Digital tools and adapted education in vocational subjects Programme description

The admission requirements are the Higher Education Entrance Qualification or an assessment of prior learning and work experience, cf. the Regulations for admission to higher education. In connection with admission to the Bachelor’s Programme in Physiotherapy, applicants must submit a transcript of police records.

The use of clothing that covers the face is incompatible with taking the programme’s theoretical and practical training courses. During the practical training, the students must comply with the clothing regulations in force at all times at the relevant practical training establishment.

Requirements for admission based on prior learning and work experience

• The applicant must be over 25 years of age
• The applicant can not have general study competence
• The applicant must document a minimum of five year full-time professional experience within the teaching, health or social sector or equivalent, where the applicant has worked with patients, students or clients.

Course requirements

• Norwegian 393 hours
• English 140 hours

French 1 a part-time study programme, comprising two courses of 15 ECTS credits each:

• French and didactics for French 1, modul 1
• French and didactics for French 1, modul 2

After completing the Bachelor’s Programme in Physiotherapy, the candidate should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate has

• knowledge of different perspectives on the body, movement, functioning, health and illness and is able to reflect on these perspectives’ role in the professional practise of physiotherapists
• broad knowledge of human movement development and what promotes development and learning across the lifespan
• broad knowledge of the structures and functions of the body and normal functioning, and knowledge of the causes, mechanisms and development of disease, as well as structural and functional changes to organs, tissues and cells in connection with disease
• insight into how people’s health and functioning are affected by the interaction between individual, social, environmental and cultural factors across the lifespan
• broad knowledge of the theoretical and empirical basis for assessing and implementing measures at the individual, group and society level
• knowledge of the physiotherapy field’s history and development and the profession’s social mission, as well as applicable legislation and policy guidelines for the health service and the professional practice of physiotherapists

Skills

The candidate can

• map and assess the individual’s functioning, pain condition and other health challenges, identify health resources and impeding factors, and identify symptoms of potentially serious underlying pathology
• plan, implement and evaluate health-promoting, preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative and habilitative measures in cooperation with users at the individual, group and/or system level
• reflect critically on the knowledge basis of their own practice and acquire necessary knowledge
• critically evaluate and integrate information from different sources, and make clinical decisions based on evidence-based assessments and priorities
• obtain information about public health and prevalence of illness in the population, as well as map environmental factors that are important to people’s health and quality of life from the perspective of the individual and public health
• apply educational competence when providing guidance to patients and next of kin, as well as other service providers undergoing learning, coping or change processes
• document and communicate the results of assessments and measures in the form of patient records

General competence

The candidate can

• apply communication, relational and cultural competence and show respect, care and empathy in their dealings with patients/users and next of kin, and facilitate user participation at the individual and service level
• work independently, participate in interprofessional cooperation and manage collaborations to create holistic and comprehensive measures and services
• identify, reflect on and handle ethical issues in their practice, work in a professionally sound manner, assess the risk of undesirable incidents and is familiar with methods for following up such incidents in a systematic manner
• contribute to service innovation, continuous quality improvement and the development and application of user-oriented technology at the individual and service level
• plan, carry out and document professional development projects
• disseminate subject matter in writing, orally and in digital formats, in a style appropriate to academia and popular science

The programme is a comprehensive course of study in that its academic content, teaching methods and practical training are linked. There should be a clear link between the learning outcomes described, learning activities and forms of assessment. The work and teaching methods used and the areas covered in the programme are organised in such a way as to promote both theoretical understanding and practical action competence. Practical training and supervision in relation to different skills are therefore included in all years of the programme. The ordinary workload is about 40 hours per week.

This includes self-study, organised teaching and exams. The academic year is 40 weeks long and comprises 60 credits.

The programme is divided into 15 compulsory courses and incorporates both practical and theoretical teaching at the university and external practical training. The learning outcomes described under each course describe the student’s expected progress in terms of competence and independence throughout the programme. All courses conclude with a final assessment.

