A reform of physiotherapy studies is currently being considered by the government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
If the decree is adopted, studies would be organised over five years starting in September 2026.
The reform would be implemented gradually, beginning with the first year. Students who begin physiotherapy in 2026 would therefore have to complete a five-year course to obtain their academic degree.
In this context, the current Master's 60 (one year) would evolve into a Master's 120 (two years), potentially starting in the 2029-2030 academic year.
Students already enrolled in the first year of a bachelor's degree in 2025-26 or before would have a maximum of five years to complete their entire course.
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At the beginning of their Bachelor's program in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, students share their general training in the exact and biomedical sciences with students in the Bachelor's program in Physical Education. Students wishing to obtain both degrees will find it easier to achieve this dual training by beginning with the physical education program.
The Bachelor's program in Physical Therapy comprises 180 credits, divided into three yearly blocks.
The first yearly block of the Bachelor's program offers basic training in the exact and biomedical sciences (39 credits) and humanities (8 credits). This first yearly block also includes some more specific courses in physical therapy (13 credits).
The second year of the bachelor's program focuses on theoretical and practical courses specific to physiotherapy (35 credits), supplemented by training in the exact and biomedical sciences (15 credits), motor skills training (6 credits), and language training (English) (4 credits).
In the third year, students complete a three-month internship (21 credits) during the first semester. At the same time, students utilize their internship experiences in internship support seminars. In the second semester, they continue their theoretical and practical training specific to physiotherapy (23 credits), training in the exact and biomedical sciences (10 credits), and language training (English or Dutch) (3 credits). Students take the first steps toward their Master's thesis. A specialized elective course (3 credits) completes the program.