Undergraduate Courses

Undergraduate entrance requirements

Minimum entry requirements:

• Matriculation exemption,
• Pass at higher grade in English,
• Pass at higher grade (or >50% at standard grade) in Mathematics.
• General Science or Biology is recommended.

Credit is also given for sporting and cultural achievements as well as previous leadership roles and involvement in social and community projects.

*All applicants are expected to have spent some time in a physiotherapy department in order to gain some first hand knowledge of what the job entails.

Course Duration and Workload

The course requires 4 years of full-time study. The first year is based at the main Wits campus while years 2 - 4 are at the Medical School in Parktown. In the 3rd and 4th year students do clinical work in the mornings in various hospitals, schools and clinics in Gauteng, lectures, tutorials and practicals occur in the afternoons. The course is time consuming and involves considerable commitment from the students.

Please note that all new graduates serve a period of 1year compulsory community service

First Year

First year focuses on giving students a grounding in the basic sciences and introduction to basic physiotherapy techniques.

1. A student shall include in his/her curriculum for the 1st year of study:

a)	APES 103	Introduction to Medical Science (half course)
b)	CHEM144	Chemistry (half course)
c)	PHYS142	Physics (half course)
d)	PSYC 103	Introduction to Psychology I (half course)
e)	PSYC104	Basic Principles of Group and Individual Psychology I (half course)
f)	SOCL105	Human Behavioural Sciences (half course)
g)	PHST 115	Introduction to Physiotherapy

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Second Year

The following qualifying courses are prescribed for the second year of study:

a)	ANAT221	Anatomy for therapists
b)	PHSL210	Physiology and Medical Biochemistry I
c)	PHST201	Physiotherapy

This year demands a lot of time from students. Many hours are spent dissecting human cadavers.

Please note that during your physiotherapy practical you will be required to be partially undressed in front of your classmates. This is very important to practice the skills that will be used during clinical years. Please get permission beforehand from your respective religious denominations to undress if required.

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Third Year

During this year students start with clinical work in the mornings. Transport to most of the hospitals is provided. In the afternoons students return to medical school for lectures, tutorials and practicals.

The following qualifying courses are prescribed for the third year of study:

a)	PHST301	Physiotherapy II
b)	PHST307	Rehabilitation I
c)	PHST310	Clinical Physiotherapy I
d)	PHST311	General Medicine and Surgery
e)	PHAR306	Pharmacology (half course)

(Note: the examinations in Pharmacology (PHAR306) will normally be conducted in June and the examinations in the other qualifying courses shall normally be conducted in November unless the Senate determines otherwise.)

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Fourth Year

The structure of fourth year is similar to that in third year.

The following qualifying courses are prescribed for the fourth year of study:

a)	PHST407	Rehabilitation II
b)	PHST401	Physiotherapy III
c)	PHST410	Clinical Physiotherapy II
d)	PHST411	Research Methodology (half course)
e)	PHST210	Management for Therapists (half course)

The examinations in Physiotherapy III, Clinical Physiotherapy II, and Rehabilitation II will normally be conducted in October unless the Senate determines otherwise. The examinations for Research Methodology and Management for Therapists will normally be conducted in May/June unless the Senate determines otherwise. Students submit a research protocol as part of the requirements for completion of a degree with Honours status.

On completion of their studies students are required to take the Hippocratic Oath and have to register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa prior to practicing as a professional physiotherapist.

All students that graduate as physiotherapists throughout South Africa are required to complete one year of community service after graduation. The Department of Health of South Africa arranges the community service placements for all candidates.

For details about the postgraduate physiotherapy programme go to post-graduate studies.

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