- Employ an inclusive, person centred approach to practice through appropriately and effectively collaborating with culturally and linguistically diverse clients, families, the community and interprofessional colleagues
- Professionally articulate cultural capability, including respect, communication, reflection, advocacy, safety and quality that is inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander diversity
- Educate and empower others, including clients, families, communities and interprofessional colleagues, to promote and optimise health and wellbeing
- Organise and prioritise workload and resources using critical thinking skills to provide safe, effective and efficient autonomous entry-level healthcare
Career opportunities
- Physiotherapist
Professional recognition
The Master of Physiotherapy is accredited by the Australian Physiotherapy Council. Graduates of the Master of Physiotherapy may be eligible to apply for registration with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Professional registration may be subject to additional or ongoing requirements beyond completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.
Maximum Academic Credit
The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Master of Physiotherapy is 100 credit points (normally eight units)
Accreditation placements
Accredited placements are structured opportunities that allow students to gain practical experience in their chosen fields. These placements are part of academic programs and are recognised by educational institutions, enhancing the credibility of the experience. They provide a valuable bridge between theoretical knowledge and real-world application, allowing participants to develop essential skills, network with industry professionals, and enhance their employability.
Students undertaking the Master of Physiotherapy accreditation placement are subject to fees requirements and must obtain the following:
- uniform
- police check
- working with children check (WWCC)
- NDIS screening check*
- immunisation form
- COVID-19 vaccination
- hand hygine certificate (yearly)
- N95 mask fit testing
Note:
* This document may be required by the placement organisation
Informed choices
Reasonable adjustments
Swinburne supports students to make informed choices when applying for and enrolling in courses. In the Physiotherapy discipline, there are inherent requirements to successfully undertake and complete teaching and learning associated tasks as well as professional training. These inherent requirements are described on this page to assist prospective students when assessing their suitability for undertaking the Master of Physiotherapy course.
Swinburne upholds inclusive academic practices, ensuring that students with disabilities and other conditions can undertake courses and participate in study. Reasonable adjustments can be implemented to support students through viable arrangements to enable students with a disability or a chronic health condition to undertake the studies while maintaining the academic integrity of core course requirements.
Students considering whether they may be eligible for reasonable adjustments should contact Swinburne’s AccessAbility Services and will need to complete an AccessAbility registration form.
Some tasks in physiotherapy courses require certain sensory abilities, including: visual ability, tactile ability and auditory ability.
Will reasonable adjustments be considered?
Yes. Please contact AccessAbility Services to consider reasonable adjustments suitable for your situation
| Sensory ability | What is it? | How is this relevant to physiotherapy? |
|---|---|---|
| Visual ability | The extent to which a person can see or interpret visual information. This may also include colour vision. | Physiotherapy practice requires sufficient visual acuity to learn and demonstrate a range of skills, tasks with accuracy to maintain safety. This includes the ability to conduct visual observations and examinations (e.g. analysis of movement; rehabilitation of low back pain). |
| Tactile ability | The sense of touch, and the extent to which a person can distinguish tactile differences and detect tactile changes | Physiotherapy practice requires tactile ability to gather and interpret information from the findings of a physical assessment and deliver an intervention (e.g. joint mobilisation; operating electrotherapy equipment; detecting changes in temperature; palpation of joints and muscles). |
| Auditory ability | The sense of hearing, and the extent to which a person can be responsive to aural cues, and differentiate vocal sounds and tone. | Physiotherapy practice requires sufficient auditory ability to monitor, assess and manage an individual's health needs consistently and accurately with safety (e.g. cardiopulmonary assessment by auscultation). |
Some tasks in Physiotherapy require effective verbal, non-verbal, reflective and non-verbal communication skills
Will reasonable adjustments be considered?
Yes. Please contact AccessAbility Services to consider reasonable adjustments suitable for your situation.
| Communication | What is it? | How is this relevant to physiotherapy? |
|---|---|---|
| Cultural sensitivity | The sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences and diversity. | Physiotherapists engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds in a variety of settings and this requires skills and competencies in cultural capability (e.g. management of individuals of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background; care of patients following trauma; LGBTIQ). |
| Engages effectively | Effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe delivery of care. | Physiotherapy requires effective communication with individuals for effective and safe practice. This includes establishing trust and rapport through verbal, non-verbal communication; engaging health professionals and carers to deliver coordinated clinical management. |
| Reflective practice | The ability of an individual to engage in reflective practice that prompts an individual to review and adapt action according to feedback. | Students participate in reflective practice in order act on constructive feedback and build their professional skills (e.g. reflective practice journals for self- reflection; clinical placements). |
Some tasks in Physiotherapy require strength and mobility, including: gross motor skills and fine motor skills.
