Bachelor’s Programme in Physiotherapy Programme description

The Bachelor Programme in Physiotherapy is a three-year professional degree programme (180 ECTS credits). Completion of the programme qualifies for a Bachelor´s degree in Physiotherapy and provides the basis for a one-year of supervised practical training (internship). The completed Bachelor studies and one year of approved internship qualifies for authorisation as a physiotherapist in accordance with the Health Personnel Act.

The programme description is developed in accordance with the National Regulation on Common Curriculum for Health and Social Care Education and the National Guideline for Physiotherapy Education, as stipulated by the Ministry of Education and Research. The programme is governed by the Universities and University Colleges Act and the Regulation on Studies and Examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University. According to the National Guideline for Physiotherapy Education, the programme shall educate students with specialised competence in examining the body, movement, and function; setting clinical diagnoses; assessing indication for interventions; and implementing and evaluating these interventions. Students are expected to acquire a broad competence in improving, maintaining, and developing movement and function to promote mastery, quality of life, and participation.

Physiotherapists require competency in caring for individuals from diverse social groups, across all life stages, with varying functional levels and health conditions. The education ensures that students respect individual needs and the right to involvement. In addition to individual-oriented work, physiotherapists are expected to contribute at group and systemic levels to promote public health and societal sustainability. Physiotherapists shall provide expertise in interprofessional and targeted collaborative processes within the health and care sector and across other sectors.

The programme aims to foster a clear professional identity among students and enable them to participate in the development of physiotherapy as a knowledge domain to meet current and future societal needs. Furthermore, the education shall ensure competence and attitudes that form the basis for equitable services for all societal groups, including recognition of the Sami people’s status as an Indigenous population and their rights to linguistically- and culturally adapted services.

The Physiotherapy programme at OsloMet has emphasis on a comprehensive approach to digital competence and innovation throughout the curriculum. Society, education, and clinical practice are undergoing extensive digital transformation, which imposes high competence requirements for current and future health professionals. Examples within physiotherapy include the use of video consultations and artificial intelligence (AI) in interventions for patients, service users, and relatives. Many emerging technologies are reshaping professional practice and challenging service organisation. Consequently, graduates are required to possess essential digital competence at both individual and systemic levels and to contribute to service innovation and systematic, quality-enhancing work processes.

Relevance to working life

Physiotherapists work as healthcare professionals in local rehabilitation services, health promotion centres, schools and kindergartens, health centres, nursing homes, community care services, and physiotherapy clinics. Moreover, they work in various areas within the specialist health services and are employed at hospitals and rehabilitation institutions. In these settings, physiotherapists contribute to healthcare for patients in the acute phase of illness, during early rehabilitation, and for those requiring specialised rehabilitation. Physiotherapists also engage in assessment, advising, and adaptation of individual work environments. Through the programme’s emphasis on digital competence and innovation, graduates will gain future-orientated skills that are highly relevant across healthcare services, education, and other sectors of working life.

Relevance to further education

A Bachelor's degree in physiotherapy qualifies for admission to several further education programmes and Master's studies. Particularly relevant Master's programmes include physiotherapy, rehabilitation, or health technology. A Master's degree may also qualify for admission to PhD programmes, such as Health Sciences at OsloMet.

The target group is anyone who wants a Bachelor's degree in physiotherapy, both for professional practice as a physiotherapist and as a starting point for further studies.

General university admissions competence or prior learning is required, in accordance with the Regulations on Admission to Higher Education. For admission to the physiotherapy programme, applicants must also present a police certificate of conduct at the start of the programme.

The use of face-covering clothing is not compatible with the completion of the programme. When carrying out practical training, students must comply with the current guidelines for clothing that apply to the individual practical training institution.

