Your career as a healthcare professional starts here
The first-class new home for our healthcare teaching and research providing students with skills to meet the needs of 21st century careers.

A unique new learning space where undergraduate and postgraduate students from the largest breadth of health disciplines in the South-West learn together under one roof, with expert practitioners.

Experience an interprofessional learning environment across our health programmes that will prepare you for life as a healthcare professional.

Collaboration across the schools helps students to learn with, from and about each other, gaining the real-world experience employers seek.
Key features
- Become an evidence-based practitioner equipped to manage and lead in dynamic settings.
- Feel encouraged and supported by experienced and enthusiastic staff, who are recognised for their national and international research reputations.
- Make use of blended learning techniques, combining short study blocks and distance learning technologies.
- Train and practice your professional healthcare skills in an inspiring purpose-built environment,
InterCity Place . - Explore a large range of continuing professional development (CPD) modules aligned to a number of specialities including neurology, musculoskeletal and respiratory.
- Tailor your learning to your interests or workplace through module assignments and our physiotherapy focused supported independent study module.
- Complete the programme in one year with the full-time study option or balance work and caring commitments by studying part time over a maximum of six years. The full-time route is suitable for international students, who will be supported to choose optional modules with non-clinical assignments.
Course details
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Programme overview
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Postgraduate CertificateTo achieve a postgraduate certificate, you will need to obtain 60 credits. This must include the core module and the pathway specific module with the remaining 20 credits coming from an optional module of your choice.Core module
ADV702Applying Evidence to Practice 20 CreditsPathway module
ADV751Physiotherapy Practice: Supported Study 20 CreditsOptional module
Optional module 20 Credits
Optional modules can be chosen from the masters level modulesA-Z list . Please contact the Professional Development Unit Admissions Team to discuss your options.Postgraduate DiplomaTo achieve a postgraduate diploma, you will have first completed the PgCert and need to obtain an additional 60 credits (to give 120 credits in total). This must include one core module and two optional modules of your choice.Core module
ADV715Project Design for Research 20 CreditsOptional modules
Optional modules can be two 20 credit modules or one 40 credit - 40 Credits
Optional modules can be chosen from the masters level modulesA-Z list . Please contact the Professional Development Unit Admissions Team to discuss your options.MScTo achieve a full master degree, you will have first completed the PgDip and need to obtain an additional 60 credits (to give 180 credits in total). This must include the core module.Core module
ADV716Research Dissertation
Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.
The following programme specification represents the latest programme structure and may be subject to change:
Entry requirements
Claims for credit for prior learning, whether certificated or experiential are accepted and will be assessed following University regulations and faculty procedures.
This programme is equivalent to 90 ECTS credits (second cycle) with 30 ECTS credits at postgraduate certificate, 60 credits at postgraduate diploma and 90 credits at masters degree. Each 20 credit module has the equivalent of 10 ECTS credits and assumes a notional student effort of between 200-300 hours.
We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer to our
Fees, costs and funding
Student | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
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Home | £11,000 | £11,350 |
International | £19,000 | £19,550 |
Part time (Home) | £1,220 per 20 credit module | £1,260 per 20 credit module |
*This fee is based on undertaking 180 credits in a single academic year of full time study. Please note that some of the optional modules for this programme are specialist modules and therefore may have different fees. Module fees can be found on the
Additional costs
Postgraduate Merit Scholarship for international students
- 10% off the successive years tuition fee if an overall grade of 60% or above is maintained.
- achieve the equivalent of a good UK 2:1 degree classification
- meet our standard
English Language requirements .
Tuition fee discount for University of Plymouth graduates
- 10% or 20% discount on tuition fees for home students
- For 2024/2025 entry, a 20% discount on tuition fees for international students (International alumni who have applied to the University through an agent are not eligible to receive the discount)
How to apply
In addition applicants will also be required to submit:
- References from two referees – ideally one academic and one work.
- A copy of your degree certificate or equivalent.
Intercity Place
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth, PL4 8AA
Update: application process
People
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Dr Vasileios Lepesis
Lecturer in Physiotherapy
Programme Lead
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Professor Jennifer Freeman
Associate Head of School (Research)
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Dr Lisa Bunn
Associate Professor of Neurological Rehabilitation
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Dr Erin Byrd
Visiting Specialist
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Dr Keith Walker
Lecturer / Academic CPD Co-ordinator
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Claire Hornsby
Lecturer in Physiotherapy (Education)
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Dr Alison Warren
Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy
What our programme offers
Find out more about how studying the MSc Advanced Professional Practice in Physiotherapy at Plymouth can benefit you.
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Module choice
Choose from a large range of optional modules and three different exit awards to suit your professional development needs.
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Enhanced skills and knowledge
Develop your professional practice by building on your current skills and knowledge
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Flexible teaching and learning
Programme delivery designed to be compatible with your busy life as a postgraduate student trying to maintain a work-life-study balance.
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Career development
Enhance your career prospects by becoming a well-informed evidence based practitioner, aware of the bigger picture, able to challenge the current situation and lead developments in your setting or beyond.
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Research opportunities
Teaching staff within the school are research active nationally and internationally and publish in peer reviewed journals.

MSc Advanced Professional Practice pathways
Both the School of Health Professions and the School of Nursing and Midwifery offer the MSc Advanced Professional Practice programme; together we offer a wide range of specialist and generic pathways to meet the educational needs of all health and social care professionals.

Postgraduate scholarships for international students
We offer several scholarships for international students who wish to study postgraduate taught (PGT) degree programmes.
