Course details are accurate at the time of printing but may be altered as necessary. 

For full time MSc students the course lasts for one calendar year (end of September to early September the following year). For Graduate Diploma students the course lasts one academic year (end of September to early June).  Part time students can complete the course over two to five years. Timetables are organised so that, for some of the time, part time students only need to attend 1 day a week. See below for more information on part-time study.

The course is organised as a series of modules, each of which earns credits. Modules earning a total of 180 credits must be passed to gain an MSc. For the UCL Graduate Diploma, 120 credits are needed. Some modules will be shared with other programmes in the MSc School whilst some are only for the Sports Physiotherapy course.

The following modules will be offered: 
 

Title	Credits	Core or Option
Principles of Management and Prevention of Sports Injuries	7.5	Core
Physiology, Biochemistry and Nutrition in Relation to Sport and Exercise	15	Core
Biomechanics	7.5	Core
Research Methods	7.5	Core
Advanced Physiotherapy Sports Skills	30	Core
Clinical Education in Sports Physiotherapy	30	Core
Research Project	60	Core
Musculoskeletal tissues in Health & Disease	15	Option
Control of Movement	7.5	Option
Fundamentals of Pain	7.5	Option
Sport for the Disabled	7.5	Option
Sports Psychology	7.5	Option
Sport Exercise and Health	7.5	Option
Genes and Sport	7.5	Option

 

Timetabling

The year will be divided into 6 parts as follows: 
 

	Term	Start date	End date	Duration (weeks)	Content	Total credits
Introductory week	1	Sept 26	Sept 30	1
Zone 1	1	Oct 3	Nov 25	8	Taught modules	30
Zone 2	1-2	Nov 23	Feb 10	8	Taught modules	30
Zone 3	2-3	Feb 13	May 5	10	Clinical education, Project preparation, revision	20
Exams	3	May 3	June 3	4.5	Exams and revision
Project		June 4	Sept 17	15		60

 Module Outlines 

Principles of Management of Sports Injuries, 7.5 credits, Core
Organiser Jane Simmons
Early management through to final rehabilitation, interrelating the roles of the team, e.g. coach, doctor, return to functional fitness, rehabilitation.

Physiology, Biochemistry and Nutrition in Relation to Sport and Exercise, 15 credits, Core
Organisers Prof. R C Woledge (IHP), Prof Steve Harridge (Kings College London)
Energy supply to muscle; regulation of muscle phenotype; effects of training on muscle function; fatigue; key aspects of nutrition in relation to health and performance; ergogenic aids; special nutritional requirements for sport; cardiovascular and respiratory adaptations to exercise; thermoregulation and electrolyte balance; physical performance and ageing.

Biomechanics, 7.5 credits, Core 
Organiser Prof D Grieve (Institute of Human Performance) 
Key principles of mechanics; biomechanics of the limbs and the spine; walking; running; jumping; lifting. This course will also include a brief introduction to ergonomics and a small number of prosection sessions covering the anatomy of the limbs and of the trunk and spine. 

Research Methods, 7.5 credits, Core 
Organisers Prof Bruce Lynn, Dr Peter Tatham (Physiology Dept) 
The scientific method; what we mean by "evidence based"; principles of experimental design; introduction to statistics; how to use spread sheets; use of web-based bibliographic tools.  This module uses a web-based, problem centred, approach and can be taken largely by distance learning.

	Advanced Physiotherapy Sports Skills, 30 credits, Core Organiser Ann Thomson (Director of Postgraduate Physiotherapy) This module is designed to cover a wide range of skills for the treatment / rehabilitation and prevention of sports injuries based on a thorough procedure for examination, assessment and diagnosis. For more details click here.
		Students in the Skills Lab, Archway Campus

Clinical Education in Sports Physiotherapy, 30 credits, Core
Organiser Ann Thomson (Director of Postgraduate. Physiotherapy)
This module covers the integration of theoretical concepts, clinical reasoning, justification of intervention, analysis of outcome and the development of advances in physiotherapy skills for the holistic rehabilitation of injured. For more details click here.