Requirements for all applicants with prior learning

• You must be 25 years of age or older
• You cannot have general university admissions certification

Requirements for professional practice/ Work Experience Requirements

• You must document a minimum of 5 years of full-time professional practice in the health care or social sector, or equivalent
• During the practice, you must have experience of working with patients or clients

Subject Requirements

• Norwegian 393 hours
• English 140 hours

On completion of the Bachelor's degree 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 the body's structure, function, movement, and factors that affect health, activity and participation
• has knowledge of physiotherapeutic examination, interventions, assessment and functional changes
• can account for evidence-based practice in physiotherapy
• has knowledge of the organisation of the health service, multidisciplinary cooperation, and the individual's right to autonomy, user involvement and shared decision-making
• has knowledge of habilitation, rehabilitation, clinical pathways and coordinated services
• has knowledge of health literacy and strategies to promote the users’ and patients' ability to make informed health choices
• has insight into how social, economic and cultural factors affect health and health choices, and can plan interventions that promote public health and social participation in a diverse society
• has insight into cultural perceptions of health and disease, and the history and development of physiotherapy
• has knowledge of research ethics, empirical methods, philosophy of science and society's health and social priorities, including indigenous peoples' rights and public health
• has knowledge of digital technology, innovation processes and quality improvement measures for health services at the individual and system level

Skills

The candidate can

• analyse posture, movement and function using professional terminology and reflect on the body, health and illness
• apply examination findings, set clinical diagnoses and consider need for further referral
• use their body and hands precisely and respectfully in examination and treatment, and adapt this to patients in all phases of life
• apply research-based knowledge in physiotherapeutic professional practice and activities, as well as laws, regulations and guidelines
• plan, implement and adjust measures in cooperation with the patient and relatives, including the use of assistive devices that promote movement and function
• identify neglect, violence and abuse, as well ability to talk to children about such topics and refer if necessary
• use interpersonal and communication skills to motivate and collaborate with patients and relatives
• apply professional competence in supervision, multidisciplinary collaboration and in the assessment and use of digital technology
• ensure equitable services for all groups in society, including vulnerable groups, and handle ethical issues
• acquire new knowledge, make professional assessments and apply clinical reasoning in practice
• assess the risk of adverse events and be proficient in methods for following this up in a systematic manner
• utilise digital technology and contribute to innovation and systematic improvement processes in healthcare services to promote quality, treatment and communication

General competence

The candidate

• has insight into how health, function and participation are affected by the interaction between physiological and social processes, environmental, cultural and personal conditions, as well as factors such as neglect, violence, substance abuse and socioeconomic inequalities
• can communicate physiotherapy-related knowledge to different target groups, participate in multidisciplinary collaboration, and lead habilitation/rehabilitation processes and individual plans
• has insight into the connections between health and health policy priorities, education, work and living conditions
• can plan and carry out work independently, lead systematic professional development projects, participate in service innovation and quality improvement in line with legislation and advice and recommendations on digital security
• can reflect on, contribute to, and collaborate on innovation, technological development and quality improvement in health services, both at the individual and system level
• can reflect on key theories in ethics, inclusion and non-discrimination to meet different patient groups with respect and empathy
• can critically assess his/her own role in relation to authority and professionalism in health practice

The content and structure of the study programme (see below) is based on the following six areas of competence defined in the Regulations relating to national guidelines for physiotherapy education (Section 3):

• Body, movement and function
• Examination, assessment, diagnosis and interventions
• Interaction and communication
• Habilitation and rehabilitation
• Ethics and cultural understanding
• Critical thinking, quality assurance and innovation
• Society and public health

The programme consists of 16 compulsory courses and includes both practical and theoretical teaching at the university, as well as external clinical placements within municipal and specialist health services. Each academic year corresponds to 60 ECTS credits.

The programme is designed to provide academic coherence and a clear connection between content, teaching and learning methods, and assessment. Knowledge of and contact with clinical practice is essential; therefore, practical training is integrated into all three years of study. The learning outcomes described for each course reflect the expected progression in students’ competence and independence throughout the programme. All courses conclude with a final assessment.

The first year of study focuses on the structure of the human body and the examination of body, movement and function. This includes using one’s own body and hands with clarity, precision, confidence, sensitivity, and respect, and applying and adapting examinations when meeting patients across all life stages to understand their resources and limitations. The first year also covers the physiotherapist’s role as a supervisor, exercise science, and evidence-based practice. Clinical placement during the first year introduces students to the physiotherapy profession.