Will reasonable adjustments be considered?
Yes. Please contact AccessAbility Services to consider reasonable adjustments suitable for your situation.
| Strength and mobility | What is it? | How is this relevant to physiotherapy? |
|---|---|---|
| Gross motor skills | The use of large muscle groups that coordinate body movements and provide strength for activities such as lifting, pushing, pulling, walking and maintaining balance. | Physiotherapy is a profession that involves physical demands and requires gross motor function to assess and treat patients and clients in a variety of health settings. Students are assessed with respect to physical competency skills that are within the scope of physiotherapy practice (e.g. mobilising and transferring individuals; cardiopulmonary physiotherapy). Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others. |
| Fine motor skills | The ability to undertake precise coordinated movements of the hands for activities such as writing and manipulating small objects. | Physiotherapy is a profession that requires manual dexterity and fine motor skills to perform the required level of care and to function within the scope of practice (e.g. joint mobilisation; suctioning; massage). Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others. |
Physiotherapy practice requires ethical and professional conduct.
Will reasonable adjustments be considered?
Yes. Please contact AccessAbility Services to consider reasonable adjustments suitable for your situation.
| Behaviours | What is it? | How is this relevant to physiotherapy? |
|---|---|---|
| Ethical behaviour | Ability to comply with and be governed by quality and professional standards. Acting in ways consistent with the recognised Swinburne University of Technology Student Charter; Physiotherapy Profession Code of Conduct; values of society and avoiding activities that do harm. | Swinburne University of Technology require all students to understand and comply with the Student Charter that outlines appropriate student behaviours. Physiotherapy is a profession that is governed by a professional code of conduct, registration standards (Physiotherapy Board Aphra), guidelines and policies, in which physiotherapists are both accountable and responsible for ensuring safe and professional behaviour in all contexts (e.g. observing patient confidentiality; obtaining informed consent and the ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas ethically and with responsibility). This supports the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the Swinburne community and the physiotherapy profession. |
| Mental wellness and behavioural stability | A state of well-being in which an individual can cope with the normal stresses of life and can work productively, maintaining consistent behaviour that is ethical e and appropriate. | Physiotherapy practice requires behavioural stability to work individually and in teams in diverse and changing environments. Physiotherapy students will be exposed to diverse situations that are sometimes challenging and unpredictable requiring adaptability, stability, maturity and agility for safe and effective functioning within healthcare environments (e.g. reflecting on practice and responding appropriately to constructive feedback during assessment, training and clinical practice; coping with peers, carers patents/clients). |
Physiotherapy and practice requires both physical and cognitive performance at a consistent and sustained level.
| Sustainable performance | What is it? | How is this relevant to physiotherapy? |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive skills and consistency | The capacity and discipline to maintain a high level of cognitive and physical skills consistently performance over time. | Physiotherapy practice requires critical cognitive reasoning and problem solving skills; and performance of physical intervention tasks (e.g. clinical reasoning to develop management plans; manual therapy). |
| Adaptability and time management | The ability to perform with focus and rigour in line in a timely manner that is responsive to the demands of the healthcare setting and patients/ clients. | Physiotherapy practice requires time management and prioritisation skills when navigating clinical management in a variety of health settings (e.g. critical illness; chronic conditions). |
Physiotherapy practice is mandated by legislation (Ahpra Health Practitioner Regulation National Law) to enable the safe delivery of care.
| Legal | What is it? | How is this relevant to physiotherapy? |
|---|---|---|
| Professional registration requirements | Physiotherapy practice is mandated by legislation to enable the safe delivery of care. | Within physiotherapy all students are required to demonstrate knowledge and compliance with Australian Law and professional regulations (e.g. student registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)). |
Admission requirements
Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee an offer of a place. See admission requirements for general information about the admission process.
Admission criteria
Information about Swinburne's general admission criteria can be found at Admissions at Swinburne - Higher Education webpage.
Interested in the Master of Physiotherapy?
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