MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration)

When can you start this course? | Fees | Course length | Entry requirements

Why choose this course?

This course is approved by the Health Professions Council, so you'll be able to apply to practise as an occupational therapist as soon as you graduate.
You'll be studying an accredited course which is recognised nationally and internationally through the College of Occupational Therapists and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
You won't have to pay any tuition fees as the course is funded through the NHS and you'll also be able to apply for a means tested bursary to help with your studies.
You'll go on three practice placements which will give you the experience of a diverse range of areas in occupational therapy, and ensure you're ready for your new career as an occupational therapist.
You will develop key skills such as leadership, lifelong learning and a deep theoretical knowledge that will help you to develop and make dynamic contributions in your occupational therapy profession.
When you've completed this fast paced two year professional course, you'll be able to apply for exciting and diverse career opportunities in this country and abroad.
You will have access to all the excellent facilities within our university including our purpose built occupational therapy kitchen, a domestic living suite and an anatomy lab all in our Clinical Skills Suite to help you put the theory into practice whilst also being able to access a variety of online resources to help your self directed learning.

About the course

Occupational therapists enable people to take part in meaningful activities by helping them to overcome barriers that prevent them from reaching their potential. These activities vary from paid or unpaid work and self care activities to sports and leisure. We'll help you develop a deep and critical understanding of the profession. Take a look at the opportunities you'll have with a career in occupational therapy.

This course is approved by the Health Professions Council, so you will be eligible to apply for registration to practise as an occupational therapist when you graduate. It is also accredited nationally and internationally through the College of Occupational Therapists and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

You will develop and demonstrate your pre-registration competencies through the practical and theoretical elements of this course. Towards the end of the course you'll complete an independent scholarship where you'll investigate a potential area of practice you're passionate about and identify real opportunities for future innovative occupational therapy. When you've completed this course you'll be well placed within the employment market as a self-directed, reflective, proactive and initiative driven practitioner, capable of influencing the development of others and the profession.

During this course you will develop a deep and critical understanding of the profession, by focusing on:

what 'occupation' may mean for individuals and communities;
how people's 'occupations' are developed and affected throughout their life;
how 'occupation' is influenced by and informs health and well-being;
how 'occupation' may be used therapeutically.

You'll reflect on your role and performance as a developing practitioner and analyse how your professional decisions in practice are shaped and influenced by multiple factors such as health and social policy, research, working with others and experience.

Find out more about what subjects and modules you'll be studying...

You'll study the following topic areas:

Foundations and Principles of Occupational Therapy - during this module you'll critically review the foundations of occupational therapy. You'll analyse the core philosophies, skills, values and processes of the profession and consider the contribution that occupational therapy makes to health and social care.
Foundations for Occupational Performance - you'll consider occupational performance throughout the life span, including play, work, productivity, leisure and self care.
Self as a Therapist - to be effective in your therapeutic practice you'll need to develop a strong alliance with the individuals you're working with. We'll focus on emotional intelligence to give you the knowledge, skills and experience you need to create these alliances, and there will be an emphasis on experiential learning through one to one and group-based activities.
Occupational Impact of Life Changes - during this module you will critically explore the effects of life changes on a person's ability to engage in occupations. You'll need to be able to identify and enable the needs of clients/service users, and inform decision making with individuals in what may often be complex and unpredictable situations.
Informing the OT Process - this module gives you the opportunity to analyse and evaluate the principles of the occupational therapy process. You'll develop skills in effective self management, personal responsibility for the learning of yourself and others, and teamwork. This will ensure that you become a confident and competent practitioner.
Research Governance and Evidence Based Practice - you'll critically evaluate the quality of evidence generated from practice, and the processes which govern this evidence. You'll also explore innovation and change within health and social care and the possible impact of professional leadership skills.
Practice Placement 1 - the practice placement module introduces you to occupational needs of individuals and to the occupational therapy process in practice. It enables you to develop your professional, communication, interpersonal and managerial skills at a basic level.
Practice Placement 2 - you'll build on the experiences of your previous placement within a different setting to further develop your occupational based practice skills and professionalism.
Practice Placement 3 - this practice placement will build on your previous placement experience. You'll be encouraged to reflect and critically evaluate on your placement in order to become a competent occupational therapist.
Informed and Professional Reasoning - you will be involved in decision making within your professional practice, so you'll need to have an understanding of the theories and procedures that underlie individual thought processes and those of the team. In this module you'll use a case scenario from your practice placement as a basis for evaluating how professional reasoning influences practice.
Independent Scholarship - you'll investigate an area of practice you are passionate about, and conduct a thorough review of evidence to identify real opportunities for future developments within the field of occupational therapy. You'll be making an original contribution to the occupational therapy profession, requiring openness and innovation of thought, and offering you the opportunity to challenge the scope of OT practice.
Therapeutic Use of Occupation and Activity - building on earlier modules you'll use clinical reasoning to justify how you would analyse, grade and adapt occupations and/or activities to meet the occupational needs of particular individuals or groups. The ability to influence others and justify your decision making, based upon sound conceptual knowledge, is an essential skill required in all areas of service delivery.
Influences upon Practice - during this module you'll develop a professional and critical appreciation of how practice is influenced by a range of factors. This is essential to enable you to inform changes in service delivery and personal practice.

