Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession concerned with human movement and function, and with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions that affect them. Physiotherapists work with people of all ages, across a wide range of clinical settings, helping to restore mobility, manage pain, prevent injury, and support recovery from illness, surgery, and disability. The profession requires both a rigorous scientific understanding of anatomy, physiology, and pathology and the communication and interpersonal skills needed to work effectively with patients and in multidisciplinary teams.

At the University of Sunderland, you will study human movement and function, learning how to prevent and treat disease, injury, and disability. The programme develops the clinical knowledge and practical skills needed for graduate registration, covering musculoskeletal, neurological, and cardiorespiratory physiotherapy as well as the research methods needed to engage with an evidence-based profession. Clinical placements are integral to the programme, giving you supervised experience in real healthcare settings throughout the three years of full-time study.

Graduates of physiotherapy programmes register with the relevant professional body and work in NHS hospitals, community health teams, sports and exercise settings, private clinics, and occupational health. The qualification is highly portable internationally, and physiotherapists work in every country with a developed healthcare system. Many graduates go on to develop specialisms in areas such as musculoskeletal physiotherapy, neurology, paediatrics, or sports rehabilitation, and the profession offers clear pathways to extended scope practice and academic research.

Leadership roles in healthcare management and education are also common later-career destinations.