Degree Programme in Physiotherapy

Objectives

The aim of physiotherapy is to promote movement and occupational and functional abilities by supporting the clients’ participation, together with people close to them. The work of a physiotherapist includes, in particular, assessing and strengthening clients’ own resources for movement and reducing environmental restrictions.

Degree programme description

The degree in physiotherapy covers 210 ECTS credits. The studies consist of core competence studies (165 ECTS credits) and complementary competence studies (45 ECTS credits).

During the first year of studies, you learn the basics of a physiotherapist’s work. The studies focus on the dimensions of health and functional capacity, learning exercise skills, and encountering clients in physiotherapy. You also study the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system and the basics of the body's basic vital functions, which are important for the profession of a physiotherapist. You develop your skills in functional capacity assessment and guiding a physiotherapy client. You can strengthen your language and communication skills during the first year.

During the second year, you become familiar with the risk factors and mechanisms of various diseases and dysfunctions and their effects on health and functional capacity. You learn to use physiotherapy methods with different target groups and develop your competence in clinical reasoning and guiding a physiotherapy client. You learn to recognise individual and life course-related factors affecting the rehabilitation process of a physiotherapy client and understand the Finnish health, social and rehabilitation service system. You learn to use the methods of physiotherapeutic research, assessment, and influence during the different stages of the physiotherapy process in professional settings.

During the third year, you apply physiotherapy methods in various customer situations. You strengthen your professional skills according to your own interests and choices. You develop your competence in supporting the client's participation and agency in the various stages of the rehabilitation process, utilising multiprofessional cooperation. You also start working on your bachelor’s thesis.

The last semester of the studies strengthens your expertise with your final practical training period and your bachelor’s thesis.

Each semester includes supervised practical training, initially implemented on the Savonlinna campus. As the studies progress, practical training takes place in workplaces located in different parts of Finland − in various health care and rehabilitation environments − to give you a versatile picture of a physiotherapist's work.

The core competence studies in physiotherapy (165 ECTS credits) consist of the following study modules of 15 to 75 ECTS credits:

• Common studies (30 ECTS credits)
• Professional studies (45 ECTS credits)
• Anatomy and physiology of human body (10 ECTS credits)
• Health and functional capacity (10 ECTS credits)
• Exercise skills teaching, guidance and counselling (10 ECTS credits)
• Client-specific multi-professional rehabilitation (15 ECTS credits)
• Bachelor's thesis (15 ECTS credits)
• Practical training and clinical practice (75 ECTS credits)

In the complementary competence studies (45 ECTS), you can deepen and expand your professional competence in accordance with your study and career plan. You can also choose courses from other degree programmes and universities of applied sciences.


Complementary competence at Xamk

Complementary competence comprises students’ optional studies. Complementary competence deepens or expands the core competence of the degree programme and allows you to specialise in a particular area. For professional optional studies, you can choose from individual courses or study modules in accordance with your personal study plan. The complementary competence selection includes Xamk-level multidisciplinary online studies, field-specific studies, and degree programme specific studies.

Other optional studies included in complementary competence are higher education courses that students can freely choose. You can choose up to 15 ECTS credits of other optional studies. You may also complete complementary competence study modules or courses from the selection of other higher education institutions, where applicable. The scope of complementary competence is, depending on the scope of core competence studies, 45–120 ECTS credits in degrees comprising 210 credits and 60–120 ECTS credits in degrees comprising 240 credits.

Implementation of studies

You can complete your physiotherapy studies as either daytime or blended studies (part-time) on the Savonlinna campus. Both studies take about 3.5 years to complete.

Daytime and blended studies differ in that daytime studies take mainly place as contact learning five days a week, whereas the contact teaching of blended studies is carried out two days a week. Blended studies contain more independent studying than daytime studies.

Both studies involve different learning methods and environments varying from independent learning assignments and exams to group work, online learning, working life projects and practical training.

During the first two years, both daytime and blended studies are carried out mainly on the Savonlinna campus, after which the studies focus on practical training and complementary competence studies. It is also possible to complete complementary competence studies partly online, according to your own choices.

The studies include 75 ECTS credits of practical training, of which 30 ECTS credits are carried out on campus and in projects in a variety of practical situations. The remaining 45 ECTS credits take place between the 3rd and 7th semesters of the studies as clinical practice outside the campus. You can also complete these training periods, for example, in your home region.


Flexible study opportunities

At the beginning of the studies, you prepare your personal study plan (PSP) which helps you make choices related to the studies, practical training, bachelor’s thesis and international activities. We make every effort to ensure that you can plan your studies in the best way possible, according to your own life situation.

The studies are implemented using various methods:
· lectures
· independent assignments
· teamwork
· online studies
· projects with companies and other organisations
· projects carried out at South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences
· examinations
· practical training.

Career opportunities

Physiotherapists work as self-employed entrepreneurs or are employed by others in, for example, hospitals, health centres, rehabilitation and research centres, and nursing homes. Occupational healthcare, sports and disability organisations, expert, educational and project tasks, social welfare services, daycare centres and school and sports activities also employ physiotherapists.

At work, physiotherapists assess the movement, functional capacity and disability of clients or rehabilitation patients in their own operating environments. The most common assessment methods are interview, observation, manual examination, questionnaires and various tests and measurements.

Physiotherapy implementation plans and impact assessment plans, which are based on clinical decision-making and physiotherapeutic diagnosis, are drawn up together with clients. Physiotherapy methods are evidence-based and include guidance and counselling for health and functional ability, therapeutic exercise, manual and physical therapy, assistive devices, and the design and ergonomics of clients’ operating environments.

Physiotherapists collaborate with many health professionals. Their work is usually a day job, and the competence needed in the work includes skills in:

• physiotherapeutic research and assessment
• physiotherapeutic guidance and counselling
• physiotherapeutic therapy
• entrepreneurship
• physiotherapeutic development and technology

In order to develop professionally, physiotherapists follow the latest research and acquire further education. Would your dream job be, for example, in one of the following?
• hospital
• health center
• rehabilitation center
• your own physiotherapy company
• occupational health care
• research or medical facility
• specialist position
• sports or other organisation

Only qualified professionals can work in the profession of a physiotherapist. Upon graduation, you apply for professional rights at Valvira, National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health.

RDI and cooperation with world of work

Students of physiotherapy are involved in research, development and innovation (RDI) projects. You can participate in RDI projects in different ways in connection with your courses and/or bachelor’s thesis. You learn to understand the meaning of RDI activities and their possibilities in the continuous development of working life. You learn to plan and implement innovative practices to develop working life in your field.

Xamk is involved in several research, development, and innovation projects that develop services and products to promote the wellbeing of the population. Bachelor’s theses can be integrated into regional RDI projects, or they can offer information or products to serve the needs of the world of work.

Learning environments

Physiotherapy studies are carried out in various learning environments. You learn interaction, teamwork, self-management skills and responsibility, which are requirements for working as a physiotherapist.

Studies on the Savonlinna campus involve learning in hospital and home simulation environments, function labs and in work-related projects. You can complete some of your studies by working in multidisciplinary small groups.

A significant part of studying happens outside the classroom in a workplace during your clinical practice training in the field of rehabilitation (in hospitals, health centres, rehabilitation centres and private clinics). You can choose your practical training environments and also complete part of the practical training abroad. In addition to the traditional practical training, you can participate in different kinds of work-related projects.