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University of Canberra

Master of Physiotherapy

  • Delivery: Face to Face
  • Study Level: Postgraduate
  • Duration: 24 months

Combine your existing qualification with a comprehensive, integrated learning schedule to ensure you meet Australian Physiotherapy Association requirements and your career objectives most efficiently.

Course overview

This course is unique to UC and has been specifically designed to help you graduate faster and enter the physiotherapy industry with a highly competitive edge.

If you’re a health graduate who wants to pursue a career path more aligned with your passion or purpose, look no further than UC's Master of Physiotherapy and take your career to another level fast.

Study a Master of Physiotherapy at UC and you will:

  • Develop knowledge of the structure and function of the human body.
  • Learn to read, critique, evaluate and apply research and scientific evidence to health care and health services practices.
  • Enhance your communication skills in listening, speaking, explaining and teaching.
  • Develop detailed knowledge of normal function and development of the musculoskeletal, cardiothoracic and neurological systems.
  • Apply your knowledge and skill to assess, prevent and treat developmental and degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal, cardiothoracic and neurological systems.
  • Understand and apply the professional ethics, responsibilities, values and standards for physiotherapy.
  • Develop excellent clinical, analytical and reasoning skills.

Work Integrated Learning

This course offers a high volume of work-integrated learning and the opportunity to gain clinical practice experience using theoretical and practical components of your studies.

CSP Subsidised Fees Available

This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.

Key facts

Delivery
Face to Face
Study level
Postgraduate
Course type
Master's
Duration
24 months (Full time)
Units
16
Fees
More Information
FEE-HELP and HECS loans are available to assist domestic students.
FEE-HELP, HECS, CSP
Price per unit
From $5,063
More Information
Prices are calculated based on your total and full-time study load of 16 units or 48 credit points.

From $1,192 (CSP)
More Information
You may be eligible for a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), where the government pays part of your fees. CSP prices are calculated based on your total and full-time study load of 48 credit points.
Intake
10th August, 2026
9th August, 2027

What you will study

To earn the Master of Physiotherapy course, students must complete 48 credit points. Unless otherwise indicated, each unit is worth three credit points.

Required

Students must pass 30 credit points as follows:

  • Cardiothoracic Interventions 1
  • Neurological Interventions 1
  • Musculoskeletal Interventions 2
  • Cardiothoracic Interventions 2
  • Neurological Interventions 2
  • Research Planning
  • Epidemiology and Principles of Research
  • Orthopaedic Physiotherapy
  • Physiotherapy Across the Lifespan
  • Applied Physiotherapy Skills
Restricted choice

Entry requirements

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • A completed bachelor's degree in a health science discipline with a grade average of 3.0 or higher.
  • Degree-level studies in musculoskeletal anatomy, advanced functional anatomy, exercise physiology and biomechanics.

The applicant is responsible for providing evidence that they meet the prerequisite degree-level study requirements outlined above. You must upload a copy of the unit outlines/course syllabi of the relevant units only from your previous studies that show you meet these requirements with your application.

English language requirements

There are non-standard English language requirements for this course. To be eligible, you must have an overall IELTS Academic score (or equivalent) of 7.0, with no band score below 7.0. For alternate/equivalent ways of meeting the English requirements for this course, please view the English Proficiency Requirements document on the university website.

Recognition of Prior Learning

A credit application based on recognition of prior learning (RPL), including informal or non-formal learning, must include appropriate certified documentation. For more information, contact the university or visit their website.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

  • Implement professionalism in physiotherapy, including insight into the scope of practice and the ethics, responsibilities, values and conduct required in a broad range of contexts, including self-care maintenance as needed.
  • Implement well-developed communication skills, including culturally responsive interpersonal, written and electronic communication with patients, families and carers and other health professionals, in clinical and wider interprofessional contexts, including constructive conflict resolution.
  • Integrate an in-depth understanding of the structure and function of the human body into the relevant practice of physiotherapy.
  • Apply knowledge of the degenerative and disease processes affecting the human body (across the lifespan and in different patient groups) in the patient-centred practice of clinical physiotherapy.
  • Facilitate safe and effective patient-centred assessment, therapeutic intervention and evaluation using evidence-based tools and outcome measures relevant to physiotherapy, incorporating patients' goals.
  • Critique, synthesise and apply evidence from research, quality improvement and other sources as they inform physiotherapy and health care practice, with readiness to change practice and teach others as the evidence base evolves in the future.
  • Execute and illustrate expertise and skills in research to test established theories against a body of knowledge in growth and development, movement dysfunction, pathology or degeneration relevant to physiotherapy.

Career outcomes

Potential careers available for UC Master of Physiotherapy students include:

  • New graduate physiotherapist
  • Physiotherapist
  • Cardiothoracic physiotherapist
  • Musculoskeletal physiotherapist
  • Neurological physiotherapist
  • Intensive care unit (ICU) physiotherapist
  • Physiotherapy practice owner
  • Physiotherapy researcher

Fees and CSP

Estimated full-course fee in 2026: From $19,072 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Domestic full-fee paying place in 2026:

  • Fee per unit: $5,062.50
  • Fee per annum: $40,500
  • Full-course fee: $81,000

The annual rate is the fee that applies to standard full-time enrolment, which is 24 credit points. The final fee charged is based on the proportion of 24 credit points in which a student enrols. Course fees are assessed annually and are subject to change.

A student’s fee may vary depending on:

  • The number of units studied per term.
  • The choice of major or specialisation.
  • Choice of units.
  • Credit from previous study or work experience.
  • Eligibility for government-funded loans.

You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you only need to pay some of your tuition fees. The student contribution amount is the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

  • Calculated per the units you're enrolled in.
  • Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
  • Reviewed and adjusted each year.

HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students.