Postgraduate Course

Postgraduate Diploma Musculoskeletal Practice

How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Musculoskeletal Practice

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Part-time

Duration: 2 - 5 years

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences (School of)

We understand that you may not have time for a full-time degree, so our CPD pathways allow you to study flexibly in the way that best suits you. The structure, mode of delivery, and level of support allow you to progress towards a qualification at postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma, or Masters level.

The pathway is designed to optimise flexibility for learners and enables experienced musculoskeletal to advance their practice. A range of professions including physiotherapists, podiatrists, and rheumatology nurses who work in either the NHS or private practice will be able to select modules appropriate for their professional needs. Modules include material related to clinical decision-making and advancing clinical skills such as injection therapy and independent prescribing. There is a great deal of flexibility within this pathway for you to direct your learning to topics and regions of personal interest.

On this course, you gain:

critical understanding of the key concepts underlying advanced musculoskeletal clinical skills beyond your normal professional scope of practice
opportunity to acquire advanced musculoskeletal clinical skills beyond your normal professional scope of practice
skills to access and critically appraise research findings to develop your own evidence-based practice
enhanced understanding of the essential principles of research design and to conduct an extensive piece of independent research, including: planning, formulating, designing, choosing research methods, collecting data, analysing, interpreting and writing-up
a range of transferable employment-related skills

This course sits within our School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences. This allows us to bring together our internationally recognised research, share knowledge, and enhance placement and vocational opportunities for our students and graduates.

Professional, statutory and regulatory bodies

We are committed to embedding the NHS Constitution Values (which are strongly reflected in our University values) into everything we do. They define the behaviours and expectations of all our staff and students underpinning the work we do in the university, clinical arena and other workplaces.

We understand that not all of our students and staff are employed within the NHS. But these values uphold the underlying principles of excellent care as a standard, and as such we expect that anyone who cares for others will aspire to uphold them.

For us, involving not only our students but service users, experts by experience, carers, and NHS/non-NHS professionals in the creation and delivery of all programmes is vital.

Why we're great.

Study flexibly with a part-time CPD pathway.
Develop the skills to assess and manage patients with a range of musculoskeletal conditions beyond your normal scope of practice.
Work with leading experts from a range of fields.

Our expert staff

Our university staff include clinicians who work in advanced clinical practitioner roles and those with a range of academic and research interests. Module teaching is supported by expert external clinicians.

Your future

Sport scholarships

Sport scholarship applications for October 2025 entry are now closed.

Our Performance Sport Scholarship programme has been created for talented athletes playing at regional, national or international level, and offers a range of benefits. We want students competing in our focus sports - basketball, volleyball, tennis and football - as well as other team sports and as individual athletes to contribute to our performance sport programme.

Our scholarships can include fee discounts of up to 100%, offered to athletes who demonstrate sporting excellence. Athletes who are awarded the scholarship may also receive a host of other benefits, including:

free kit
access to state-of-the-art facilities
performance coaching
the option to live in our Athlete Village (accommodation fees may vary)
a support package valued up to £1,500

These benefits are designed to help athletes focus on their training and development, and to enable you to reach your full potential alongside your studies.

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

Applicants should have a relevant first degree OR a relevant professional experience or qualifications that demonstrates ability to study at Level 7.

Applicants should also:

Have 3-5 years postgraduate experience in the field of musculoskeletal health
Be an experienced clinician who is already working clinically in their area of practice at level 7
Currently be registered with the relevant UK or equivalent professional body

This degree pathway is not available to students who require a Student visa to study in the UK.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Graduate Admissions team at pgquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 5.5 in all components.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Structure

Course structure

Total credits: 120

Total credits must be made up through a choice of the following:

SE747: Postgraduate research methods (Distance learning) (30 credits)
And another 90 credits from the list of options below

SE785: Musculoskeletal Research: Data collection and analysis (15 credits)
And another 105 credits from list of options below

