University of South Australia
Graduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
Develop advanced knowledge and leadership skills through critical, reflective engagement with contemporary theory and case-based discussion.
Course overview
Degree overview
- Advance your specialised musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy skills in six months (full-time equivalent).
- Use this qualification as your pathway to a Master of Advanced Clinical Physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal) or Master of Advanced Clinical Physiotherapy (Sports).
- Benefit from flexible learning options, including a blend of on-campus and online study, with part-time options available.
- Learn from internationally renowned teachers and clinicians.
- Benefit from more than 50 years’ experience in physiotherapy education.
- Study a curriculum informed by the above world-class research in physiotherapy.
- UniSA is an unstoppable university for unstoppable people. As one of the World’s Top Young Universities, UniSA will ensure you get the experience your future profession demands, so it’ll feel like you’re studying one minute and in a career the next.
The Graduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy is for qualified physiotherapists who want specialised musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy qualifications. This graduate certificate involves a blend of on-campus and online learning, ideally suited to busy physiotherapists already working in their field and balancing clinical commitments.
Key facts
What you will study
To complete the Graduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy, students must take 18 units or four courses. Each course is worth nine units.
- Allied Health Research Evidence Translation
- Integrated Pain Sciences
- Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Theory and Practice 1
- Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Theory and Practice 2
Entry requirements
Applicants are required to have:
- Completed a Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional entry-level qualification from a recognised higher education institution in Physiotherapy.
- A minimum of 10 months full-time or equivalent, physiotherapy practice in a relevant field following completion of the professional entry-level qualification.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Credit transfer (study credit) formally recognises your prior learning and work/life experience. It can be granted for specific courses (subjects) or a block of courses where your previous qualification or experience is equivalent to the learning.
So, what counts as prior learning? It can be from one of the following providers:
- Recognised higher education provider.
- TAFE or other recognised VET provider.
- A professional body, enterprise, private educational institution, or other similar body.
- Work experience.
Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
To excel in musculoskeletal and sports physiotherapy, you need to be able to assess and manage a wide range of clinical presentations within an evidence-informed framework. This requires advanced biomedical and psychosocial knowledge, advanced clinical examination skills, clinical reasoning, communication and procedural management skills.
Through a variety of theoretical classes and practical experiences, you'll develop advanced skills in:
- Allied health evidence translation
- Pain theory and science
- Exercise and conditioning
- Advanced musculoskeletal examination and management
Career outcomes
Contemporary healthcare and clinical practice require therapists’ reasoning and practice to be critical, reflective, patient-centred and evidence-informed. Postgraduate education is the optimal way to develop the advanced clinical knowledge and skills essential to expert physiotherapy clinical practice.
This graduate certificate offers physiotherapists the opportunity to extend their practical skills in specialised areas and across a variety of settings, including:
- Private practice
- Clinics
- Sport and exercise services
- Rehabilitation centres
- Hospitals
- Home and community services
- Disability services
- Aged care facilities
Fees and FEE-HELP
Annual fee in 2025: $17,100 (domestic full-fee paying place)
The annual fee is based on 0.5 EFTSL (Equivalent Full-Time Study Load) or 18 units.
Student fees may vary per:
- The number of courses studied per year.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.
