Master of 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.
An introduction to the clinic through observation and practical skills. Students are familiarised to GOsC 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, Theory – Streamed, Includes time in clinic
Core/ Optional: Core
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 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: Mixed
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: Mixed
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: Mixed
Core/ Optional: Core
Year 2
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. How to undertake clinical case history for nutrition, patient compliance, and case histories.
Assessed: Coursework, In class test
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
Provides experience for preparing students to engage with the broader scope of patient’s needs and expectations. Includes problem-solving and critical thinking skills to inform and guide the interpretation of clinical and other data to justify clinical reasoning and decision-making. Problem based clinical case scenarios supported by observation will enable students to develop their diagnostic and clinical reasoning.
Assessed: Coursework, Practical
Delivery: Mixed
Core/ Optional: Core
Year 3
The module provides further knowledge in research writing and designing research studies both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The module covers the critical analysis of the literature, literature appreciation and evaluation, data collection and interpretation, statistical analysis, writing a robust protocol, and understanding research ethics.
Assessed: Coursework
Delivery: Mixed, Supervision
Core/ Optional: Core
The clinical component 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. Students attend the on-site teaching clinic.
Assessed: Clinical examination
Delivery: Clinic
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
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
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
This module will give the student a comprehensive understanding of the principles of Women’s health. To provide knowledge in female anatomy, physiology, and pathology from puberty to menopause and beyond. Students will learn aspects of women’s (physical and mental) health and how this may impact the patient.
Assessed: Coursework
Delivery: Mixed
Core/ Optional: Optional
This module will give the student a comprehensive understanding of the principles of care of the elderly/aged to provide knowledge in all aspects of elderly care, from changes in anatomy and physiology, sociological and legal aspects. Diseases and disorders that affect the elderly.
Assessed: Coursework
Delivery: Mixed
Core/ Optional: Optional
Year 4
This module prepares students for entry into professional practice by giving an overview of key issues such as managing a business, marketing, legal, insurance, financial and professional requirements, CPD, and clinical audit.
Assessed: Coursework
Delivery: Streamed
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 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: Clinical examination
Delivery: Clinic, Face to face
Core/ Optional: Core
This module is aimed at complex case management of patients with long term health conditions building on existing skills and knowledge. The module will provide students with a holistic theoretical knowledge base that will enable students to develop their role in the participation of the treatment and management of these individuals in the wider healthcare context and the role of osteopathy in inter-professional working.
Assessed: Coursework, Practical-presentation
Delivery: Mixed
Core/ Optional: Core
This module aims to provide learners with a framework of management leadership relevant to an osteopathic/healthcare setting and understand how this impacts patient care. The module will include practical skills in mentoring, delivering and receiving effective feedback, appraisal skills, and managing change.
Assessed: Coursework
Delivery: Streamed
Core/ Optional: Core
The module follows the grounding gained in Research Methods and over previous years. It requires the student to undertake original research, or a systematic review required to be presented as a journal-ready research paper.
Assessed: Dissertation
Delivery: Supervision
Core/ Optional: Core
To develop an advanced understanding and knowledge of the underpinning causes and types of pain. To develop an understanding of evidence-based different treatment approaches in pain management, including manual therapy, pharmacology, patient education, psychology, and others.
Assessed: Coursework
Delivery: Streamed
Core/ Optional: Optional
Understand and develop skills in the aetiology, presentation, and management of sports and related injuries (acute and chronic). Understand the evidence behind treatment and management, for example, the role of nutrition. To recognise other conditions that may appear as sports injuries (e.g., malignancy, infection, etc.). Understand any specific sports-related injury guidelines.
Assessed: Coursework
Delivery: Mixed
Core/ Optional: Optional