Physiotherapy Programme, 180 credits

Purpose

The purpose of the programme is to prepare students for licensing as physiotherapists. The programme is also intended as a general bachelor’s degree that prepares students to continue their education in the second and third cycles.

Aim

General objectives

Chapter one of the Higher Education Act (SFS 1992:1434 including updates) have adopted the following general objectives for the first cycle:

8 § Undergraduate level education should be primarily based on knowledge students receive from national programmes at upper-secondary school level or equivalent. However, the government may decide on exemptions relating to the fine, applied, and performing arts.

First-cycle programmes and courses will develop students’

• abilities to make independent and critical assessments,
• abilities to independently identify, formulate and solve problems,
• preparedness to meet changes in working life

Within the specific field of education, the students will, in addition to their knowledge and skills, develop the abilities to:

• seek out and evaluate knowledge at a scientific level,
• follow the development of the field,
• exchange knowledge also with people without specialized knowledge in the field

Degree objectives

Qualitative targets for a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy as set out in the Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100 with updates), Appendix 2 – System of Qualifications. 

Knowledge and understanding
For a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy, the student will be able to:

• demonstrate their knowledge of the disciplinary foundation of the field of study, familiarity with current research and development work and knowledge of the relationship between research findings and proven experience and the significance of this relationship to professional practice,
• demonstrate their knowledge of the circumstances in society that have an impact on the health of individuals and groups,
• demonstrate their knowledge of men’s violence against women and domestic violence, and
• demonstrate their knowledge of relevant statutes.

Skills and abilities

For a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy, the student will be able to:

• demonstrate their ability to, independently and in collaboration with the individual, implement physiotherapy measures and to initiate and participate in health promotion, treatment, habilitation and rehabilitation at the individual, group or societal level,
• demonstrate their ability to apply their expertise in order to manage a variety of situations, phenomena and queries on the basis of the needs of groups and individuals,
• demonstrate their ability to inform and teach a variety of groups, and to provide guidance,
• demonstrate their ability to describe and discuss measures and treatment results verbally and in writing with those concerned, and to document these in accordance with relevant statutes.
• demonstrate their ability to work as part of a team and with other professions,
• demonstrate their ability to critically appraise, assess and use relevant information and to discuss new information, phenomena and queries with a variety of groups and thus contribute to the development of the profession and the activities in question.

Judgement and attitude

For a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy, the student shall be able to:

• demonstrate their self-knowledge and ability to empathise,
• demonstrate their ability to make assessments of interventions using a comprehensive view of the person and on the basis of relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects, paying particular attention to human rights,
• demonstrate their ability to adopt a professional attitude towards clients or patients, their relatives and other groups,
• demonstrate their ability to identify their requirements for additional learning and to continually develop their expertise.
   

Besides the objectives above, the students will after completing the programme, have obtained the higher institution’s local objectives as well as the local objectives of the programme.

Qualitative targets for a degree of bachelor as set out in the Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100 with updates), Appendix 2 – System of Qualifications.

A Degree of Bachelor is achieved once the student has completed course requirements worth 180 credits with a specific specialisation determined independently by each higher education institution, of which at least 90 credits involve a gradual specialisation within the programme’s main field of study. 

Knowledge and understanding

For a degree of bachelor, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding within the programme’s main field of study, including knowledge of the field’s disciplinary foundation, knowledge of applicable methods within the field, specialisation in one part of the field and orientation on current research questions.

Skills and abilities

For a degree of bachelor, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate their ability to search out, gather, evaluate and critically interpret information of relevance to a problem, and to critically discuss phenomena, questions and situations,
• demonstrate their ability to independently identify, formulate and solve problems, and to carry out tasks within given time frames,
• demonstrate their ability to describe and discuss information, problems and solutions verbally and in writing in dialogue with various groups,
• demonstrate such skills as are required to work independently within the field to which the programme pertains.