First year of the programme

In the first year of the programme, basic examination and assessment skills are important. Theoretical knowledge about the musculoskeletal system, communication and ethical reflection are highlighted, and the students will practise applying the knowledge through various skills training. The principles of evidence-based practice are elucidated in a separate course and will be activated in the various learning activities throughout the programme. The anatomy and physiology of different bodily systems are also highlighted, as well as the body’s ability to adapt, motor learning, and theoretical perspectives on coping and motivation. Students will apply this theoretical knowledge through various skills training. Public health strategies and key health policy guidelines are dealt with in a separate course.

Second year of the programme

The second year of the programme focuses on the assessment of and physiotherapy measures adapted to patients with different health conditions. Students will gain experience of applying knowledge about illness in assessment and planning, and cooperation and user participation will also be key topics. Rehabilitation and habilitation are introduced as knowledge areas, and, throughout the year, physiotherapy is discussed in relation to different arenas and phases in life. The second year of the programme includes both skills training and practical training.

Third year of the programme

In the third year of the programme, the students carry out a bachelor’s project that will culminate in a bachelor’s thesis. The students will spend a large part of the year in practical training at institutions in the municipal health service and specialist health service. The last semester of the programme will also focus on the use of technology. Students will be able to exchange experience from practical training. Through their work of finding solutions to various physiotherapy-related problems, the students will learn to use relevant sources of knowledge (own experience, patients’ experience and research) critically. Reference is made to the course descriptions for more detailed information about of the content of the individual courses in the programme.

Study progress

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

• Students must have passed the first year of the programme before they can start the second year.
• Students must have passed the second year of the programme before they can start the third year.
• In the third year of the programme, students must have passed FYBPRA1 in order to start FYBPRA2.

Courses and teaching activities taught jointly with other programmes at OsloMet

The Bachelor’s Programme in Physiotherapy includes the following courses and teaching activities that also form part of other programmes at the university :

• FYB1050 Public Health and Health Management, 5 credits
• FYB1060 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Health Care, 5 credit
• FYB1070 Technology and Society I, 5 credits
• INTERACT (Interprofessional Interaction with Children and Youth)

In the courses FYB1050 Public Health and Health Management (5 credits) and FYB1060 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Health Care (5 credits), different academic environments at the Faculty of Health Sciences join forces to provide the students with a common competence platform in line with national guidelines. In FYB1050, focus is on the health services organisation, health legislation and administration, and preventive and health promoting work. In FYB1060, students learn about the rationale for evidence-based practice, with a focus on critical thinking and shared decision-making. For more details, see the individual course descriptions.

The course FYB1070 Technology and SocietyI forms part of most bachelor's programmes at OsloMet. The course provides a fundamental understanding of the digital world and how technology influences people’s lives and the way in which they work, and will help the students to enter the labour market with a fundamental understanding of technology. The Department of Computer Science at OsloMet has the responsibility for the practical aspects of the course provision. See the course description for more detailed information.

INTERACT (Interprofessional Interaction with Children and Youths) is an interdisciplinary teaching project at OsloMet, where students from both the health and social care subjects and the teacher/kindergarten teacher education programmes meet in interdisciplinary groups. The purpose of this is to ensure that the students acquire the skills needed to meet society’s demand for better coordination of services that concern children and young people. INTERACT is based on pedagogical principles of interactivity and spiral learning, with extensive use of digital learning and assessment tools to support learning.

The teaching (INTER1100, INTER1200 and INTER1300) is carried out in the first teaching week each spring semester for students in the first, second and third study year of the programme, respectively, and is integrated as a compulsory coursework requirement in the existing courses in the programme description. In the Bachelor’s Programme in Physiotherapy, INTERACT is included in the following courses: FYB1300 Body, Movement and Activity, FYB2300 Health and Participation Throughout the Life Span - II and FYB3000 Complexity and Diversity in Physiotherapy Practice. See About INTERACT - INTERACT (oslomet.no) for a more detailed description of INTERACT.

The programme’s learning outcomes cover a broad spectrum. This requires varied and complex work and teaching methods in order to support students’ learning process. The work methods promote learning processes that build on the students’ own activity and responsibility for their own learning. Students are expected to use problem-solving work methods and develop their ability to work both in groups and independently. A good learning outcome is first and foremost dependent on the students’ own effort. This applies both to benefiting from teaching and academic supervision and to independent work in the form of theoretical studies and practical skills training. Independent work includes both cooperation with fellow students and individual work.

