BSc(Hons) Osteopathy Module Content
Year 1
Introduces the principles, concepts, philosophy, and models of osteopathy from an evidence-informed perspective. Enables the development of skills needed for an osteopathic evaluation of body structure and function. Fundamental osteopathic manual technique skills and the underlying mechanisms of technique are established. Includes the concepts of biomechanics and its role in musculoskeletal health and disease.
Assessed: Practical presentation group, Clinical examination ISCE
Delivery: Hands on – Face to Face, Theory – Streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
An introduction to the clinic through observation and practical skills. Students are familiarised to the General Osteopathic Council fitness to practise requirements, professional standards and competencies within the UK. An introduction to sociology related to healthcare provides further context for patient and practitioner values and related expectations. Students are introduced to research methods, reflective practice and critical thinking.
Assessed: Coursework, Clinical examination-ISCE
Delivery: Hands on – Face to Face/Clinic, Theory – Streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
The nature and structure of the connective tissues and the muscular system form the foundation of the module. The classification, names, markings, and position of each bone and the classification and structure of each joint in the human body are covered in detail.
Assessed: Examination, Viva
Delivery: Theory – streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
The module covers the structures and features that comprise the nervous system in the human body. The module studies the nerves and how they integrate with other structures and cause pain.
Assessed: Coursework, In class test
Delivery: Theory – streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
This module introduces students to the physiological organisation at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. Homeostasis and the genetic, physical, and biological factors underpinning disease are reviewed, including introducing the pathological principle of cellular adaptation to disease, autoimmunity reproduction, and infection.
Assessed: Examination, Viva
Delivery: Theory – streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
Year 2
Examines the utilisation of food on a cellular, tissue, and whole-body level. How chemical energy from food in the form of macro and micro-nutrients is converted via metabolic pathways. The requirement and use of macro and micro-nutrients in the maintenance of health. It also includes lifestyle changes in the maintenance of health and wellbeing. Role of other therapies promotion and prevention in health and wellbeing.
Assessed: Coursework, Practical- poster presentation
Delivery: Streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
The module covers the cellular basis of disease and injury, body defence, repair, and regeneration. The content overlaps with normal physiology to integrate structure, function, control, pathology, and clinical presentation of the major physiological systems. To understand the role of differential diagnosis of common presentations. Provide a general overview of common use drugs and potential adverse events.
Assessed: Examination, Viva
Delivery: Mixed
Core/ Optional: Core
Aims to critically align osteopathic concepts and models with established osteopathic evaluation skills to enable students to integrate core knowledge and develop responsible practices The student will build on their soft-tissue techniques. Self-awareness of practitioner and patient handling and communication skills will be elaborated, developing the process of autonomy in practice and working within defined parameters.
Assessed: Clinical examination x2
Delivery: Face to Face
Core/ Optional: Core
Practical knowledge of clinical methods and osteopathic tests and examinations required for osteopathic practice and diagnosis. Problem-based series of practically focused clinical case scenarios supported by clinical observations to enable students to integrate their knowledge, understanding, and technical skills to aid in diagnosing and clinical reasoning.
Assessed: Clinical examination ISCE x2
Delivery: Face to face
Core/ Optional: Core
The module provides an understanding of orthopaedic and rheumatological conditions and introduces the basic concepts of medical imaging techniques such as X-ray, MRI, CT, and ultrasound.
Assessed: Examination, OSCE
Delivery: Streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
Year 3
Review of functional medicine matrix and revision of clinical imbalance pathways. Clinical nutrition topics, covering the major physiological systems and the nutritional aspects of these systems, along with common nutritional disorders and dietary treatment. It also includes how to undertake clinical case history for nutrition, patient compliance, and case histories.
Assessed: Coursework, In class test
Delivery: Streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
This is a clinical practice module, the students manage patients under close supervision from tutors and develop their skills in case-history taking, examination, clinical reasoning, and treatment/management plans in partnership with patients.
Assessed: Clinical examination
Delivery: Clinic
Core/ Optional: Core
The module covers paediatric osteopathy, including child safeguarding, emergency signs and symptoms and their management, pregnancy, labour and birth, premature babies, infant feeding, colic, and the unsettled infant, child development, examination of children, common childhood conditions, children’s oncology, paediatric medication, and osteopathic treatment.
Assessed: Examination, Practical presentation
Delivery: Mixed
Core/ Optional: Core
Emphasis will be placed upon monitoring, critically evaluating, and integrating theoretical and practical applications within techniques for delivering safe and flexible patient care and management. Students will be assuming more responsibility for their actions as they progress towards autonomy. Aims to enhance established technical and clinical reasoning relating to patient evaluation, diagnosis, and techniques.
Assessed: Clinical examination-ISCE x2
Delivery: Face to face
Core/ Optional: Core
Year 4
The analytical and integrative skills required to produce a paper equal the standard for a BSc (Hons). The project will involve the formulation and testing of an experimental hypothesis and can be either quantitative or qualitative in nature.
Assessed: Coursework
Delivery: Streamed/Supervision
Core/ Optional: Core
Students autonomously integrate knowledge, understanding, practical skills, and professional attributes within a real patient context. Students will demonstrate full responsibility for the care and management of patients within the clinic. This environment of clinical uncertainty enables students to critically apply multi-dimensional attributes to a range of patient presentations coupled with possible co-morbidities.
Assessed: Clinic / Face to face
Delivery: Clinical examination
Core/ Optional: Core
This module aims to provide practical leadership skills (mentorship, appraisal, feedback) for learners relevant to an osteopathic/healthcare setting. The module aims to also provide the practical skills of business management (marketing, résumé writing, HMRC, as examples).
Assessed: Coursework
Delivery: Streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
Introduction to behaviourism, cognitive and humanistic approaches. Students gain an understanding of personality, abnormal psychology, aspects of developmental and social psychology. Provides an overview of the main conditions and the relationship between psychological factors and disease. Taught from a clinical viewpoint to understand emotional, psychological problems and reactions experienced by patients.
Assessed: Coursework, In class test
Delivery: Streamed
Core/ Optional: Core