Judgement and attitude

For a degree of bachelor, the student will be able to:

• demonstrate their ability to perform assessments within the programme’s main field of study, taking into account relevant academic, societal and ethical aspects,
• demonstrate insight into the role knowledge has in society and into individuals’ responsibility for how it is used,
• demonstrate their ability to identify their requirements for additional learning and to continually develop their expertise.

Local objectives for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

 Having completed the programme, the student will

• have the ability to critically appraise situations within healthcare in order to motivate and evaluate choice of actions as a working professional 
• demonstrate knowledge about and understanding of factors which affect health from a local and global perspective
• have the ability to evaluate and apply knowledge in evidence-based medicine and quality improvement in healthcare
• be able to work for a sustainable and health promoting development of current and future generations
• have obtained inter-professional skills that enables working in teams with other professions
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the importance of equality and equal opportunities in society

Local objectives for the Physiotherapy Programme

Having completed the programme, the student will: 

• have acquired knowledge and skills for initiating and participating in work with health promotion and vocational rehabilitation,
• have the ability to, using a problem-based approach, demonstrate their preparedness to act in order to take on challenges in both existing and new contexts for physiotherapy in a changing society.

Content

Physiotherapy is the programme’s main field of study and encompasses at least 100 credits. Other fields of study are medical science and social and behavioural science. The various fields of study are integrated in each course. There is an elective course at the end of the programme. The distribution of the subject content is set out in each course syllabus.

Credit distribution:

Physiotherapy 100 credits
Medical science 42.5 credits
Social and behavioural science 30 credits
Elective course 7.5 credits

The following courses are included in the programme:

Biomedicine, Movement Science and Health I, 30 credits (semester 1)
Biomedicin, rörelsevetenskap och hälsa I, 30 hp (termin 1)

Biomedicine, Movement Science and Health II, 30 credits (semester 2)
Biomedicin, rörelsevetenskap och hälsa II, 30 hp (termin 2)

Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments, 30 credits (semester 3) 
Fysioterapi som medicinsk behandling vid funktionsnedsättning, 30 hp (termin 3)

Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments and Disability, 30 credits (semester 4) 
Fysioterapi som medicinsk behandling vid funktionsnedsättning och funktionshinder, 30 hp (termin 4)

Physiotherapy, Public Health and Work-Related Health, 24 credits (semester 5)
Fysioterapi, folkhälsa och arbetsrelaterad ohälsa, 24 hp (termin 5)

Degree Project in Physiotherapy, 15 credits (semester 5, 6)
Självständigt arbete (examensarbete) inom fysioterapi, 15 högskolepoäng (termin 5, 6)

Physiotherapy, Team Work and Entrepreneurship, 6 credits (semester 6)
Fysioterapi, teamarbete och entreprenörskap, 6 hp (termin 6)

Physiotherapy with the Emphasis on Physical Activity and Behavioural Medicine, 7.5 credits (semester 6)
Fysioterapi med inriktning mot fysisk aktivitet och beteendemedicin, 7,5 hp (termin 6)

Elective Course, 7.5 credits (semester 6)
Valbar kurs, 7,5 hp (termin 6)

The elective course shall be within the field of study physiotherapy and can consist of both a theoretical course and some form of placement-based course. The elective course can be at first-cycle or second-cycle level. Otherwise you are referred to the syllabus for each course.

Specialisations

The specialised study in the main field and in pertinent fields is indicated by the intended learning outcomes in the syllabus for each of the programme’s courses.

Teaching and working methods

Student centred and problem based learning make up the foundation of the teaching at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The student takes responsibility for, studies and researches current content of the courses and study programme. The methods of the course work challenge the students to independently formulate questions for learning, to seek out knowledge and assess and evaluate achieved knowledge in dialogue with others. Students work together in groups based on reality based situations to develop their own learning, contribute to co-students’ learning and to practice cooperation. The teacher’s role is to support the students in this way of learning. The programmes consist of subject integrated themes, theoretical and practical modules integrated throughout the study programme. The study programmes at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences cooperate in certain integration modules where inter-professional learning takes place through the participation of students from several professions learning with, about and from each other. The course methods and integration modules stimulate and support the student’s development of professional and inter-professional competencies as well as prepare the student for teamwork and cooperation in the future profession.