Your career

Clare Atkin talks about her experiences on the course.

Every day will be different, but always rewarding, as you work with people to enable them to take part in activities that are meaningful to them. You could work with people of all ages facing different challenges in a wide range of settings such as:

Health services;
Social services;
Education;
Care homes;
Prison services;
Charity sector;
Legal services;
Social enterprises;
Schools;
Community;
Independent practice.

This course could lead to career opportunities in many areas of the profession as you'll be well placed to develop creative, innovative, evolving and emerging services using your strong professional identity, research, service design and leadership skills.

What our students say

Jennifer Bincliffe, one of our recent graduates.

Jennifer Bincliffe, one of our recent graduates:
"I have met some fantastic people, my confidence has grown and I cannot wait to put what I have learnt into practice."

Sarah Colton, one of our recent graduates:
"I found the course very stimulating as the learning format in each lecture varied from presentations to group work, which made it interactive and easier to take in the information."

Eleanor Ramsell, one of our recent graduates:
"I'm really enjoying the course, I've made lots of new friends and particularly enjoy the practical element of placement. The lecturers have also been extremely helpful, and are very approachable."

Clare Atkin, one of our recent graduates:
"This course gave me a great introduction to occupational therapy. I have learnt so much from the first two terms and I am really looking forward to putting my knowledge into practice on my first placement."

Mary Riley, one of our recent graduates:
"I have found the course really stimulating, it has helped me to learn more about myself and extended my abilities."

How you'll learn

You'll learn through a variety of methods including workshops, practical sessions, practice placement education, discussions, debates, peer teaching and experiential learning. Many of the modules use e-learning technology to support learning such as the use of discussion forums, wikis, blogs, classroom conferencing facilities as well as a range of teaching and learning resources which are available electronically.

How you're assessed

Your assessment will incorporate a range of methods that are closely linked to the skills you need for your future career and lifelong learning. These include written assignments, reports, oral presentations, independent study, practice placement, literature reviews and personal reflections.

Work placements

There are three periods of practice placement, where you will work full time in practice for a set number of weeks. Working in three separate areas of practice will ensure you have the optimum range of skills for becoming a qualified practitioner.

Anything else?

Funding

This course is funded by the NHS so you won't have to pay any course fees and you'll be able to apply for a means tested NHS bursary to help with the cost of your studies. If you are a UK student, there is also the option to privately self fund the course, or if your employer wishes to fund your place. Please contact us for further details on this. If you would like help in funding your postgraduate study, then find out more about the Professional and Career Development Loan.

International students

Are you an international student? Find out more about how we can help you.

Start dates

If you're from the UK or EU you can apply to study this course in:

September 2012

If you're from a country outside the EU you can apply to study this course full time in:

September 2012

Fees*

You should be entitled to an NHS bursary.

We are still waiting for information from the Department of Health regarding the allocation of bursaries. We hope to be able to provide an update on NHS bursaries in due course, so please keep checking this course page for up to date information.

Course length

This course starts in September and you can study it full time for just over two years.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need an honours degree of 2:1 or above and you will also need to have a range of ...

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Standard entry requirements

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