Innovate healthcare

The Master of Physiotherapy is a two-year, graduate-entry degree leading to eligibility for registration as a physiotherapist in Australia. 

Innovative and practice-based in approach, the course's core areas of study include musculoskeletal, neurological, orthopaedic and cardiorespiratory physiotherapy across the lifespan.

Developed by experienced physiotherapy academics, the course's subject matter is delivered in an integrated, student-focused manner, making use of cutting-edge technologies. 

It has been developed in consultation with a working party of experienced physiotherapy clinicians in hospitals and private practice.

Part of the Graduate School of Health.

Master of Physiotherapy

CODE

UTS: C04306 (version 3)

CRICOS: 091975B

DURATION

2 years full time

INTAKE

Autumn B Session 2026
Autumn B Session 2027

View important dates

COURSE FEES

Indicative total tuition fee for domestic students
$104,714.00

More on fees

LOCATION

City campus

What you’ll study

The course goes beyond traditional educational models to engage you in self-directed and problem-based learning to develop your professionalism, critical reasoning skills and experience with emerging technologies.

In addition to core areas of physiotherapy, you'll learn about evidence-based and professional practice, interprofessional teamwork and leadership, and undertake a research project. 

Advanced subjects include treatment of complex patients, health promotion and community rehabilitation. 

You will also develop a professional portfolio designed to reflect professional competencies.

Subjects at a glance

  • Core subjects

    Subject Code Subject Name
    96080
    Clinical Assessment and Treatment Planning
    96081
    Professional Practice
    96082
    Core Practice for Physiotherapists
    96083
    Pain Neuroscience and Management
    96084
    Sub-acute Rehabilitation
    96085
    Outpatient Rehabilitation
    96086
    Research Design in Physiotherapy
    96087
    Clinical Placement 1
    96088
    Acute Physiotherapy Care
    96089
    Prevention and Rehabilitation in the Community
    96090
    Specialist Practice
    96091
    Clinical Placement 2
    96092
    Research Project
    96093
    Transition to Practice
    96094
    Clinical Placement 3
    96095
    Clinical Placement 4
A physiotherapist treating a patient, with the text 'How to become a Physiotherapist'.

What it's really like to be a physiotherapist

(00:04:44)

Dr Joshua Pate, physiotherapist, senior lecturer and researcher in paediatric pain science, shares what the profession actually looks like. From assessing movement and developing treatment plans to working with athletes, sporting teams and patients across health and community settings, physiotherapy is a hands-on, people-focused career that combines science, problem-solving and care to support performance, recovery and long-term wellbeing. 

What it's really like to be a physiotherapist transcript

0:00:00.360,0:00:04.880
Hello, I'm Doctor Joshua Pate,
a senior lecturer in physiotherapy at UTS.

0:00:05.040,0:00:08.040
Have you ever wondered what it takes
to be a physiotherapist?

0:00:08.120,0:00:09.960
Today I'll be answering your questions.

0:00:09.960,0:00:11.280
So let's get started.

0:00:11.280,0:00:14.280
What do I need to study
to become a physiotherapist?

0:00:14.360,0:00:20.040
It depends on the institution here at UTS,
people do a Bachelor of Sports science

0:00:20.040,0:00:23.400
or exercise science or Health
science subject and then it's a two year

0:00:23.400,0:00:26.760
postgraduate master's course
to to become a physiotherapist.

0:00:27.080,0:00:30.560
There's different models out there,
but we find this really works nicely

0:00:30.560,0:00:31.560
because then people

0:00:31.560,0:00:35.320
have time to kind of grow and develop
as a health professional,

0:00:35.400,0:00:37.440
and then they go on
to lots of different placements

0:00:37.440,0:00:41.320
throughout the degree and feel really
equipped based on the data that we have.

0:00:41.640,0:00:44.520
What kinds of settings
to physiotherapists work in?

0:00:44.520,0:00:48.560
Physios can work in a hospital setting
or in a private clinic setting,

0:00:48.560,0:00:51.680
or a home base therapy
or a sporting field.

0:00:51.680,0:00:53.560
Or there's animal physio.

0:00:53.560,0:00:57.360
There's lots of different ways that you
can work clinically as a physiotherapist.

0:00:57.680,0:01:01.960
There's also policy roles, managerial
roles like administrative roles,

0:01:01.960,0:01:03.360
lots of different roles there.

0:01:03.360,0:01:03.840
And then in

0:01:03.840,0:01:08.040
a university system, there's academic jobs
like teaching and research as well.

0:01:08.360,0:01:11.840
And I think most people who are signing up
to become a physiotherapist

0:01:11.840,0:01:13.960
are focused
on those clinical opportunities.

0:01:13.960,0:01:16.600
And there are so many different
possibilities.

0:01:16.600,0:01:19.760
What does a physiotherapist
do in their day to day work?

0:01:20.400,0:01:22.800
It varies a lot from setting to setting.

0:01:22.800,0:01:26.320
When I was a new graduate physiotherapist,
I was in a hospital setting

0:01:26.320,0:01:30.240
and I basically see patient after patient
all day, every day.

0:01:30.560,0:01:32.880
And that's a great kind of work pathway.

0:01:32.880,0:01:34.720
And I really, really enjoyed that.

0:01:34.720,0:01:37.960
When I worked in a pain clinic,
I would run group programs

0:01:37.960,0:01:41.400
and so some days of the week
I would be doing more or less of that

0:01:41.400,0:01:44.400
and kind of more complex,
longer assessments as well.

