Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration)

Entry requirements

A typical applicant will demonstrate evidence of:

• A degree at 2:2 or above with evidence of knowledge or experience in the research process and / or completion of an undergraduate dissertation or independent study
• GCSE English at grade C/4 or above. University of Worcester GCSE English equivalency tests will be accepted.
• Applicants whose first language is not English and who are required to provide a language test certificate as evidence of their proficiency must ensure that it is, or is comparable to, IELTS level 7.0 with no element below 6.5 (HCPC 2018)
• A strong interest and demonstrated understanding of the breadth of the role and the skills required to be a registered occupational therapist is necessary

Months of entry

September

Course content

Our MSc (Pre-registration) Occupational Therapy course is an accelerated qualifying programme for graduates with a suitable Bachelor’s degree (i.e. BSc/BA).

Occupational therapists play a key role in helping people regain, maintain or improve their participation in life. This course offers you the opportunity to learn from and with peers on other professional courses such as Physiotherapy. This aims to develop skilled and compassionate practitioners who have the confidence to collaborate with other professions and promote professional, social, and political change in health and social care. Our small class sizes ensure that you develop good relationships with peers and staff. Our Occupational Therapy teaching team is dynamic, innovative, and fun and share a variety of clinical, leadership and educational experience. You will be supported to gain more than 1,000 hours of practice-based learning in a variety of practice, leadership, and role-emerging settings.

Successful completion of the course allows you to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and therefore is it not suitable for those who already hold registration.

Key features

• Access to Ability House, an Occupational Therapy specific simulated learning environment
• Authentic assessment opportunities including primary research and writing for publication.
• Regular opportunities to work in partnership with service users and carers
• Shared modules with MSc (Pre-registration) Physiotherapy
• High quality learning and teaching facilitated by qualified Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and other professionals
• Four full time block placements in a variety or practice, research, leadership, and role-emerging settings. See our blog for further information on some of our placements

Teaching

The MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) programme employs a broad approach to teaching. Whilst teaching is predominantly campus based, all modules will include synchronous lectures, seminars, and workshops, as well as asynchronous online delivery. The specific blend of campus based and online teaching will vary across the modules. Full details are available in module outlines, however you can expect a minimum of 10% of teaching in each module to be delivered online. Constructive alignment of the programme aims, module aims, module content, learning and teaching methods and assessments, support and scaffold the development of advanced academic skills, across the two years of the course. Teaching and learning are student-centred, reflecting the philosophy of knowledge construction whereby students are active participants in their learning experience, and learn with and from each other. Academic modules consist of specific MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) modules that can only be taken by occupational therapy students (prefixed OCTH), and shared modules with MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) students (prefixed ALHS). Shared modules provide valuable opportunities for interprofessional learning, where you will be able to articulate their professional roles and contribution to integrated and inter professional care, and develop collaborative skills, through learning together. Delivery of learning session are inclusive, providing varied opportunities for learning through active participation of learning activities designed to enable students to achieve the modular learning outcomes.

Practice based learning across the curriculum provides direct experience of working with service users and within professional teams. You are supported by practice educators to achieve the required level of competency and develop their use of complex professional reasoning. Service users and carers are integral to teaching and learning, contributing to development, delivery and evaluation of teaching sessions.

Interactive seminars and workshops take a variety of formats and are intended to enable the application of learning through critical discussion and student-centred activities. Practical sessions are focused on developing occupational therapy and practice specific skills.

Careers

Occupational Therapists are employed in a wide range of organisations and specialities. Many work for the National Health Service and Social Care organisations but there is a growing body of therapists employed by Charities, Voluntary Organisation and in Private Practice. Occupational Therapists work with people of all ages from childhood through to the end of life and support people with physical and mental health needs, learning disabilities and those whose opportunities are restricted by circumstance.

Students are prepared in the MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) course to work in the constantly changing nature of employment as an Occupational Therapist in the modern world. Practical interview and self-development skills are taught and practised and students have opportunities to meet with local employers to develop an understanding of what makes a successful candidate for a specific job role. Opportunities are provided for students to explore the employment possibilities of the NHS, Social Care, Private Sector and Voluntary Organisations.

Graduates will be eligible to apply for registration with the HCPC as an Occupational Therapist and to apply for full membership or RCOT. This will enable you to pursue careers within the NHS and private sector. Opportunities exist in hospitals, community settings, uniformed services and the public or voluntary sectors.