Musculoskeletal tissues in Health & Disease, 15 credits, Option
Organiser, Prof Alan Boyde (Anatomy Dept) 
This module will concentrate on both mineralised tissues and joints, their biology, physiology and pathology. Included in the course will be introductions to rheumatology and immunology. 

Control of Movement, 7.5 credits, Option  
Organiser Dr Margaret Mayston (Physiology Dept) 
Proprioception; integration at spinal cord level; Motor centres in the brain; posture and locomotion; motor learning. 

Fundamentals of Pain, 7.5 credits, Option  
Organiser Prof Bruce Lynn (Physiology Dept) 
Pain mechanisms; pain signalling from muscle and joint; pain and inflammation; neuropathic pain; back pain; problem upper limb pain; psychological approaches to pain management.

Sport for the Disabled, 7.5 credits, Option Prof. M Ferguson-Pell (RNOH) Progressing from a hist-orical perspective of restriction to prescrip-tion, this module covers many aspects of sport for the disabled, such as issues of inclusion, elite disability sport, specialised equipment, and principles of adapted physical activity.
		Swimming pool for disabled and abled at the Aspire Centre, RNOH where the Sport for the Disabled module is based.

Sport, Exercise and Health, 7.5 credits, Option
Organisers, Mr Panos Thomas (Whittington Hospital), Prof Bruce Lynn (UCL)
The effect of specific diseases such as diabetes and asthma on sport participants; health problems caused by exercise; the contribution of exercise to the health of the general population; exercise and health issues for specific groups (children, women, disabled, elderly).

Sports Psychology, 7.5 credits, Option
Dr Rhonda Cohen (Middlesex University)
This module will introduce a range of psychological factors underpinning sports performance and bearing on exercise and the risk of injury. These include stress, personality, attention and the issue of burnout.

Research Project, 60 credits, Core  An initial literature survey will lead to the formulation of a research plan. The project will then be carried out and written up as a detailed research report. The results will also be presented orally at the end of the course. Each project will have a 1st Supervisor who provides the main support, and a 2nd supervisor who acts as a further source of advice and helps with the assessment.

Student working on project at the Institute of Human Performance

Examples of sports-related project titles from the last 2 years (carried out by students on the Neuromusculoskeletal MSc Programme): 

• A novel physiotherapy treatment that alters control strategy in vertical jumping. 
• Injuries to the spine in tennis: single handed backhand and double handed backhand.
  
  

Relation of Graduate Diploma to the MSc. 
The taught elements of the course, totalling 120 credits, are sufficient in themselves to gain a UCL Graduate Diploma. If a student wishes, they may subsequently re-enrol to do a research project, and if successful will be awarded an MSc. Fees for the Graduate Diploma are 2/3 those of the MSc, i.e. pro rata in terms of credit value. 
 
 
Part-time study 
The modular structure allows the course to be taken part-time, with up to 5 years allowed under UCL regulations. We do not recommend spending more than 3 years, as otherwise the experience of being within the college environment becomes excessively diluted. As our current part-time students would confirm, the key for part time study is flexibility! Several different routes through the modules are possible to suit individual circumstances. Students interested in part-time study should discuss the options with the Director of Postgraduate Physiotherapy, Ann Thomson. 
 
 Assessment

Assessment of taught modules
These will be assessed by course work and written exams. The exams will be at the end of the academic year, not at the end of the module. 

Assessment of Clinical Education, see module details 

Assessment of Sports Physiotherapy Skills, see module details

Assessment of the project 

The following elements will be assessed: 

1. The research report (limit 10,000 words), which must include a literature review.
2. The oral presentation 

Viva
Selected students have a viva with the external examiner(s) and an internal examiner (usually one of the course tutors). This further explores the research results and method, the essay topic and any other aspect of the course that the examiners have identified as a strength or weakness in the student. 

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