Bachelor of Science HES-SO in Osteopathy

Informations

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The Bachelor of Science HES-SO in Osteopathy programme is offered either bilingually (French/German) or in French. Admission is limited to 55 students per year.

The programme is structured around two main areas of study:

  • The first focuses on the development of knowledge in osteopathic concepts and osteopathic sciences, enabling students to acquire the skills required to apply the associated techniques within an integrative and holistic approach to health.

  • The second focuses on fundamental knowledge in medical and life sciences, enabling students to acquire the essential skills required to establish differential diagnoses and conduct clinical examinations.

The Bachelor's programme provides students with the theoretical foundations and essential competencies needed to prepare for the clinical osteopathic training offered at Master's level. The Bachelor's degree does not qualify graduates for professional practice.

Osteopathy is a primary healthcare profession whose treatment methods are based on manual techniques and are both preventive and curative. As a philosophy, art and science of healthcare, osteopathy focuses on the condition of the body's structures and the mobility associated with them. It emphasises the interdependence between this relationship and the body's intrinsic ability to heal itself. Osteopathy offers a manual approach to functional disorders, from an integrative perspective that considers symptoms, clinical signs and the clinician's own professional judgement.

The purpose of osteopathic treatment is not limited to manipulations requiring a detailed knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics. It also involves diagnostic skills within a biopsychosocial context.

The professional activity of Master of Science HES-SO osteopaths is primarily carried out in clinical settings, in particular:

  • Independent osteopathic practice

  • Group practice, particularly with other healthcare professionals

  • Health centres and healthcare networks

  • Healthcare institutions, such as hospitals, rehabilitation clinics and residential care facilities

  • Outpatient care services, such as home-care services or outpatient clinics

  • Sports associations

Academic Year 2027/2028

  • Applications open: 11.01.2027

  • Application deadline: 19.02.2027

Registration is carried out exclusively online. An application is considered valid upon submission, provided that all required documents have been uploaded and the registration fee of CHF 150.– has been paid. This fee is non-refundable. The payment slip must be completed in accordance with the provided template.

Further information

The Bachelor of Science HES-SO in Osteopathy is a programme with restricted admission. The selection tests will take place online (dates to be announced). The examination date will be communicated in due course by email and subsequently confirmed in writing by post. Further information regarding the examination process will be made available shortly.

All applications for the Bachelor's degree programmes in Occupational Therapy, Nutrition and Dietetics, Osteopathy, Physiotherapy, and Midwifery are subject to the selection procedure, regardless of the qualification granting access to the programme.

Holders of a Swiss high-school diploma (maturité gymnasiale) who apply for a programme with restricted admission are subject, depending on the number of applications, to a pre-admission procedure involving the completion of supplementary modules. Applications are considered in chronological order based on the date the application file is submitted, with the postmark serving as proof of the submission date.

Applicants who register for supplementary modules in connection with a programme without restricted admission may no longer apply for a Bachelor's degree programme with restricted admission.

The schéma de voies d'accès pour l'admission aux filières du domaine Santé HES-SO provides an overall view of the different routes to admission.

Applicants who have failed the admission examination for a programme with restricted admission in the HES-SO Health field may submit their application for a programme without restricted admission (Nursing or Medical Radiology Technology). To apply for the Nursing programme, applicants must contact the Academic Secretariat and attach to their email the letter notifying them that they were unsuccessful in the admission examination.

Deadline for submitting application documents following unsuccessful completion of the selection procedure for the 2026/2027 academic year: 1 June 2026.

The Bachelor’s programme enables students to earn ECTS credits recognised within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) as part of the Bologna Process.

By successfully completing and validating the individual modules, each worth between 3 and 10 ECTS credits, students obtain the 180 ECTS credits required to complete the Bachelor’s degree.

One ECTS credit corresponds to approximately 25 to 30 hours of student workload, distributed across different learning activities:

  • Theoretical and practical classes

  •  Supervised independent study

  •  Individual work

The Bachelor's programme consists of 36 theoretical modules (180 ECTS credits). Each semester comprises six theoretical modules worth 5 ECTS credits each. The modules are distributed as follows:

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Semester 6

Please note : The module descriptions are currently available in French only.

Bilingualism

Language options

Each year, following the admission examination, 30 students are admitted to the bilingual programme and 25 to the French-language programme. Depending on their language skills, applicants may apply to either programme or to both.

What does a bilingual programme mean?

The Osteopathy programme is offered bilingually in French and German. In the bilingual programme, courses are taught partly in French and partly in German. Students are required to attend courses in both languages. A balanced use of the two teaching languages is sought across both areas of study.

Examinations are conducted in the language of the module concerned (German or French). However, students are free to choose which of the two languages they wish to use when expressing themselves during examinations, seminars and practical exercises.

What level of language proficiency is recommended for admission to a bilingual programme?

A minimum B2 level is recommended in both French and German. A B2 level (upper-intermediate or independent user) enables learners to understand spoken and written language with ease and to communicate effectively, including expressing opinions and supporting an argument. This level broadly corresponds to the level of a Swiss baccalaureate (Matura) with German or French as a second language.

Previous Education and Supplementary Modules

I have completed, or am about to complete, a Swiss high-school diploma (maturité gymnasiale). Can I apply directly to the Osteopathy programme?

No. Applicants who hold, or are in the process of obtaining, a Swiss academic baccalaureate (gymnasiale Maturität) must first complete the Health supplementary modules in their canton of residence, in accordance with the HES-SO admission requirements for programmes in the Health field.

I have already completed one year of studies in a health-related field and would now like to change my study path. What should I do?

Students who have obtained at least 60 ECTS credits within a maximum period of two years in a health-related discipline (Medicine or Pharmacy) are not required to complete the one-year Health supplementary modules. However, applicants must have completed eight weeks of work experience or an internship in the healthcare field, corresponding to approximately 320 hours.

I already hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Do I have to complete the Health supplementary modules?

A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in medicine or pharmacy provides direct access to the admission examination, without having to complete the one-year Health supplementary modules.

I already have a qualification in the healthcare field. If I am admitted to the selection examination, can I have certain subjects or modules recognized?

Recognition of prior learning and qualifications is assessed on a case-by-case basis, once the admission procedure has been completed.

I cannot complete the Health supplementary modules in my canton of residence. Where can I complete them?

If the Health supplementary modules cannot be completed in the applicant’s canton of residence, they must be completed in the canton of Fribourg. The one-year programme costs CHF 10,800 in this case.

Applicants should contact the education department of their canton of residence to find out whether the canton can cover these costs. A successfully completed year (60 ECTS credits) in a Health programme at a German-speaking Swiss university of applied sciences is considered equivalent to the Health supplementary modules.

Costs and Duration of the Programme

How much does the programme cost?

The registration fee for the admission examination and the Bachelor’s programme is CHF 150. Semester fees amount to CHF 700.–. An annual fee of CHF 200.– is charged for study materials.

  • Wednesday, 18.11.2026, 5:00–6:00 p.m. (Online via Teams, no registration required)

This translation was automatically generated and is provided for informational purposes only.