Course summary

Completing the MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre Registration) programme, enables graduates to promote and restore people’s health and well-being. On this two year masters programme students learn how to enhance people’s occupational function in everyday life in order to meet their biological, psychological, social and spiritual needs through exploration and adaptation. Graduates are highly skilled, reflective and confident occupational therapy practitioners, able to critically evaluate the importance of occupational engagement for every stage of an individual’s life. Occupation (its philosophical, scientific, and experiential domains) is central to the curriculum. There is a holistic emphasis placed on the unique and individual client-centred dynamic of ‘person-environment-occupation-wellbeing’ informing the content and configuration of the curriculum (rather than bio-medical and service-led patterns). Concepts are re-visited with increasing complexity in learning continuing throughout the programme. The centrality of doing is integral to the teaching and learning strategy. The curriculum promotes opportunities for a range of CPD learning in addition to the full pathway for Occupational Therapy Practice placement continues to develop on its well-established basis with increasing inter-professional and new ways of working, including third sector opportunities. Graduates are prepared for professional practice through use of problem based learning in some modules to explore and enhance development of professional reasoning skills. Graduates will emerge in readiness for employment in accordance with the changing workplace arena. Students will benefit from engaging with a staff group who value the concept of continuing professional development in their own practice. Students will be learning with staff who have contemporary publication profiles and robust, active research interests in a range of professionally relevant topics including occupational science. Other distinctive features may be broadly described thus: Professional Practice – a series of modules shared with other AHP students in the School. The modules begin by exploring common foundation elements in preparation for professional practice including principles of evidence based practice, professional responsibility, understanding of the roles of other professional groups and team working. Research Studies– These inter-professional modules develop an understanding of the importance of evidence based practice and the concept of generating evidence in the form of research. Occupational Studies – A significant number of modules on this programme develop profession specific thinking and skills by examining topical occupational issues. These modules develop the core understanding of theory and skills that characterise the unique contribution of occupational therapy practice within health and social care settings. The modules firstly examine theory and foundational concepts of occupational functioning before moving onto applying occupational theory to people as occupational beings through the life cycle. Practice Placement – Placement opportunities at each level enable development of professional practice skills in distinct service settings under supervision.