Physiotherapy, Bachelor of Health

Contents

Physiotherapy is taught in a four-year daytime course, training students to be a Bachelor of Physiotherapy. It is the only Bachelor programme of its kind in the North of the Netherlands, so that every year there are more applications than available places. For this reason it is very important to get your relevant information well in advance.

Blocks

The curriculum has been split up into sixteen blocks. Each year has four blocks and in the first eight blocks the various categories of patients occupy a central position. Of each category - varying from neurological to orthopaedic and rheumatological patients - you will study both normal and abnormal anatomy and physiology. Moreover, you will of course study the symptoms you may encounter.

Apart from this, both the psychological aspect of coming to terms with disease and also its psychosocial consequences will get its full share of attention. Theory and practical exercises are both based on the relevant category of patient and their setting.

First year

During the first year (Dutch: propedeuse) preparing the student for his later profession occupies a central position. With the help of various categories of patients, medical-biological and physiotherapeutic subjects pass under review. You will also start studying subjects such as psychology, sociology, psychopathology and communication skills. After your first year, you will get binding advice about the continuation of your studies, based on your actual study results.

Second year

During your second year you will study more in depth both theory and methods of treatment. Just as it happened in your first year, every block is rounded off with an exam.

Final phase

The third and the fourth years are characterized by internships, studying in greater width and depth and doing a graduating project. You will also do three ten-week internships. Apart from that, you will use one entire ten-week period to finish your final paper and your graduating assignment. One Wednesday every fortnight, you will return to school for an exchange of experiences with your tutors and fellow-students.
Physiotherapy offers specializations in the following fields:

• Health Care
• Occupational Health and Safety (Dutch: Arbo) and reintegration
• Sports

Apart from this, you can, besides your major (Physiotherapy), do one of the minors offered by the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen (Hanze UAS).

Choice of optional subjects

Apart from attending the mandatory Bachelor programme, you will have the possibility to fill in your own, personal professional profile. Both during your first year (propedeuse) and the main phase you will have a choice of optional subjects and free modules and will also get credits that way. You can also be active outside your Bachelor programme and gain credits for this. A total of thirty per cent of your work-load can thus be filled in with free subjects. Also previously acquired competences can be earmarked as course-activities and given credits.

Studying abroad

As a member of the European Network of Physiotherapy Higher Education (ENPHE), the Bachelor programme of Physiotherapy is involved in the development of the European standard for physiotherapists. Due to this network you can acquire a truly international outlook: you may think, for instance, of exchange programmes with foreign Bachelor programmes. In this way you will have the opportunity to do internships abroad. Moreover, in Groningen you may get in touch with foreign students of physiotherapy who do their Bachelor programme here at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, to fit it in with the International Programme for Physiotherapy (IPP).

Shortened Bachelor Programme of Physiotherapy (VOF)

Since September 2002 we have offered a Shortened Bachelor Programme of Physiotherapy (Dutch: VOF): a three-year full-time course, in which you are taught two days a week. In order to be able to do the shortened programme, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• a completed Bachelor programme of Caesar, Mensendieck Physiotherapy, School of Sports Studies (ALO), Sports, Health and Management (SGM) , School of Nursing (HBO-V), Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology (MBRT), Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy or Movement Sciences;
• a completed first year´s Bachelor programme of Caesar or Mensendieck Physiotherapy, provided this was done within one year;
• a completed first year´s university Bachelor programme of Movement Sciences, Medicine or Medical Biology, provided this was done within one year;
• a completed university Bachelor programme of Movement Sciences, Health Sciences, Medicine, Medical Biology, or Life Science & Technology.

Continuing your studies

You can do this in various ways. For instance, you can study Movement Sciences at the University of Groningen. This will take a further three years after rounding off your Bachelor programme of Physiotherapy. If you want to be a teacher, you can also obtain full teaching qualifications. Moreover, there are many ways to further specialize, for instance in sports physiotherapy, manual physiotherapy, acupuncture and children´s physiotherapy. In short, your completed Bachelor course of Physiotherapy leaves all options open to you.

Accreditation

The programme is formally accredited by the Dutch government (NVAO).

Funding details

Grants and Scholarships

Hanze grants for EU/EEA students

Certain non-EU/EEA students will receive a scholarship worth of € 3,500 when following a Bachelor Degree Programme in the academic year 2012 - 2013. The scholarship will be awarded for the official length of the programme.

Registered non-EU/EEA students can apply for this scholarship worth of € 3,500. Based on the applicant's achievement potential, this scholarship might be granted.

Dutch national grant system ('Studiefinanciering')

There is a national grant system in the Netherlands, called 'studiefinanciering', for students who are enrolled with a Dutch higher education institution. To be eligible for such a grant you:

• have to have the Dutch nationality and

• have to be younger than 30

Foreign students are generally not eligible for such a grant. Only EU-students under certain conditions can make use of ‘studiefinanciering’.

Grants for EU/EEA students

Fee-paying EU/EEA students who will start their degree programme in the academic year 2012/2013 may apply for a so-called "collegegeldkrediet" (tuition fees credit).

This is an interest-bearing loan from the Dutch government to cover the costs of the Dutch higher education tuition fees. The loan will have to be repaid (in instalments) after the student has graduated.

Students can apply for a 'collegegeldkrediet'' with the IB-Groep, the Dutch organization that is responsible for student loans and grants. The IB-Groep provides information in English at www.ib-groep.nl. We advise you to check the site regularly for up-to-date information.

The authority responsible for this grant is the IB-Groep. We try to provide you with the correct information on the conditions for obtaining the grant. However, no rights can be derived from the information given here.

Huygens Scholarship Programme

The prestigious Huygens Scholarship Programme of the Dutch Ministery of Education, Culture and Science is open to excellent students from all countries. It is aimed at talented students who want to come to the Netherlands in the final phase of their bachelor’s studies or during their master’s studies.

The scholarship covers:

• a generous reimbursement of tuition fees
• a monthly allowance of € 1,380 (this includes a standard contribution towards healthcare insurance);
• visa fees (standard contribution);
• a one-off payment towards international travel costs (standard contribution based on nationality);

Applicants first need to be accepted by the study programme of their choice. They can apply for an Huygens scholarship through Nuffic (Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education), on the basis of a nomination by Hanze (UAS). As the Huygens Scholarship Programme is aimed at highly talented students, Hanze (UAS) will normally only nominate students that have obtained excellent results in all their previous studies.

Currently, no applications can be submitted because the issuance of new grants is put on hold due to the fact that measures of austerity have been implemented by the Dutch government following the negative global economic climate.

The Netherlands Fellowship Programmes

Hanze (UAS) also participates in the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP), which supports students from developing countries. The fellowships are granted for the duration of the programme and cover the tuition fees and the costs of international travel, subsistence, books and health insurance.

China Programme

China Programme scholarships are meant for outstanding Chinese students who have completed a Bachelor’s programme and want to come to the Netherlands to do a Master’s programme. Students who wish to be considered for a China Programme scholarship must apply to the China Scholarship Council in Beijing. The programme is highly competitive; only 25 scholarships are awarded each academic year. A national selection committee decides which candidates will be awarded a scholarship.

StuNed scholarships

StuNed scholarships are available for Indonesian professionals with at least two years work experience in a development-related organisation who want to come to the Netherlands to do a Master’s programme or a short course.

Emergency fund

Hanze (UAS) has set up an emergency fund for students who are forced to stop their studies because they have run into financial difficulties through no fault of their own. They can appeal to the Emergency Fund for an interest-free loan or a gift. Students who want to apply for a contribution from this fund should contact the student counsellor.