The second year of study includes courses where students analyse, interpret, and critically evaluate examination findings, establish clinical diagnoses as a basis for interventions, and assess the need for referral. This also involves applying and adapting examinations for patients in all life stages to understand their resources and limitations. Furthermore, students learn to apply and adapt instruction and guidance during assessment and treatment. Clinical placement in the second year provides further experience in examining the body, movement, and function, making clinical diagnoses, assessing indications for interventions, and implementing and evaluating these.

The third year of study addresses diversity, critical thinking, quality assurance, technology and innovation. As part of this, the students complete a written assignment that provides opportunities to immerse themselves in a chosen topic and scientific method. The third year includes two separate clinical placements, with a particular focus on practice as part of the healthcare system.

All courses conclude with a final assessment. More detailed information about the content of the individual courses is available in the programme plan. The academic year is 40 weeks long, and the expected workload is 40 hours per week. The number of hours includes organised teaching as stated in the timetable, students’ self-study, coursework requirements, and exams.

INTERACT - Interprofessional Teaching Programme Shared with Other Professional Education Programmes at OsloMet

INTERACT (Interprofessional Interaction with Children and Youth - INTER1100, INTER1200, and INTER1300) is an interprofessional teaching programme at OsloMet, where students from both health and social sciences and teacher/early childhood education programmes meet in interprofessional groups. The aim is to ensure that students gain competence to meet society’s demands for better coordination of services affecting children and youth. The teaching programme is based on pedagogical principles of interactivity and spiral learning, with extensive use of digital learning and assessment tools to support learning. The teaching programme is conducted at the beginning of January for each academic year. For more information, see: https://www.oslomet.no/forskning/forskningsprosjekter/interact

Participation in INTERACT (INTER1100, INTER1200, and INTER1300) is complusory and must be approved to be awarded a diploma.

Study progress

The following progression requirements apply to the programme:

• To begin the second year of study, the student may have no more than one failed course from the first year.
• The student must have passed the second year of the programme before the student can start the third year.
• Within the third year, the course FYBPRA1 must be passed before the student can start FYBPRA2.

Didactic plan for the study programme

The Bachelor’s programme in Physiotherapy is designed to facilitate student-centered and active learning approaches based on recognised pedagogical methods. To ensure a coherent and effective learning process, the programme emphasises meaningful alignment between learning outcomes, learning activities, and assessments. Furthermore, variation in learning activities—both within and across courses—is prioritised.

Healthcare professionals are increasingly expected to work in teams and engage in multidisciplinary collaboration. This also requires competence in teaching and supervision. To develop and strengthen these skills, the programme incorporates a significant amount of group-based and student-centred learning activities throughout the curriculum. This competence is further linked to key concepts, such as health literacy. In line with recognised models and theories for teaching and learning, the study programme will contain coherent and progressive learning programmes. This means building up the students' learning from the

fact-based and referential, to the reflective, evaluative and innovative. This is particularly important when it comes to topics that are consistent throughout the programme.

Digital technology and innovation are a special focus area for the study programme, where the goal is to strengthen students' digital competence and innovation capacity. This will be reflected through the pedagogical use of technology throughout the study programme and how this is linked to the provision of services as health professionals. A more detailed description of the most common work and teaching methods used in the programme is listed below. The programme plan indicates which methods are relevant in each individual course.

Independent work

Independent work involves both collaboration with fellow students and individual work. Students are expected to work independently with both the curriculum, digital resources, assignments, preparation before teaching sessions, and take responsibility for the common learning environment.

Skills training and simulation The students acquire skills through practical training on each other, in role-play, simulation or with users/patients. They develop the therapist role through guidance and teaching that promotes reflection on their own professional practice.

SeminarsSeminars can be conducted as case-based teaching where students solve complex tasks based on experiences from practice. Seminars can also be discussion forums to highlight different perspectives on central themes, or to help summarise learning outcomes towards the end of a course. Seminars can take place either digitally or through physical attendance.

Project work Through project assignments, students usually work in groups over an extended period. Projects often involve fieldwork that takes place off-campus.

LecturesLectures are mainly used to present new subject matter, explain connections, review examples of practice or highlight key elements within key topics. Lectures can take place in person or digitally. Often, a lecture will be connected to, or be integrated into, other forms of work, such as seminars

Group work Group work is used as a learning method in most courses. Working collaboratively on problem-solving, idea generation, and assignments strengthens students’ competence in group leadership, teamwork, and communication. The programme emphasises the importance of peer learning.

