AT A GLANCE

Level	Movement Therapy Diploma (Level 4/5)
Total guided learning hours	40 hours
Typical pacing	8 weeks at ~5 hours per week (also runs as 12 weeks at ~3.5 hours per week (part-time))
Delivery	Online Part A (recorded/live-stream) + face-to-face Part B practical day + self-directed assessment
Assessment	Neurological testing worksheet + practical assessment videos (cranial-nerve and peripheral examination) + reflective log
Submission portal	MTE Thinkific Portal — Phase 3, Module 9
Lecturer / contact	Mike Grice — mike.grice@MTE.Education
Pre-requisite	Phase 2 clinical assessment modules recommended; Part A videos viewed before the face-to-face day

About this module

When a musculoskeletal presentation might actually be neurological, you need to know how to test and what the findings mean. Module 9 adds a structured neurological examination to your clinical toolkit — cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, reflexes and neurodynamics — so you can tell a neural problem from a mechanical one and know when to treat and when to refer.

Across 40 guided learning hours you will study the relevant neuroanatomy (brachial and sacral plexus, dermatomes, myotomes and reflexes), learn each test with its reported sensitivity and specificity, and demonstrate a safe, systematic examination on camera. The emphasis throughout is on interpreting findings in clusters and in clinical context, not on running tests by rote.

What you'll learn

Across the 40 guided learning hours this module covers:

• The neuroanatomy underpinning examination — brachial and sacral plexus, dermatomes, myotomes and deep-tendon reflexes
• A structured cranial-nerve examination, step by step
• Peripheral neurological testing — sensation, power and reflexes — and how to record it
• Upper-motor-neuron signs (e.g. Babinski) and when they change the plan
• Neurodynamic / neural-tension testing (Spurling's, Straight Leg Raise and Crossed SLR, Slump, femoral nerve, and the median/ulnar/radial upper-limb tension tests)
• How to read sensitivity and specificity (SnNOut / SpPIn) and use tests in clusters
• Distinguishing a neurological presentation from a mechanical one, and safe onward referral
• Harvard-style referencing of peer-reviewed sources

Aims & objectives

On successful completion of this module learners will be able to:

• Describe the neuroanatomy relevant to peripheral and neurodynamic testing.
• Perform a safe, systematic cranial-nerve and peripheral neurological examination.
• Select and interpret neurodynamic tests using their reported diagnostic accuracy.
• Reason from clustered findings to a working hypothesis and a treat-or-refer decision.
• Recognise red flags requiring urgent medical referral.
• Document a neurological examination accurately and professionally.
• Reference clinical and academic sources in Harvard style.

National Occupational Standards (NOS) coverage

This module is mapped to the UK National Occupational Standards and professional frameworks applicable to Level 4 and Level 5 Sports Therapy practice (Skills for Health CNH suite; CIMSPA Sports Therapist Professional Standard; Society of Sports Therapists framework; and, for exercise modules, the SkillsActive/CIMSPA SKAPC and SKAEG suites). The full mapping is published in the Assignment Remit.

Level 3 foundations

• A334.1 — Apply accepted standards of practice (consent, safe handling, scope)
• CNH1 — Explore and establish the client's needs

Level 4 coverage

• CNH20 — Anatomical, physiological and pathological knowledge underpinning practice
• CNH21 — Plan, apply and evaluate methods to prevent and manage injury

Level 5 coverage

• CNH27 — Provide sports therapy assessment to clients
• CIMSPA Sports Therapist Professional Standard (P2 — assessment and clinical reasoning)
• SST-B — Clinical Examination

Assessment

This module is assessed by a neurological testing worksheet and a set of practical assessment videos, marked against University-style criteria. Markschemes are published on the MTE Thinkific Portal; late submissions are capped at a 3rd-class mark.

Neurological Testing Worksheet

Format	Online worksheet on the MTE Thinkific Portal, Harvard-referenced
What it covers	Neuroanatomy, the rationale for each test, and interpretation of findings
Length	All sections answered thoroughly — no word limit
Submission window	6 weeks from the face-to-face day

Practical Assessment Videos

Format	Videos uploaded to the MTE Thinkific Portal
What it covers	A cranial-nerve examination and a peripheral / neurodynamic examination recorded to camera, with clear commentary and reasoning
Length	Per component
Submission window	6 weeks from the face-to-face day

Grading

Assessed work is marked against University-style criteria — 1st-class, 2:1, 2:2 and 3rd (or, where noted, pass/fail against a published threshold). Markschemes set out exactly what each band looks like and are available on the MTE Thinkific Portal. Learners are expected to self-check their work against the descriptors before submission.

Plagiarism & late submission

All assessments must be the learner's own work and, where written, fully Harvard-referenced using Cite This For Me or equivalent. Failure to reference, or copying from another source, will result in a fail for that piece of work and the MTE plagiarism policy (see the course handbook) will apply. Late submissions are capped at a 3rd-class mark.

Guided learning hours (40 hours)

The 40 guided learning hours combine self-directed study, live or recorded teaching, assessed work and ongoing reflective practice. The recommended pace is 8 weeks at ~5 hours per week, with a longer 12 weeks at ~3.5 hours per week (part-time) pathway available.

Activity category	Hours	What is included
Pre-Part A reading & lessons	9	Recorded lessons, key readings and preparation on the MTE Thinkific Portal
Part A attendance	4	Live-stream / recorded Part A teaching with lecturer Q&A
Part B face-to-face practical day	6	Hands-on practical training with peers and tutors at Movement Therapy Ludlow
Assessment preparation & completion	15	Prepare, record and submit the assessed components on the MTE Thinkific Portal
Reflective practice & portfolio entry	6	Apply the module to a real-world case in the 200-hour reflective log
TOTAL	40

A week-by-week study plan is available as a separate download in the Guided Learning Hours folder of the MTE Thinkific Portal.

Resources & support

• All module materials (handouts, PowerPoints, lecturer videos and worksheets) are hosted on the MTE Thinkific Portal under Phase 3, Module 9.
• Markschemes are published alongside each assessment in the portal.
• Lecturer contact is shown in the At-a-glance panel above; learners are encouraged to reach out with questions during the submission window.
• Reasonable adjustments for learners with disabilities or specific learning differences are available — please contact the lecturer or the course administrator before submission.

Next steps

Considering enrolling? Visit mte.academy or email mike.grice@MTE.Education to discuss the next intake, payment options and entry requirements.

Already enrolled? Log in to the MTE Thinkific Portal and open Phase 3, Module 9 to access the teaching materials, worksheets, markscheme and assessments. Your reflective clinical log should be updated at least weekly.

© Movement Therapy Education · Module 9 · Module Information Sheet · v2026