Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession concerned with restoring and improving movement and physical function in people affected by injury, illness, disability, and the effects of ageing. Physiotherapists work with an extraordinary range of patients and conditions, from stroke survivors and people with musculoskeletal injuries to those with respiratory conditions, neurological disorders, and the physical effects of cancer treatment. The profession requires both deep scientific knowledge and the ability to build therapeutic relationships, motivate patients, and make clinical decisions in complex situations.

This three-year full-time programme at the University of East Anglia leads to registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as a physiotherapist. UEA's Norwich location provides access to a range of NHS trusts and clinical settings where students undertake their placements, and the programme is designed to develop both the scientific understanding and the clinical skills that professional practice requires. You will study anatomy, physiology, pathology, exercise science, biomechanics, and the evidence base for physiotherapy interventions across musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiorespiratory, and other areas.

Clinical placements begin early and continue throughout the programme, ensuring that theoretical learning is consistently tested and applied in real patient care contexts.

Physiotherapy graduates register with the HCPC and work in NHS hospitals and community services, in private practice, in sports medicine, in occupational health, and in international health settings. Specialisation pathways include musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy, neurorehabilitation, paediatrics, cardiorespiratory physiotherapy, and women's health. Many physiotherapists pursue postgraduate qualifications to develop specialist clinical skills or to move into research, education, and advanced practice roles.

The profession offers a career that combines scientific rigour, clinical skill, and direct patient impact in equal measure.