Master of Physiotherapy (Graduate Entry)

What you will study

To complete the Master of Physiotherapy (Graduate Entry), students must take 72 units or 12 courses. Unless otherwise indicated, each course is worth 4.5 units.

Core courses

Complete the following courses:

• Evidence-Informed Clinical Reasoning in Physiotherapy
• Physiotherapy Professional Practice
• Musculoskeletal Skills in Physiotherapy (9 units)
• Acute Care Skills in Physiotherapy (9 units)
• Rehabilitation Skills in Physiotherapy (9 units)
• Pain Science (GE)
• Acute Care in Physiotherapy Practice
• Physiotherapy Practice in Rehabilitation
• Applied Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Practice (GE)
• Clinical Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy GE
• Physiotherapy Practice with Children and Families
• Advanced Practice in Physiotherapy GE (9 units)

Entry requirements

Applicants must:

• Have completed a Bachelor's Degree or higher in an approved Field of Education with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 5.5.
• Have completed the prerequisite courses at a Bachelor's level or higher within the last 10 years.

On a case-by-case basis, the Program Director may consider applicants whose prerequisites were completed more than 10 years ago and who have relevant work experience.

Approved Fields of Education

Applicants are required to have completed a program of study (at Bachelor level or higher) in one of the following approved Fields of Education (FOE):

• Medical Studies
• Rehabilitation Therapies
• Human Biology
• Medical Science
• Human Movement
• Public Health

Prerequisite courses

Applicants are required to provide evidence of satisfactory completion of prerequisite courses in the last 10 years in the following content areas:

• 0.125 EFTSL Statistics and Research Methods; and
• 0.250 EFTSL Human Anatomy; and
• 0.250 EFTSL Human Physiology.

All applicants must demonstrate their eligibility by completing the Additional Information Form, which includes a detailed checklist of the required prerequisite knowledge. They are also required to provide supporting evidence. By signing the Additional Information Form, applicants declare they have met the prerequisite requirements and knowledge for entry to the program.

Note: As this program is considered an entry point into the physiotherapy profession, applicants who are trained physiotherapists and are eligible to be assessed by the Australian Physiotherapy Council to meet the qualification requirements for registration by the Physiotherapy Board of Australia are not eligible to apply for this program.

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

The Master of Physiotherapy (Graduate Entry) will teach you to assess, treat and prevent health conditions across various areas of practice, including sport, musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory and neurological disciplines across the lifespan.

In this intensive degree, you will learn to think like a physiotherapist from day one of your studies. The beginning of the degree will cover topics such as evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning and critical thinking, physiotherapy professional practice and basic musculoskeletal and sporting injuries. Semester Two will challenge your understanding of the mechanisms and management of pain and cover the theory, assessment and management for cardiorespiratory and neurological conditions. A central component of this master’s degree is acute-care clinical placements, which commence in the second half of your first year of study.

Your second year will focus on developing clinical competence in various clinical settings, including rehabilitation, musculoskeletal and paediatric clinics.

You'll become qualified to work with preventing and managing disability/illness in the workplace or community and as a member of a multidisciplinary healthcare team. This holistic view of a patient’s health recovery is critical, especially given the different types of care needed for people of all ages.

Career outcomes

Physiotherapists can work across management, administration, education, research, policy development, advisory and regulatory contexts. Industry settings can include:

• Private practice
• Clinics
• Sport and exercise services
• Rehabilitation centres
• Hospitals
• Home and community services
• Disability services
• Aged care facilities
• Women's health and paediatric services
• Occupational and health promotion units
• Research

Fees and CSP

Estimated first-year fee in 2025: $9,314 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

The estimated first-year fee is calculated based on 1.0 EFTSL (Equivalent Full-Time Study Load).

Student fees may vary per:

• 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.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

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. This is known as the student contribution amount – 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 unit you're enrolled in.
• Depending 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.