ma-vr: 8:30 - 17:00
Do you want to specialize as a clinical specialist in manual therapy? Then follow the Master in Manual Therapy. In this Master you will be taught by a unique teaching team, consisting of several experts with extensive experience in the field. At least 50% of the training time is reserved for practical skills. The many hours of practice time and rapid, focused feedback on your own actions ensure that you learn incredibly quickly. Because you can work with cases from your own practice and because you can immediately apply what you have learned, you will experience immediate benefits from this Master’s program.
You follow the Master of Manual Therapy at our campus in Amersfoort or at our location at Zuyd Hogeschool in Heerlen. You can start this Master’s program in January and in September.
Name: Professional Master Manual Therapy
Target group: physical therapists
Duration: 2 years, 2.5 years* or 3 years
Variant: Part-time
Degree: Master of Science (MSc)
Location: Amersfoort or Heerlen
* 2.5 years start in January.
The Master Manual Therapist graduate of SOMT University of Physiotherapy works in the musculoskeletal field and is distinguished by the fact that he/she:
Characteristic are the comprehensive diagnosis and application of specific manual therapy mobilizing and manipulating techniques (including high velocity thrust techniques) to joints of the spine and extremities. The rationale for therapeutic action is distinguished into a biomechanical rationale and a neurophysiological rationale.
The master level of this Master Manual Therapy is characterized by the ability to diagnose and treat patients with complex spine-related health problems or orthopedic NMS problems in the extremities. Complexity here usually concerns problems and/or contexts in which existing knowledge and experience cannot be relied upon and unpredictable situations in which responsible strategic choices must be made independently. Examples of complicating factors include the presence of psychosocial factors, aberrant biological factors (“SCRAP”), multimorbidity or multisite pathology.
The manual therapist has a broad view of client functioning. In addition to anatomical features and functions, he/she considers other factors that limit clients’ activities and participation. The manual therapist uses the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) of the World Health Organization. This model describes clients’ functioning and influencing factors. The manual therapist translates the client’s request for help into ICF terminology.
The domain-specific learning outcomes are aimed at delivering manual therapists who are particularly distinguished by specialist knowledge, an automated level of manual skills and expertise of neuromuscular disorders including the high cervical spine. Designing appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies based on individual patient characteristics is central (advanced clinical reasoning). The manual therapist analyzes and interprets his/her findings in conjunction with personal and external factors.
The quality of teachers is a determining factor for the level of education. SOMT University of Physiotherapy therefore invests in highly qualified supervision. Skills teachers provide skills education and are selected for their exceptional skill level. Each skills instructor is a Master of Manual Therapy and has solid clinical experience.
Tutors provide the more theory-driven teaching and have at least a university degree. They also work in practice. The link to daily practice is a common thread in the curriculum, therefore the practical experience of the tutors offers significant added value.
The foundation of competent behavior of the manual therapist at the master’s level is formed by specialized knowledge and understanding of functional anatomy, pathology, clinical biomechanics and mechanisms of action of manual therapy.
In addition to specialized knowledge, specialized skills are characteristic of the master’s level. At SOMT University of Physiotherapy, there is an emphasis on developing and training both clinical and academic skills.
During skills instruction, practice is based on recognizable case histories and led by experienced instructors. The many hours of practice time and quick, focused feedback on one’s own actions provide a great learning curve. Outside of teaching contact time, the skills learned are further trained in practice groups.
With respect to scientific skills, students are taught to participate in the design and execution of a scientific research project and are required to articulate and critically discuss their results and conclusions in writing in an academic manner.
In teaching, casuistry is guiding, which means that each assignment starts from a recognizable case from daily practice. The teaching material of the Master of Manual Therapy is thus immediately linked to the practice of the individual student. Relevant casuistry can be brought in by the teachers, but often the student himself will bring a case from his own practice.
The testing program is based on the structure and coherence of the curriculum and guarantees that all learning outcomes have been tested by the end of the Master of Manual Therapy. The level at which the tests are constructed is related to the (cognitive and psychomotor) complexity of the material and the degree of independence the student must demonstrate. As the curriculum progresses, the complexity and independence required increases.
The competencies students develop during the Master’s program are focused on professional practice. The testing is therefore mainly practice-related. Knowledge and skills and the competencies to integrate them into practice are tested. In addition, the student must be able to explain and justify actions.
An important part of the Master of Manual Therapy are the various internships. Different types of internships are completed in the Master’s program: clinic internships, group mini-clinics, individual internships and assistantships.
As a general physical therapist with a bachelor’s degree, you will take a regular three-year master’s program at SOMT University of Physiotherapy. The three-year master’s program always starts in September.
Can you handle a higher course load? Then you can also complete the full Master of Manual Therapy in 2.5 years. The total study load and quality is equal to that of the three-year program. Through efficient, hybrid teaching with a lot of personal guidance, we have developed an ambitious but studyable program for you.
Both in September and January you can start the 2.5-year program. Once you have started the master’s program, you will make an appointment with the program head to discuss your ambitious learning path.
More information to follow.
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* = 2.5 years start in January.
** = English-language scientific literature
The regular Master of Manual Therapy includes a total of 90 credits (EC). For the 3-year program, the study load is 13 to 16 hours per week, excluding internship. The contact days of the three-year program are on Fridays and Saturdays from 09.00 to 17.00 in Amersfoort. At the Heerlen location the contact days are on Fridays.
Contact days of the 2.5-year program are on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Amersfoort.
Admission to the Master of Manual Therapy is possible with a Bachelor’s degree in physical therapy recognized by the Dutch government or a degree in Medicine recognized by the Dutch government, with BIG registration.
It is desirable to be employed in practice, as the case histories used in the teaching sessions have a continuous interaction with professional practice.
Do you want to study with us and are you younger than 56? If you are not entitled (anymore) to regular study financing, you can sometimes still borrow money to pay tuition or fees.
With the DUOL lifetime learning credit, everyone can continue to develop.
The amount of lifelong learning credit depends on the amount of tuition or fees. For more information and applications, go to duo.nl/ levenlanglerenkrediet.