0:01:44.680,0:01:48.120
And so I think it really does vary
and depend on where you're working,

0:01:48.240,0:01:51.960
like if you're working at a grand final or
something like that in a sporting field,

0:01:52.080,0:01:53.480
you're obviously not in a clinic.

0:01:53.480,0:01:55.240
And that's
such a different environment as well.

0:01:55.240,0:01:58.360
So there's lots of different possibilities
and lots of different options,

0:01:58.360,0:01:59.160
which is great.

0:01:59.160,0:02:02.160
What skills are important
for a physiotherapist to have?

0:02:02.400,0:02:05.680
I think one of the key skills
would be communication skills.

0:02:05.680,0:02:10.400
Working alongside
patients is really challenging at times,

0:02:10.440,0:02:13.440
and being able to get on the same
page is so important.

0:02:13.920,0:02:16.160
I think variables like empathy matter

0:02:16.160,0:02:19.840
so much in terms of the research
and the outcomes that we see.

0:02:19.960,0:02:23.000
And so having those skills
kind of to back up

0:02:23.000,0:02:25.680
your clinical skills are really,
really useful.

0:02:25.680,0:02:29.280
What challenges do physiotherapists
usually face in their work.

0:02:29.640,0:02:32.440
There's a range of different challenges
that someone might face

0:02:32.440,0:02:34.200
in a private clinic, for instance,

0:02:34.200,0:02:37.200
there could be pressures
to seeing lots of patients, or

0:02:37.320,0:02:41.400
in some settings,
patients have varying levels of motivation

0:02:41.400,0:02:44.280
and you might take it personally
or in other settings,

0:02:44.280,0:02:48.160
patients are at the end of their life
and it's emotionally very challenging

0:02:48.200,0:02:48.800
to work.

0:02:48.800,0:02:52.320
Or maybe it's working in different teams
and different settings like that.

0:02:52.320,0:02:54.600
And I think there's so many possibilities.

0:02:54.600,0:02:58.640
And so the challenges ultimately
it would vary from person to person

0:02:58.640,0:03:02.640
and setting to setting 
but there's certainly able to be overcome.

0:03:02.880,0:03:05.880
What do you love
most about being a physiotherapist?

0:03:06.120,0:03:09.400
I really like the long term outcomes.

0:03:09.400,0:03:13.680
I love when a person can look back
and see that physiotherapy

0:03:13.680,0:03:15.720
has made a huge difference,
and helped them

0:03:15.720,0:03:19.000
get back to doing the activities
that they love doing.

0:03:19.160,0:03:21.080
I think that's what I find most rewarding

0:03:21.080,0:03:24.320
and I also love seeing that even
in my teaching work, when a student

0:03:24.520,0:03:28.680
that have that uh-ha moment
and it transforms the way that they will

0:03:28.680,0:03:31.680
deliver patient care on placements
and in the future.

0:03:31.680,0:03:35.560
What's the biggest misconception
about being a physiotherapist?

0:03:35.880,0:03:38.160
A lot of people,
when they think of physio,

0:03:38.160,0:03:41.200
can imagine the Olympics
and you see the physio

0:03:41.200,0:03:45.200
standing there on the sideline
or racing on when someone's injured.

0:03:45.600,0:03:49.880
And I think just a common misconception
is that that's all the physio is.

0:03:50.080,0:03:54.680
The breadth of the profession is the
biggest misconception that I've observed.

0:03:54.840,0:03:56.000
What's your top tip

0:03:56.000,0:03:59.760
or best piece of advice for someone
who wants to become a physiotherapist?

0:04:00.160,0:04:05.000
I'd encourage you not to underestimate
how important communication skills are,

0:04:05.000,0:04:08.520
and that might mean getting a part
time job or shadowing in a clinic,

0:04:08.520,0:04:13.080
or seeing what it looks like to work
in that dream job that you're imagining.

0:04:13.360,0:04:16.480
Thinking really hard
about why you want to work in that role

0:04:16.560,0:04:20.400
will allow you to kind of chase that dream
and gradually chip away,

0:04:20.400,0:04:22.760
because it can take a long time
to do that.

0:04:22.760,0:04:26.960
And so working on those skills, like
working in a team, is a really critical

0:04:26.960,0:04:29.960
first step to head towards
becoming a physiotherapist.

0:04:30.080,0:04:31.680
Well, that's all the questions for today.

0:04:31.680,0:04:34.800
If this got you interested,
check out the UTS website

0:04:34.800,0:04:38.400
and search physiotherapy
to learn more about working in this field.

Admissions information

Admissions information

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Entry schemes and pathways

At UTS, we understand the dedication it takes to reach your current position – forging a path through prior study, work, and diverse learning experiences.

If you're Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, Jumbunna is an alternative application process for our courses that emphasises diverse pathways to success.

You can apply for our courses using your previous study. You may even be eligible for recognition of prior learning, so you won’t need to repeat subjects.

Where you’ll study

Our world-class facilities support your future-focused learning and high-impact research. They enable effective partnerships with industry and provide services to our community.

Why UTS?

Why study Health at UTS

Become a leader and innovator in Australia's largest growth industry with a postgraduate program from the Graduate School of Health.

With over 400 industry and clinical partners, our program content reflects the latest research and offers networking and professional development opportunities. Learn alongside practitioners and researchers actively shaping the healthcare sector, providing guidance to prepare you for a successful career.

15.8% increase in jobs

Health care and social assistance is the largest growth industry.

Labour Market Insights 2021, Jobs and Skills Employment Projections 2023

Above world standard

for Medical and Health Sciences.

2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) evaluation

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