Your career in occupational therapy commences in Year 1 as you undertake modules that provide the theoretical underpinning of occupational therapy, clinical sciences and an introduction to research and study skills. University theory and practice placements are alternated for you to put theory into its practice context. The whole course is structured in this way. Interprofessional learning activities including modules shared with other disciplines will be undertaken, and professional regulations, governance and ethics of practice are also explored.
Year 2 has two practice placements. Practice placement 2 is at the beginning of the academic year, and practice placement 3 starts in March. Year 2 builds upon the first-year modules to consolidate your learning and help you feel confident in your practice as the conditions and assessments you undertake become more complex.
Your final year international module, Community Building through Collective Occupations is your opportunity to learn with and from other learners and staff from across Europe. Other models will support your preparation for work. You also undertake your final practice placement, and your final major project.
Course structure
Year 1 core modules
An Introduction to Evidence-based Practice for Health Professionals
You examine the role of evidence-based practice and sources of evidence: primary and secondary research, guidelines, audits and evaluations to support clinical decision making. You develop skills in formulating focused questions, developing effective search strategies and literature retrieval.
Facilitating Independence and Inclusivity
You focus on facilitating independence through the occupational therapy process. There will be recognition that optimum health can exist within the context of disability and this is underpinned by concepts of health promotion, and reference to the environment and use of current assistive technology and equipment within the home. Services users will be involved to enable you to explore barriers to participation from a real-life perspective. You analyse, develop, or modify therapy and environments, giving particular attention to future home design to develop independence and enhance occupational performance through a range of practical activities.
Lifespan, Living and Health
You focus on what makes us an occupational being. This includes functional anatomy, physiology, lifespan development and the role that sociocultural differences contribute to us being diverse individuals. From birth to the end of life, humans engage in a range of occupations which affect their health and wellbeing. In an interactive and reflective way, this module will help you to begin to consider the link between how individuals engage in occupations and their personal health and wellbeing.
Occupation for Wellbeing
This module focuses on the centrality of occupation in human life and transformative potential of occupation. You explore occupation-based activity analysis and the relationship between the person, environment, and occupation. Underpinned by the philosophy, values, and attitudes of the occupational therapy profession you consider the process of change and how individual behaviour can influence this. Restoring and maintaining health and wellbeing will be explored in the context of the role of public health and campaigns.
Professionalism for Health Professionals (Allied Health Professional Module)
This module is designed to facilitates your understanding of your role in the delivery of contemporary health and social care within the context of interprofessional practice. You gain a core understanding of professional issues relevant to practice, facilitating the development of professional behaviour, preparing you for the demands of practice and ensuring you are sufficiently informed and equipped to practice safely. The concepts of continuous professional development and lifelong learning and the tools to demonstrate this through the use of the e-portfolio are introduced. This will prepare you to produce evidence of professional development to maintain your professional registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council.
Year 2 core modules
Dissertation Planning for Health Professionals
You further develop your knowledge of research methods and critical appraisal. The module will build upon the knowledge of the different research methodologies gained at level 4 and allow you to apply that knowledge to design a project using primary or secondary research methods.
Facilitating the Occupational Voice
You foster an awareness of the multiple influences on experiences of health and wellbeing, through the medium of service user engagement, developing the skills necessary to hear and interpret the ‘occupational voice’ and engage fully in understanding the client process in contemporary practice. You develop your knowledge and awareness of wide-ranging contemporary influences, whilst the delivery mode allows you to undertake a range of tasks which develop skills in line with necessary professional competencies. This module is delivered in collaboration with service users, and incorporates a six-week practice placement.
Occupational Therapy Core Skills
You link your knowledge of underpinning occupational therapy theories and foundation sciences and apply it to practice. This knowledge is fundamental to the use of occupation in a wide range of practice contexts (hospital, community and other sectors) and to meet a wide range of service user needs. A wide range of subjects will be covered, reflecting the diverse aspects of occupational therapy practice and the occupational therapy process, including groupwork skills, creative occupations, vocational rehabilitation, emerging digital technologies, environmental adaptations, orthotics/splinting, wheelchairs and seating.
Occupational Therapy for Entrepreneurs
This module is underpinned by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Career Development Framework: Leadership pillar. You work collaboratively with other organisations, for example third sector organisations and charities using occupation to promote participation, health and wellbeing. You develop leadership and entrepreneurial qualities to lead, innovate and manage change, through marketing and promoting the benefits of occupational therapy. You will be supported to visit and analyse organisations and community-based facilities which provide leisure and social opportunities to experience and evaluate occupational barriers. This module incorporates Practice Placement 3.
Final-year core modules
Community Building through Collective Occupations
You focus on occupational engagement questions and issues which are experienced by a group of people or a community. Working with communities is central, and we do this by focusing on the power of collective occupations. From an occupational perspective, it is important that members of the community, who wish to, have the support they need to engage in meaningful activities and social connections. It is expected that occupational therapists will expand their work with communities and organisations in the future focusing on the needs of that community. In this module, cases from practice will be brought into the teaching, supported by external speakers. In addition, some lectures may be webcast from and to Amsterdam.
Developing Leadership and Service Improvement Skills for the Future Ready Practitioner
You develop a knowledge and understanding of healthcare policy, statutory and professional policy and explore the impact of these policies with respect to patient care, professional practice and service delivery. There is a strong emphasis on personal and professional development with an exploration of the theories and concepts underpinning continuous professional development, leadership, human dimension of change and quality improvement. You are required to provide evidence of your personal and professional development using an e-portfolio, to demonstrate critical reflection and action planning to ensure you are prepared for the demands and expectations of your role as a future-ready healthcare professional in both traditional and non- traditional settings.
Dissertation for Health Professionals
You consolidate and further develop the knowledge and skills gained during previous modules to progress the project you designed at level 5.
Preparatory work will have been undertaken at level 5 and will include: the completion of the ethics application and all supplementary documentation. Data collection forms will have been designed and the topic approved. Supervisor allocation will be made available prior to the start of the module and those students undertaking primary research or evaluation projects should have already submitted their ethics application prior to the start of the module. Supervisors will provide up to eight hours of one-to-one support through email, Teams and other forms of communication agreed between you and your supervisor.
Lifelong Learning in Occupational Therapy
You focus on future readiness and will re-visit the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ Career Development Framework. You will be guided through portfolio construction, applying for employment and professional requirements of being a lifelong learner. Opportunities are present for you to critically evaluate and reflect on your personal approach to education in the occupational therapy profession and in inter-professional arenas. Your occupational aspirations will be explored and supported through a range of participatory sessions. This module incorporates the final practice placement.
