Veterinary Physiotherapy

Course overview

This course is for those who have completed a BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy degree and who want to qualify as an animal physiotherapist. Accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), successful completion will enable you to register as a professional practitioner with the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) and the Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners (RAMP).

We provide the ideal environment for your training, with specialist expertise in canine and equine veterinary physiotherapy, as well as health, welfare, behavior and performance.

You’ll benefit from access to real-world cases and technologies in our canine and equine therapy centres, as well as laboratories kitted out with the latest scientific equipment.

Modules cover a diverse range of animal physiotherapy topics, plus research skills and business management. The course includes work placements and guest lectures from veterinary practices and surgeons, as well as qualified ACPAT canine and equine physiotherapists.

The course is delivered on a part-time basis, via block delivery to help fit around work or other commitments.

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy-accredited

The course is accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. On completion of your second year, you’ll be eligible to upgrade from a Category B to a Category A member of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) as well as the Register for Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners (RAMP).

You’ll need to maintain your ACPAT membership for the duration of your animal physiotherapy practice in the UK. Please visit www.acpat.org for the latest information, including costs.

What you'll study

This course is for those who want to qualify and practice as animal physiotherapists, registered with the sector’s chartered body, the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT).

Compulsory modules across the MSc and Postgraduate Diploma cover a broad range of topics, including preparing for clinical practice, Applied Anatomy, Physiotherapy and Biomechanics, veterinary diagnostics, the research process and business management. As an MSc student, you’ll undertake a significant piece of research on a topic of your choice in year three to enhance your own and wider industry practice.

By the end of your first year you’ll have a solid level of understanding of animal behaviour, comparative anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, pathology and physiotherapy assessment to confidently assess horses and dogs. Your clinical reasoning skills will allow you to develop a problem list and goals for treatment, and present cases based on this information.

The majority of your time on campus will be focused on practical sessions with horses and with dogs, but in both your first and second years, you’ll undertake placement days to cement your clinical skills. This will support you to undertake complex clinical reasoning and apply assessment and treatment strategies once qualified.

On completion of your postgraduate diploma or the second year of your MSc, you’ll be eligible to register with the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy, which means you can practice as a professional animal therapist.

However, we encourage you to progress into the third year to achieve the full MSc qualification, whilst undertaking a valuable piece of research tailored to your interests and career aspirations. This can focus on dogs, horses or humans. You can utilise our facilities or conduct your project in an external environment. Students often publish their research and present at industry conferences to enhance their professional reputation and networks.

Modules

This course is made up of compulsory modules only to ensure you develop the competences required of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Please visit our document library for more module information.

How you'll study

We're committed to supporting you to fulfil your unique potential while you're here so that you can achieve your personal and professional goals.

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one. This will range from your lecturers, supervisors and personal tutor to our specialist academic (Achievement and Success Centre), employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) and wellbeing teams.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your understanding of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Further details

Work placements and experience

Work placements form an essential part of your qualification to help prepare you for professional practice. In total, you’ll undertake 200 hours in the workplace, some hours working as part of our campus businesses and others as with veterinary practices and qualified Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) practitioners. We’ll support you to find suitable placements, utilising our connections with accredited ACPAT providers.

Guest lecturers

Guest lecturers are selected to provide a wide range of expertise to support your learning and practice.  ACPAT-qualified physiotherapists, specialists in equine and canine physiotherapy, provide invaluable insights into real-world cases. Veterinary surgeons co-lecture two of the professional practice modules – Understanding Veterinary Diagnostic and Physiotherapy Assessment/Veterinary Physiotherapy Rehabilitation.

Graduate destinations

Newly-qualified veterinary physiotherapists have been employed in veterinary/physiotherapy practices and set up their own businesses or undertaken self-employed roles within physiotherapy practices. Graduates often start their careers with the businesses with which they undertook their placements.

Some graduates enjoy academic study so much and decide to progress their learning and advance practice through a PhD.

• Veterinary physiotherapist
• PhD

Tuition fees and financial support

Please visit our student finance page for information on tuition fees and student loans, as well as non-repayable grants, bursaries and scholarships, eligible to different groups, to support with study costs.

Below you'll find extra costs associated with studying this course, as well as costs associated with living and extra-curricular activities that might be of interest.

Professional insurance

From the January of your first year, you’ll need Category B Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) student liability insurance. This can be arranged through Graybrook Insurance Broker Limited, who provide the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) professional liability cover. This will be needed for the duration of your course.

Visit Graybrook Insurance Broker Ltd

ACPAT membership and RAMP registration

On completion of your second year, you’ll be eligible to upgrade from a Category B to a Category A member of The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) as well as enter the Register for Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners (RAMP). You’ll need to maintain your ACPAT membership for the duration of your animal physiotherapy practice in the UK. Please visit the relevant websites via the links below for further details.

Visit ACPAT

Visit RAMP

Clothing and footwear (circa £100)

You’ll need to have appropriate clothing for the practical sessions involved in some modules, eg. clean, professional and practical clothing suitable for working with small animals and horses. You’ll also need appropriate footwear, such as sturdy boots or shoes, and a riding hat for equine practical sessions. Specific details will be available prior to enrolment.

Hartpury University branded clothing is also available through our online shop, for those who wish to purchase it. However, this is not essential.

Optional field trips 

Field trips are generally included in the course fees.  However, extra costs may be required for specific optional trips.

Work placement travel costs

Extra costs required for your work placement, for example, travel and accommodation, need to be funded by the student.

Accommodation and living costs

Please visit our student accommodation page for details.