Entry requirements

In addition to the general entry requirements, there are specific entry requirements for the Physiotherapy Programme in accordance with field-specific entry requirements A15 (Physical Education and Health 1, Mathematics 2a/2b/2c, Science Studies 2, Social Studies 1b/1a1+1a2) or field-specific entry requirements 17 (Physical Education and Health A, Mathematics B, Science Studies B, Social Studies A).

Threshold requirements

Each course’s content builds on that of others and they must be completed in order. The following entry requirements apply for entry to the respective courses:

Entry to the course:

• Biomedicine, Movement Science and Health II (semester 2) requires a pass in the basic group work from the course Biomedicine, Movement Science and Health I (semester 1).
• Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments, 30 credits (semester 3) requires a pass in the course Biomedicine, Movement Science and Health I (semester 1) and a pass in the course Biomedicine, Movement Science and Health II (semester 2). 
• Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments and Disability (semester 4) requires a pass in the course Biomedicine, Movement Science and Health II (semester 2) and a pass in the basic group work and placement from the course Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments (semester 3). 
• Physiotherapy, Public Health and Work-Related Health (course in semester 5) requires a pass in the course Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments (semester 3) and a pass in the basic group work and placement from the course Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments and Disability (semester 4). 
• Physiotherapy, Team Work and Entrepreneurship (course in semester 6) requires a pass in the course Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments and Disability (semester 4) and a pass in the basic group work and placement from the course Physiotherapy, Public Health and Work-Related Health (course in semester 5). 
• Physiotherapy with the Emphasis on Physical Activity and Behavioural Medicine, 7.5 credits (semester 6) requires a pass in the course Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments and Disability (semester 4) and a pass in the basic group work and placement from the course Physiotherapy, Public Health and Work-Related Health (course in semester 5). 
• Degree Project in Physiotherapy (course in semester 5 and 6) requires a pass in the course Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments (semester 3) and a pass in the basic group work and placement from the course Physiotherapy as Medical Intervention for Functional Impairments and Disability (semester 4).

Degree thesis

For a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy and a Degree of Bachelor of Medical Science in Physiotherapy, the student shall have completed within the scope of the course requirements a degree project worth at least 15 credits within the main field of study physiotherapy.

Degree requirements

Following completion of a programme worth 180 credits, a degree certificate with the title Degree of Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy and a degree certificate with the title Degree of Bachelor of Medical Science in Physiotherapy is issued to the student upon request.

Degree in Swedish

Fysioterapeutexamen och Medicine kandidatexamen i fysioterapi

Degree in English

Degree of Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy and Degree of Bachelor of Medical Science in Physiotherapy

Specific information

• Programme elements can be conducted both at Campus US and Campus Norrköping,
• placements can take place outside of the study venue and may result in increased costs for the student,
• some courses/elements may be conducted in English. Otherwise, the language of instruction is Swedish.

Internationalisation

Thanks to partnerships with higher education institutions outside of Sweden, there may be foreign students and/or teachers on the programme. 

There is the potential to take part in an international exchange programme.

Common rules

Directions regarding deferment, leave from studies, returning to study, transferring of credits etc are referred to the Linkoping University regulations and to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Board regulations.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

Transition rules

1. This programme syllabus enters into force on 21 January 2019 and applies to students who are admitted to the programme from spring semester 2019. From autumn semester 2021, the programme syllabus also applies to students admitted in autumn semester 2018 or earlier.
2. Students who were admitted to the programme in autumn semester 2018 or earlier are entitled to sit retakes under the previous programme syllabus on three occasions within/in connection to the two semesters subsequent to that in which each course is taught for the final time. 
3. The programme coordinator makes decisions concerning individual study plans and examination formats for students who were admitted under and have adhered to the previous programme syllabus and have, due to approved leave from studies or some other reason, not completed their studies by the end of spring semester 2021.