Address: National Sports Academy
Telephone: +3592 9881511 Dean | 
| DEAN
Prof. Daniela Lubenova, PhD
Phone: (02) 4014(433)
Mobile: 0898776414
e-mail: lubenova@abv.bg | Secretary | Secretary
Eliza Yosifova
+3592 4014(418) |
A Brief Historical Survey The Higher School of Physical Education (the National Sports Academy presently) was established by Decree ¹124 of the Ministry of Education in 1942. In 1847, by the decision of the Council of Ministers, it was renamed to The Higher School of Physical Culture with a single major subject of ‘Physical Culture’ and providing qualifications as ‘a physical education teacher’, ‘a sports coach’ and ‘a specialist in rehabilitation and curative physical culture methods’. In the same year, 1947, the Curative Physical Culture Department was founded. Bulgaria is one of the first countries in Europe and the world which introduced a 4-year course of higher education in kinezitherapy at university level.
When the students at the Faculty complete their course of education they acquire the qualification of ‘a kinezitherapist’. There are courses for the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph. Doctor’s Degrees.Bachelor’s Degree The Kinezitherapy and Rehabilitation Depatment and the Theory and Methods of Kinezitherapy Department provide specialized education in kinezitherapy.
The 4-year B.A. course of studies in kinezitherapy can be attended by students who have a High School Education Certificate and have passed the entrance examinations successfully. They are also given the opportunity to acquire a second major qualification in ‘Physical Education and Sport’. The course for the qualification of ‘kinezitherapist’ follows a regular study program including fundamental courses (Arts, Physical Education and Sport), special, optional and supplementary courses, specialized (clinical) practice, training courses (skiing, hiking and climbing, water sports), working on course research and diploma work (optional).
In compliance with the Standard State Requirements, the lecture courses on the mandatory and optional subjects are read by lecturers of academic rank in the respective science area. Master’s Degree The Master’s Degree 1-year program is intramural (60 credits) and provides opportunities to kinezitherapy students to further their knowledge on the basis of the contemporary achievements in the theory and practice of this field. This improves their qualification in specific areas of kinezitherapy and reveals greater opportunities to practice their profession on a higher level. The course of study includes fundamental, special and optional modules, clinical practice, preparation and defense of a Master’s thesis. Doctor’s Degree The Doctor’s Degree course can be intramural (3 years) and extramural (4 years). The applicants who have graduated from higher institutes abroad may submit their application after recognition of their higher education diploma in accordance to the Decree of the Education Recognition State Requirements. The study course is specialized and follows an individual study program. The kinezitherapy education is internationally recognized. PHYSIOTHERAPY
The 4-year university degree programme in Physiotherapy was launched in 1947. Since then 50 batches of graduates- physiotherapists have been promoted a considerable part of them from different foreign countries.
The 4-year full-time after secondary school and after university entrance examination graduate programme in Physiotherapy (BSc university degree in Physiotherapy) has been evolved for more then 50 years, but the basic concept has remained the same: physiotherapists should be able to conceptualize their treatment on the basis of clinical assessment and evaluation and be able to set up research project on their own.
The graduates from the NSA speciality Physiotherapy may legally practice as full-fledged physiotherapists without limitation in Bulgaria.
The Faculty of Physiotherapy, Tourism and Sport Animation at NSA Sofia is a Member of the European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education and a partner of respected European universities in TEMPUS and SOCRATES/ERASMUS projects.
PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION
The 4-year BSc university degree programme in Physiotherapy (240 ECTS credits) is designed in five blocks of subjects/courses/modules: - BEHAVIOURAL and PHYSICAL EDUCATION SUBJECTS provide the necessary background to understand human behavior (in health and disease); physical exercise and sport activities as a locomotory and psychosocial behavior and related pedagogical and psychological problems (in healthy people, patients, disabled); organization and evaluation of scientific research & medical statistics.
- BASIC BIOLOGICAL and MEDICAL SUBJECTS provide the necessary background for understanding the human body structure and function, also related to movements, physical exercise and sports, their benefits and jeopardy.
- SPECIAL SUBJECTS integrate knowledge on pathological processes and the impairment of function with the total holistic approach and in particular with the physiotherapy.
- OPTIONAL SUBJECTS provide possibilities for the student to satisfy his/her personal interests in the area of basic and special subjects.
- SPECIALIZED PRACTICE provides the student with the opportunity to integrate theoretical studies with supervised clinical practice (over 1500h part-time and full-time), also for clinical research required for course works and graduation thesis.
For each section of the programme professors are recruited from their specific departments of the Academy. Pathology and Clinical Medicine subjects are taught by professors-medical doctors from the Faculty of Medicine Sofia. Professional Physiotherapy topics are instructed by physiotherapists professors and lecturers PhD’s employed within NSA physiotherapy departments and the teaching hospitals. The higher academic level of the Faculty facilitates the integration of research into study programme.
A three-year part-time bridge programme is available as a possibility for physiotherapists-graduates from 3-year colleges to upgrade to BSc in Physiotherapy university degree.
Post-graduate MSc and PhD programmes and short-term continuing education courses are available as well.
For holders of Bachelor’s degree the Faculty of Physiotherapy, Tourism and Sport Animation offers full-time, part-time and distance Master’s programmes in Physiotherapy with specilaisation in: - Physiotherapy in Orthopaedy and Traumatology.
- Physiotherapy in Neurology and Psychology.
- Physiotherapy in Internal Diseases.
The duration of the full-time programme is minimum 2 semesters and entails 720 academic hours or 60 credits.
The PhD programmes in Physiotherapy are individually designed.
TOURISM AND SPORT ANIMATION
The 4-year BSc university degree programme in Tourism and Sport Animation is designed in three blocks of courses: - Obligatory courses, which provide basic knowledge of the specialty. These courses are: general theoretic (pedagogy, psychology, history of physical culture and sports); social (philosophy, sociology, foreign language); medical- biological (anatomy, biomechanics, biochemistry, physiology, sports medicine, hygiene); special (theory and methodology of sports training for each kind of sport and for the different sport disciplines, fundamentals of research, sports management, physiotherapy, track and field athletics, gymnastics, competitive games, rhythmic and dances, etc), tourism, sport animation;
- Elective courses, which the students are invited to choose according to their personal interests and individual needs (general economic theory, sport for all etc.);
- Optional courses (Olympic movement, sports for different professions, concentration techniques, nutrition and sport, sports injuries etc).
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