The course covers research principles and practices together with health related policy and contextual issues and involves consideration of fields of study that are of particular relevance to Physiotherapy. Throughout the course participants are encouraged to relate learning to their practice knowledge and experience. Learning shared with people from other professions, study with other Physiotherapists and independent study provides opportunities for broadening the understanding of professional practice and for specialist development. Research application is fostered in the course and this culminates in a research dissertation related to a specific area of practice that is relevant to the interest of the individual. The MSc requires successful completion of 10 modules.
Study is normally part-time over a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years.
The taught elements usually take place on an afternoon and evening on one designated day of the week. Typically, a student would take two professional modules and two core modules and begin the research protocol in year one and take the other two core modules and complete the Dissertation in year two. Alternatively, the student may take four core modules and complete the research protocol in year one and complete the Dissertation plus two professional modules in year two. However, students can negotiate a different course structure according to their needs and module availability. These consist of one Protocol module, which is a detailed proposal to conduct a research study, and a three module Dissertation on an individually negotiated research topic related to the professional area of the individual.