Australian Physiotherapy Schools in Australia

The University of Sydney Physiotherapy School

Program Overview - Master of Physiotherapy (MPT)

University and Faculty:	The University of Sydney Faculty of Health Sciences
Program:	Master of Physiotherapy (MPT)
University Location:	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
City Population:	4.5 million
Student Population:	47,200
Campus Location:	Cumberland campus (in Lidcombe, a suburb of Sydney)
Program Duration:	Two years
Semester Intake:	Semester 1 (February) each year
Next Intake:	February 2013
Est. Annual Tuition:	$45,840 AUD (2012 fee)
Est. Total Tuition:	$91,680 AUD (based on 2012 fees)

The University of Sydney offers a two year, graduate-entry Master of Physiotherapy program, which is intended for students coming from an undergraduate degree in a related field and who wish to gain the requirements to become a physiotherapist.

The Master of Physiotherapy at Sydney University aims to

• prepare graduates to become professional physiotherapists by providing them with the education to properly assess, diagnose and treat people with movement problems caused by a wide variety of joint, muscle and nerve disorders; and
• encourage the undertaking of research within the profession.

Coursework throughout this program builds on the major areas of the profession, such as musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary and neurological physiotherapy, as well as looking at the profession in its societal context.

Students complete four block-mode clinical placements throughout their program, which are complimented by coursework studies. Sydney MPT students are required to complete at least one of those placements in a rural or regional location. Eligible students are also given the opportunity to complete the "Faculty of Health Science (FHS) Abroad" program, in which six elective credits from the final year of the program can be undertaken South and South East Asia.

Clinical and academic components to this program seek to create graduates who are ready to enter the profession and who have a range of experience in different social and clinical contexts.

Some of the clinical and professional fieldwork sites that Sydney MPT students have attended previously include:

• 3 Combat Support Hospital, RAAF Base, Richmond
• Alice Betteridge School, Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children
• Byron District Hospital
• Hunter Brain Injury Service
• Multiple Sclerosis Society, NSW/VIC
• Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick
• Rehab on the Move
• Sutherland Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic

Unique Features of the Program

The Faculty of Health Sciences has a whole campus dedicated to its programs, located on the Cumberland Campus in Lidcombe, which is 16 kilometers from the city centre. Students entering the Master of Physiotherapy on this campus will have access to amenities such as a Health Science Library, specialized laboratories and discipline specific equipment, on-site health clinics a state-of-the-art sports centre and recreational and social amenities.

Eligible students in Sydney Uni's MPT degree are given the opportunity to complete the "Faculty of Health Science (FHS) Abroad" program, in which six elective credits from the final year of study can be undertaken in South and South East Asia. This opportunity allows Sydney Health Sciences students to make a meaningful contribution to a community in need and gain hands-on experience in community development through a 4-6 week placement with non-government organizations and other development agencies. In past years, students were placed in destinations such as Vietnam, Cambodia, India and Nepal.

Why international students like to study at the university and this specific program:

On top of being able to study in Sydney, which is one of Australia's largest and exciting cities, students undertaking the Master of Physiotherapy at the University of Sydney have to opportunity to study within one of the largest health science faculties in Australia. The Master of Physiotherapy program itself aims to create graduates who are able to deal with the prevention and treatment of human movement disorders, but on a wider picture, also seeks to create graduates who are ready to enter their profession in a number of settings, such as health care organizations, community, sports and workplace settings, schools and private practices.

Professional Certification/Accreditation Information

The University of Sydney's Master of Physiotherapy program is accredited with the Australian Physiotherapy Council. Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for registration as physiotherapists with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia and may be eligible to study and work overseas.

Canadian students, who wish to practise as a physiotherapist upon their return to Canada, should visit the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators' website for accreditation and certification information: http://www.alliancept.org/

Scholarships

Every student who applies (and accepts) via OzTREKK and commences his/her studies at an OzTREKK Australian university will receive a $500 scholarship from OzTREKK. Click here for more information about the OzTREKK Scholarship!

Admissions Criteria/Entry Requirements for Canadians

To be eligible to apply, you must have the following:

1. Completed an undergraduate degree from a recognized university.

2. Have achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.5, which the University of Sydney states is approximately equivalent to a Credit average or better. A Credit average at the University of Sydney is between a 65-74%. Your grades assessed for admission are based on your highest-ranked university degree.

3. Have completed undergraduate studies in the following prerequisite areas:

• human anatomy
• human physiology
• neuroscience
• biomechanics
• psychology
• motor performance and learning
• research design and statistics
• measurement of human performance
• exercise physiology (desirable but not essential)

OzTREKK recommends that you apply for this program if you have achieved a minimum 65% cumulative average in your university studies. Please note that this is a minimum average to be eligible to apply. Students who have not yet completed an undergraduate degree may apply, as long as they will have graduated prior to commencing the Sydney MPT program.

Sydney MPT applicants will be offered places of admission based on academic merit/standing. The Faculty of Health Sciences will assess MPT applications on a rolling admissions basis.

Application Closing Date for the 2013 intake: August 31, 2012

OzTREKK Admissions Officer: Shannon Tilston