Master of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (Leuven)

Master of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (Leuven)

The Master in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy aims to train graduates to conduct evidence-based practice in physiotherapy and to develop expertise in a specific domain of rehabilitation and physiotherapy. Organised in collaboration with other Flemish universities, this programme is highly specialized.

What is the Master of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy all about?

This is a two-year master's programme that can be taken up after a mandatory preparatory programme (spring semester prior to the master’s programme).

The preparatory programme (February-July) is developed specifically for all incoming students to improve and further develop their knowledge, insights and skills in all majors offered in the Physiotherapy programme. The programme enables students to increase their success rate in the Master of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy.

The first year of the master’s programme offers a general, evidence-based approach to the various domains of physiotherapy and rehabilitation sciences. Students will be trained in research methodologies and its applications. Evidence-based practice is introduced and discussed in multiple classes and assignments. Next to this, the first year consists of courses in the general field of physiotherapy (e.g. the treatment of different patient populations).

In the second year of the master’s programme, the focus shifts towards knowledge and skills related to one of the majors offered at the faculty. Classes on advanced theories and skills are combined with a 3-month internship period within the chosen major.

Available majors and structure of the study programme

The majors offered at the Faculty of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences are: 

• Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
• Neurological Rehabilitation
• Paediatric Rehabilitation
• Rehabilitation for Internal Disorders
• Rehabilitation in Mental Health Care

Please note that some majors will require additional study credits, in addition to the 120 credits master's programme, to obtain international (professional) recognition.

Our international master's courses are conducted both in smaller groups, made up exclusively of international students, as well as in larger groups, which include Flemish students attending the Dutch version of the programme. Students complete a clinical internship as part of the programme at one of KU Leuven's university hospitals or at a private practice or rehabilitation centre in Flanders.

International options

The faculty is very active on an international level; students have the possibility to undertake (part of) the programme’s internship at an institution abroad should they want to.