Practical training is the part of the education that takes place in authentic professional situations for physiotherapists. The practical training is compulsory and must cover at least 30 weeks (45 credits).

The practical training in the physiotherapy programme is structured to ensure a progressive development of the students' clinical skills, knowledge and professional competence in line with national and international standards. In the first year of study, students are introduced to patient communication, functional examinations, and ethical practice, while the second year of the programme expands the focus to the treatment of patients with various health conditions, with an emphasis on clinical reasoning and interprofessional collaboration. The third year of the programme builds on a systemic understanding of physiotherapy in the health service, including public health work and service innovation. The goal is that students graduate with solid competence, decision-making ability and critical thinking for different practice arenas.

In the practical training during the first and second year of study, students are expected to obtain an internship themselves, in accordance with further guidelines. This allows students to carry out practical training close to their home. In the third year of study, students will complete two longer periods of practical training, one in the primary health service and one in the specialist health service.

The university has agreements with several institutions in the health and care sector, and the internship for students will therefore vary. The majority of the physiotherapy education internships are located in Oslo and the eastern region (Akershus, Buskerud, Østfold and Vestfold). Students must be prepared to travel and/or move in connection with the practical training periods.

The student must follow the practical training institution's current regulations for working hours and clothing. There may also be separate requirements for infection control, tests and vaccination at the individual place of practice.

Internationalisation enhances the quality of education and the academic environment, which is essential in a globalised labour market where international professional experience, language proficiency, and cultural understanding are increasingly relevant.

Integration of multicultural and global issues in the programme contributes to gaining insight and understanding of the opportunities and challenges that a diverse society, both nationally and internationally, offers. By using the English language curriculum, students gain valuable experience in reading academic literature and international research articles. This is necessary for active participation in the international professional community within physiotherapy.

The programme's employees collaborate with several international institutions on research and education. Arrangements are made for students to be able to acquire international experience and achieve similar learning outcomes, both through the university's learning activities, through interactions with foreign physiotherapy students in Norway, and the use of English as the teaching language in selected courses. Students have the opportunity to write their bachelor's thesis in English, Norwegian or another Scandinavian language. If the students choose to travel abroad and the exchange is outside Scandinavia, the thesis must be written in English.

International Exchange Topic

The programme can accept students who have been admitted to programmes at higher education institutions abroad. Courses offered in English and Norwegian will be offered in English only if international students are admitted as exchange students.

• FYB2210 Physiotherapy for various health conditions II (15 credits)

Exchange

Students are encouraged to complete parts of their education at an international institution. Many of the programme's international partners are relevant as hosts for students who wish to go on exchange. Students in the physiotherapy programme can complete 3-6 months of their study abroad. Exchange is facilitated in the 3rd, 5th and 6th semesters. Exchange requires that the partner institution offers teaching in subject areas that correspond to the subject areas covered in the relevant semester for exchange.

Coursework requirements are all forms of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are set as a condition for taking an assessment/exam or passing practical training. Coursework requirements are assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements associated with each course are stated in the individual course description.

The purpose of the coursework requirements is to:

• promote progression and academic development in the programme
• encourage students to seek out and acquire new knowledge
• facilitate interaction and communication on academic issues

The student is responsible for ensuring that coursework requirements are met within the deadlines specified in the schedule. The programme’s main coursework requirements are in the form of compulsory attendance, oral presentations, written assignments and practical tests.

The programme has work requirements in the form of compulsory attendance, oral presentations, individual or group-based written work, and practical tests.

Compulsory attendance

The study programme emphasises a social learning environment with student-active learning methods. In order to develop knowledge, skills, suitability and clinical competence, students are expected to be present during scheduled teaching. There is compulsory attendance in areas with essential competence for physiotherapists, and where the student cannot acquire knowledge and skills through self-study alone. There is therefore a requirement for:

• 80 % attendance in teaching that is specified as "compulsory attendance" in the university's schedule system
• 90 % attendance in clinical practice

If the student exceeds the limit for absence, the lecturer can assess whether and in what way the absence can be compensated. The possibility of compensation depends on the degree of absence and which activities the student has not participated in. If the absence cannot be compensated, the student will be delayed in his/her course of education.

