Degrees awarded for first cohort of Physiotherapy students

The University of Suffolk’s first ever cohort of Physiotherapy students celebrated their graduation on Monday night, heading into their new careers at the likes of Ipswich Town Football Club and at hospital trusts across the country.

The University of Suffolk’s first ever cohort of Physiotherapy students celebrated their graduation on Monday night, heading into their new careers at the likes of Ipswich Town Football Club and at hospital trusts across the country.

Twenty Physiotherapy students who started their course in September 2022 graduated in a ceremony in the marquee on Ipswich Waterfront, where they were also joined by honorary graduate Karen Pickering MBE, the former Olympic swimmer with close Ipswich connections.

Since completing their studies in the summer, students have gone on to secure their first jobs in the industry, including locally at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn, Ipswich Town Football Club and Allied Health Professionals Suffolk.

In addition, students have secured jobs at hospitals in Northern Ireland and Nottingham, with one even joining a provider in Australia.

Lucy Littlewood is among the students to graduate. The 41-year-old, from near Maldon in Essex, juggled several part-time jobs and raising her two young children alongside her studies.

Lucy had been a sports massage therapist at a private clinic prior to joining the course, and now works at the same clinic as a physiotherapist.

“We've got eight osteopaths, but we haven't got any physiotherapists, so it was a bit of a niche of where I am that pushed me towards physio,” she said, adding: “it just seemed to fit in really well with the clinic and their ethos, so it was just nice to offer something else.”

Abbey Webster was another to graduate on Monday evening, and is due to start as a physiotherapist at a private practice in the next few weeks.

Abbey was drawn to the course because of the University’s block teaching model, where students focus on one module at a time, as well as the University’s support for her additional learning needs. 

The 22-year-old from Braintree in Essex, who was also active with the Physiotherapy Society in the Students’ Union, added: “The placements were really valuable because they really improved our confidence with actually practising physio. 

“You can only do so much in the classroom, so going into the NHS or the private sector and having that hands-on experience was really valuable.”

Danielle Ramsey, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, said: “We’re incredibly proud of all the hard work of our first cohort of Physiotherapy students, and seeing them getting their first jobs is very rewarding.

“A number of our students have started with positions at our local trust providers they had placement experiences with, and with students going further afield in the UK – and even abroad – it’s nice to see that international credibility our course has.

“They have also been incredible ambassadors in the community, meaning our students have been very well respected and received by our placement partners.”

The course was designed to cover a broad range of experiences, including traditional areas of physiotherapy such as musculoskeletal, cardio-respiratory and neurological care, as well as broader areas such as conditions affecting children, end-of-life care, deteriorating patients, outpatients and those in the private sector.

Students also completed seven work placements across their degree, each of around five weeks’ duration, giving them at least 1,000 hours of practical experience each.

In addition, the course equipped them with other employability guidance, such as making the most of recruitment fairs and innovation sessions to help those considering their own clinics.

The course was ranked third in the UK in the 2026 Daily Mail University Guide, while results from the National Student Survey included a 100% student satisfaction rating with teaching on the course and student voice, and 99% satisfaction rating on learning opportunities.

Professor Paula Kersten, Executive Dean of the School of Health, Sciences and Society, said: “It was a real privilege seeing our first graduating students on the Physiotherapy course. We know there is a lot of interest in this course and career, and there is a demand for practitioners in the industry.

“Our course has been developed with employers and local clinical partners to ensure our curriculum covers a broad range of skills to equip our graduates with the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to thrive.” 

To find out more about the Physiotherapy course, head to the University website here.

The University’s next Open Day is on Saturday 15 November, and those interested in the course will be able to speak to course staff, see the facilities and find out more about the course content. Head to the website here to find out more about the day and register a spot.