Cardiff No 1 for Physiotherapy in the UK
13 May 2014
The School of Healthcare Sciences has been ranked first in the UK for physiotherapy and 10th for nursing in the Complete University Guide 2015.
Professor Sheila Hunt, Dean and Head of School, commented:
"'I'm delighted that we have been recognised for the quality of the education we provide for future generations of healthcare professionals. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our academic and professional services staff and reflects the excellence of the research being undertaken within the school, as well as the learning and teaching environment we provide."
Cardiff retained its place as first in the UK for Physiotherapy in the league table for the second year in a row. It remains one of the most popular degree programmes in terms of applications, with over 700 applications every year for an average of 90 places. Graduates from the course have excellent career prospects with our alumni specialising in clinical work, NHS management, research and education.
Sue Richardson, Professional Head for physiotherapy, said:
"The undergraduate programme provides a supportive environment with a strong emphasis on professionalism and evidence based practice. We have strong links with clinical colleagues across Wales, which provides students with an excellent portfolio of physiotherapy experiences; this equips them to face current challenges in health and social care."
The School currently has 296 students undertaking the BSc in Physiotherapy. As well as benefiting from access to the School's state-of-the-art facilities, including movement analysis laboratories and a Virtual Rehabilitation Suite, practical experience is at the heart of their study. Students gaining a wealth of experience by virtue of dedicated engagement initiatives. The School runs its own sports physiotherapy clinic based at the University's Sports Centre, providing invaluable clinical experience for students. The University also runs the Cardiff Inspire programme, which provides volunteer opportunities for physiotherapists to support athletes across Wales. As part of this programme physiotherapy staff and students were involved with the Pre-Olympic and Paralympic Training Camps, and were awarded a London 2012 Inspire Award for their support of athletes of all abilities.
Students at the School are unsurprised that their University has been recognised for the quality of its teaching and learning experience, with third-year student Matthew Virden commenting:
"Our lecturers all have an extremely high level of expertise and are willing and enthusiastic to share this with students. They are really committed to developing us to become the best practitioners we can possibly be.
"The stand out feature of the course is the experience you gain on your clinical placements. We have the opportunity to get stuck in and hands on in a variety of placements, including the opportunity to experience critical care situations."