Written assignments

Several courses include compulsory written assignments. Written work that is not approved must be amended before re-submission. If resubmitted work is not approved. the student cannot perform the planned exam/assessment. Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Practical testsPractical exams are used to assess practical skills that are important for professional practice. If a student’s practical exam is assessed as ‘not approved’, he/she will be given another attempt before the ordinary exam. The student cannot sit the ordinary exam if the practical assessment is not approved after two attempts.

Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Different forms of assessment are utilised based on the learning outcomes for the different courses in the programme. The forms of assessment used are intended to support learning and document that the students’ competence is adequate in relation to the applicable learning outcomes. The students will receive advice and supervision and have their performance assessed during the programme. It is important and necessary to assess students’ knowledge and skills often, so that they receive feedback on whether their performance is in line with the programme’s requirements and whether they have achieved the learning outcomes.

The assessment of exams and clinical training is carried out in accordance with the applicable rules set out in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet and the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet.

ExamsMost courses conclude with an examination. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, and students are assessed based on whether they have achieved the stipulated learning outcomes. The grading scales used are pass/fail or letter grades from A to F, where A is the highest grade and E is the lowest passing grade. Grade F means that the examination is not passed.

Most courses have required coursework that must be approved before the student can take the exam. See the course description for further information.

Resit and rescheduled exams are conducted in the same manner as the ordinary exam unless otherwise specified in the course description. In the case of resit or rescheduled exams in courses with group exams, it may in special cases be applicable to take the resit/rescheduled exam individually.

For exams where a percentage of the exam papers are selected for assessment by an external examiner, the external examiner’s assessment must benefit the students. In such cases, one external and one internal examiner will first grade the selected papers. The internal examiner then continues grading the remaining papers in collaboration with another internal examiner. The assessments from the first part of the process are summarised to serve as guidelines for the further assessments performed by the two internal examiners.

Grades awarded for written exams can be appealed, cf. Section 11-10 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. It is not possible to appeal grades awarded for oral and practical exams. For a group exam, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidates who submitted the appeal. This means that all members of the group do not have to participate in the appeal.

Assessment of practical training

Practical training is assessed as pass/fail. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, the student's achievement of the learning outcomes, and the formative assessment. The formative assessment, i.e. the assessment of the student's knowledge, skills and suitability that is made during the practical training period, is summarised at the halfway point of the practical training period and at the end of the practical training period.

Passed practical training demands that the student achieves the required compulsory attendance. In the practical training courses, a minimum of 90% attendance is required. The attendance requirement includes both the time spent at the practical training institution and any teaching given during the programme in connection with the practical training.

If the student exceeds the limit for absence, the practice will be registered as Fail and counted as an attempt. If a student is awarded a fail grade twice for a clinical placement course, the student will normally have to leave the programme, cf. the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet

Suitability

A diploma for completed studies requires that the student is suitable for the profession. A student who poses a potential danger to the physical and mental health, rights and safety of patients and colleagues is considered not suitable for the profession. Suitability assessment takes place throughout the programme and is part of an overall assessment of the student's professional and personal qualifications for functioning as a health professional. Students who show little ability to master the physiotherapy profession must be informed of this as early as possible during their studies. They will receive guidance and advice so that they can improve or be advised to discontinue their education. Special suitability assessment is used in exceptional cases, cf. the Regulations relating to suitability assessment in higher education.

External examiner

The programme has an external examiner in line with the guidelines for the appointment and use of external examiners at OsloMet. The external examiner evaluates the structure and coherence of the study programme, including the relationship between the programme’s learning outcome descriptions, work and teaching methods and assessment schemes. The external examiner will normally supervise all the programme's courses over a period of three years and provide the academic communities with feedback and advice that can be used in further study quality development.

The target group is students with a bachelor’s degree in health or social care who want to work on professional development and/or participate in research in their field, and potentially conduct clinical work in their chosen specialisation. The programme is a relevant additional education to a number of health and social care programmes.