The following work and teaching methods are used in the course: lectures, digital learning resources, seminars, skills training, lab exercises, clinical training, self-study, project work and other independent or group assignments. The students may also be taken on excursions.

The students will receive regular supervision and feedback throughout the study period, both in connection with theoretical tuition, written assignments and clinical training.

LecturesLectures will primarily be used to introduce important subject matter. The purpose of the lectures is to highlight connections and main elements in topics, and to communicate relevant issues. The theory lectures will mainly take place at Oslo University Hospital (OUS) – the Norwegian Radium Hospital, or through the use of digital learning resources.

Seminars Seminars are used to focus on a specific topic and require active participation by the students. The seminars are led by the course lecturer and are a forum for discussing and communicating issues in the field of radiography. Seminars normally require advance preparation, which can be done using digital resources, academic texts, articles and interactive assignments.

Written assignments The students will work continuously throughout the study period on written reports and project assignments, individually and in groups. Presentations in plenary sessions to fellow students, lecturers and others may also be relevant. The work will give the students experience of presenting their own knowledge, experience and opinions, in writing and orally. Students will receive feedback on their written assignments from the supervisor and/or fellow students.

Skills training and lab exercisesSkills training and lab exercises take place in smaller groups. In clinical practice in radiotherapy, skills training will take place in different modalities where the students acquire skills through clinical training and reflection. In clinical physics and dosimetry, lab exercises will be carried out and tuition will be provided in how to conduct different measurements and calculations.

Stays abroad will be facilitated. Researchers from foreign institutions will be invited to give lectures and seminars. Students are encouraged to seek membership in relevant international research networks.

Internationalisation improves the quality of education and strengthens the academic community on the programme, at the same time as it prepares the students to become global citizens. The increasing globalisation of the labour market also makes international professional experience, language skills and cultural knowledge more and more important.

The use of international course literature and a focus on multicultural and global issues in the programme contribute to knowledge about and understanding of the opportunities and challenges inherent in diverse societies, both nationally and internationally. Syllabus written in the English language provides students with experience of reading academic literature and international research. An understanding of English academic literature is important to be able to actively participate in the international physiotherapy community.

The programme staff cooperates on research and education with a number of institutions in other countries. Students are given the possibility of gaining international experience and achieving related learning outcomes through learning activities at the university, locally in Oslo, through meetings with physiotherapy students on exchanges in Norway, and through the use of English as the language of instruction in selected courses. Students can choose to write their bachelor’s thesis in English, Norwegian or another of the Scandinavian languages. Students who go on exchanges must write their thesis in English if the exchange stay is in a country outside Scandinavia.

International semester (incoming exchanges)

In the spring semester, the programme can receive students who have been admitted to programmes at foreign institutions of higher education. Students who are admitted can take courses taught in English in all of the spring semesters (second, fourth and sixth semester).

Courses that can be taught in English or in Norwegian will only be taught in English if international students have been accepted as incoming exchange students.

• FYB1050 Public Health and Health Management (5 credits)
• FYB1060 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Health Care (5 credits)
• FYB1070 Technology and Society (5/10 credits)
• FYB2210 Physiotherapy for Health Conditions INT (15 credits)

Exchanges

Students are encouraged to take part of their education at an institution abroad. The programme has many partners abroad that might be relevant for students wanting to go on an exchange. Students in the physiotherapy programme can take three to six months of the programme abroad, primarily in the fourth semester. Students can only go on an exchange if the partner institution offers courses in subject areas corresponding to those covered by the programme in the semester in which the student wants to go on an exchange.

For nærmere informasjon om vurdering, sensur og vurderingsuttrykk, se emneplan for PVUB6000.

Programme description:

Adopted by the department board at the Department of Health Sciences on 28 March 2001.

Latest amendments approved by the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences on 16 June 2024.

Latest update on 12 June 2025.

The programme description applies to students starting the programme in 2025.