Module options

HS632: Preparation for Independent and Supplementary Prescribing V300 (30 credits)
SE708 Technical considerations in ultrasound imaging (15 credits)
SE710: Musculoskeletal ultrasound guided injections (30 credits)
SE713: Understanding and managing complex musculoskeletal conditions (15 credits)
SE714: Soft tissue and joint injection therapy (15 credits)
SE715: Introduction to musculoskeletal ultrasound (15 credits)
SE717: Advanced musculoskeletal assessment (15 credits)
SE718: Skill extension for musculoskeletal injection practitioners (ultrasound guidance) (15 credits)
SE729: Applying and Using Learning in Practice (15 credits)
SE731 Leading Change in Healthcare (30 credits)
SE761: First Contact Musculoskeletal Practice (30 credits)
SE783: Current Concepts in Upper Limb Rehabilitation (15 credits)
SE784: Medication use in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation (15 credits)
SE786 Evaluation of Clinical Practice for Musculoskeletal First Contact Practitioners (30 credits)

Summary of module assessment and award structure (.docx)

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 02: OPTIONAL

(105 CREDITS)

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

TBC

This CPD pathway allows you to study flexibly. Fees are therefore charged per module and may vary. A full list of current module fees can be found on the School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences CPD page, or by contacting msk@essex.ac.uk

International fee

TBC

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Masters fees and funding information

Research (e.g. PhD) fees and funding information

What's next

We hold Open Days for all our applicants throughout the year. Our Colchester Campus events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex, and give you the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

If the dates of our organised events aren’t suitable for you, feel free to get in touch by emailing tours@essex.ac.uk and we’ll arrange an individual campus tour for you.

2025 Open Days (Colchester Campus)

Saturday 20 September 2025 - September Open Day

Saturday 8 November 2025 - November Open Day

Find out more

If you are intending to follow a modular programme, please email msk@essex.ac.uk. You will be guided through how to apply and we will refer you to the relevant programme or module lead to discuss your plans.

From this discussion, a formal outline of the most suitable modules for your professional and personal circumstances will be produced, called a pathway plan. Although your plans may change over time, this formal document helps us plan delivery of modules over the coming years, and it helps your sponsor to plan funding arrangements as appropriate.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

We recognise the importance of your previous academic learning and professional experience, and you can use both to gain credit value towards the specific programme you are interested in, known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

RPL is dependent on many factors. If you are interested in this option please email us at cpd@essex.ac.uk before you apply. It is necessary to highlight any prior learning before you apply as the modules you wish to study may be dependent on this. For further information on our RPL procedure, please review the Postgraduate admissions webpage.

Please note: there is an administration fee for the RPL process request. More information can be found in our fees document on our funding page

Application forms and supporting documents

Once you have had your pathway discussion with the relevant programme lead and, if relevant, spoken to the CPD Lead about APEL, you will need to fill in an application form and send it through to our School.

Note: Please initially check the module you are interested in as there may be additional documents required:

PGDip Programme application

Programme application form (.pdf)
Programme application form (.doc)

Module application

If you are interested in applying for a specific module, you will need to complete the module application form:

Module application form (.docx)

Your application and funding

If you are being funded by your employer, please obtain your line manager's signature once you have completed the application form including how payment will be made and, if you work within the NHS, forward to your Education Liaison Manager for processing.

If you are self-funded, please complete the application form providing the required information and forward to our contracts administrator, who will then instruct you on how to make payments.

If you are being funded by a charitable organisation, please complete the application form, with the signature of the person providing the funds and the way in which they will be paying, and forward to our contracts administrator, who will then instruct your sponsor on how to make payments.

Once we have received your signed and completed application form we will write to confirm if you have been successful in gaining a place.

Module contact: Contact the team at msk@essex.ac.uk.

Downloads and related links

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Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

Find out more

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If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tour allows you to explore the Colchester Campus from the comfort of your home. Check out our accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.