Returnees to Occupational Therapy

Start date: September, January or April.

Course length: part time: 12 weeks.

Campus: Distance learning

Faculty: Education, Health and Science

School: School of Health and Social Care

This course is a single module for qualified occupational therapists. If you have had a career break and are intending to return to practice then this course can help you to get back on track, by making sure you have all the relevant skills and knowledge. It's taught at degree level and is delivered by distance learning. This course needs to be studied alongside a placement so you'll need to organise this and have access to a clinical mentor before you start the course.

You will study issues such as:

• Study skills and portfolio development;
• Occupational therapy theory and skills;
• Standards of practice;
• Social policy;
• Professional information;
• Communication and resource issues.

We will make sure you are up to date with quality issues and, in particular, the implications of Clinical Governance on service delivery. You'll also need to be up to date with the impact of social policy on both community and institutional care. We'll develop your skills in both self management and management within the workplace. The ability to critically reflect on practice is fundamental to the role as an occupational therapist so you'll also refresh your skills in this.

By the end of the course you'll have received a thorough grounding in the key issues and feel ready to go back into your occupational therapy career.

You’ll study one module that covers a range of topics including:

• Study skills: information technology, writing skills, time management
• Career management: CV writing, identification of learning needs
• Evidence based practice
• Reflective practice
• Governance
• Current health and social legislation
• Occupational science
• Occupational therapy models/approaches
• Outcome measures
• Continuing professional development
• Competence to practice

You'll need to be a qualified occupational therapist before you can start this course.

Please contact us for details of the fees for this course.

How you're assessed

You'll be assessed by a 3,000 word assignment which is a reflection on the placement and learning you will undertake.

How you'll learn

You will study this module using a range of activities to help identify both gaps in your knowledge and to provide links to specific information to support your return to practice. Although you will study through distance learning, you can access tutorial support by coming into the university at Britannia Mill or Kedleston Road at the Derby campus. You can also access telephone tutorials or support via emails.

Essential reading is provided online through the University library resources and you'll have access to a wide range of reading materials online through e-books and e-journals. And there's always the opportunity to borrow books through the university library.

When you have completed this course you will match the requirements of the Health and Care Professions Council set out for the development of your continued professional development as an occupational therapist.

"Not knowing what changes had occurred in the world of occupational therapy during my 12 year break from practice, I didn't know what I didn't know. This course showed me what I didn't know but more importantly, offered resources and a framework for understanding it within the scope of my own practice."

Brian Thompson, one of our current students comments about the course