Why study physiotherapy at UoN?

Physiotherapy is a health profession concerned with the prevention, assessment and treatment of human movement disorders.

Clinical problems encountered by the physiotherapist are wide ranging and often challenging, but usually involve musculoskeletal, neurological or cardio respiratory disorders. Physiotherapists are people with effective interpersonal skills, including communicative and empathic abilities, highly developed problem solving skills, proficient manual handling skills and a motivation to continually improve and learn.

The degree involves the learning of professional physiotherapy knowledge and skills underpinned by the relevant biomedical and behavioural sciences. A case-based learning approach and innovative educational strategies are used to integrate the clinical and basic sciences.

The physiotherapy laboratories at the University of Newcastle are equipped with modern physiotherapy modalities to ensure students graduate with the up to date skills related to emerging, evidence based technologies such as real time and doppler ultrasound imaging.

Responsive teaching and real-world experiences

Clinical placements start in your first year of study and continue throughout your degree providing you with substantial clinical experience in a variety of settings both locally and nationally as part of the program. Find out more

Graduating with Honours

With increasing competition in all sectors of employment, students who graduate with Honours have a distinct advantage. It is often considered by employers as an added skill and has been used by previous graduates to pursue higher positions and salaries. Find out more

Your career in physiotherapy

There is currently a recognised national shortage of physiotherapists, particularly in public facilities and in rural locations. Find out more

Meet our achievers

Why would you do this degree? Find out from graduates, students and academics. Discover how their future is taking shape, and learn first-hand what it's like to study at uni. Find out more

Responsive teaching and real-world experiences

Clinical placements start in your first year of study and continue throughout your degree providing you with substantial clinical experience in a variety of settings both locally and nationally as part of the degree. This ensures you are continually putting into practice the theory and hands-on skills you learn throughout the degree.

Clinical experience is undertaken in a variety of health settings, which may include private practices, hospital wards, rehabilitation units, community health centres, and hospital outpatient clinics.

The substantial supervised clinical practice you will complete throughout the degree will include mandatory placements in rural areas and health settings distant from the Hunter region. You will need to organise travel, accommodation and related expenses for your clinical practice placements.

Graduating with Honours

With increasing competition in all sectors of employment, students who graduate with Honours have a distinct advantage. It is often considered by employers as an added skill and has been used by previous graduates to pursue higher positions and salaries. You can develop and carry out research on a topic of interest, potentially leading to further academic study such as a PhD.

The Bachelor of Physiotherapy provides an embedded Honours stream of study. If you achieve a Grade Point Average of 5.5 or more throughout the degree (years one, two and three), you may be eligible to undertake a research project. If your Research Project outcomes meet a sufficient standard, your degree may be awarded with Honours.

To calculate your GPA click here.

Your career in physiotherapy

There is currently a recognised national shortage of physiotherapists, particularly in public facilities and in rural locations. Graduate career prospects are excellent with graduates being employed in the industry shortly after graduating.

Physiotherapists often work as members of multidisciplinary health teams, but they are also able to work independently. They work in both the public and private sectors in settings such as general hospitals, rehabilitation centres, community clinics and private practice, and are often self-employed. Physiotherapists are also active in the development of preventive health projects and are frequently attached to sporting bodies, schools and industries.

Professional recognition

Graduates will be eligible to apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Please be aware that the current standard English Language Competency for registration as a practitioner in your chosen health discipline in most states of Australia is an IELTS of 7.0.

Meet our achievers