Occupational Therapy BSc (Hons)

Embrace the power of occupation to transform lives through a diverse and rewarding career in Occupational Therapy. Gain real-life experience through practice placements and apply your learning to real-life situations. Graduate with the knowledge and skills to enable people to facilitate their recovery and overcome any barriers preventing them from doing the activities (or occupations) that matter to them.

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Learning, teaching and assessment in 2021/22

Overview

Occupational Therapists work with people of all ages to enable participation in the occupations that they want and need to do. Underpinned by the professional belief that occupation and wellbeing are linked, Occupational Therapists use occupation as both the goal and main tool of intervention. During the lifespan, occupational participation may be disrupted by ability, a condition, an illness, an injury or a state of mind that can cause a mismatch between the person's ability, the demands of the occupation and/or the environment. Occupational therapists enable participation through modifying occupations, promoting new skills or approaches, adapting environments, or a combination of these.

You will have the opportunity to learn from people who are experts by their own lived experience who have used health and social care services and who are fully integrated into the learning and teaching across the course. This ensures that you develop your skills prior to practice placement and receive feedback in a safe and secure learning environment. Through this process you will be more confident and competent when engaging with people on placement which will support your learning in practice to flourish.

Why us?

Our recent multi-million pound investment includes a fully functional independent living environment, a multi-media workshop and a suite of rehabilitation laboratories
Inter-professional learning facilities include four simulation acute hospital wards, a simulation mental health / learning disability ward, patient diagnostic suite, two immersive simulation suites and multiple practical assessment suites
This course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and is accredited by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT)
Our Health Professions courses are ranked 25th in the UK (The Guardian University league tables, 2021)
Access our excellent links with local placement providers including NHS Trusts, Local Authorities and a range of non-traditional and emerging providers

People who are experts by their own lived experience who have used health and social care services are integrated in the teaching and positively contribute to your learning and development through assessment and feedback
Our Senior Lecturers maintain their professional practice through honorary contracts with local providers ensuring that you learn from academics who continue to be immersed in relevant and contemporary practice
Opportunities to collaborate with physiotherapy, nursing (adult, mental health and learning disability), pharmacy, paramedic science, medicine, sports science, social work and psychology

Course structure

You will be taught by a highly-skilled and motivated team of lecturers, visiting practitioners and volunteers who are experts by their lived experience. Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, workshops, online tutorials and problem-based learning activities. A strong professional identity and confidence to learn and work with other professional groups is an essential part of the course. You will have the opportunity to work and learn alongside students from other professions and to learn about the other professions through participation in inter-professional education. As this course leads to a professional qualification a minimum attendance level of 80% per semester is required.

You will be assessed through written assignments, critical reflection, presentations and practical and written examinations. You will be required to successfully complete all modules to progress through the course. Simulated practice is integrated into the course to provide opportunities to practise skills prior to placements and to help bridge the theory / practice gap.

Practice placements form a significant part of this course. You will successfully complete a minimum of 1000 hours practice placement. During placement, you will be supervised by a practice placement educator alongside support from academic staff. You will need to complete a Practice Assessment Document and will be assessed in terms of your competence. You may be required to work an altered shift pattern and seven day work patterns while on placement. Please note placements can take place anywhere within the North East region and some take place outside the normal University academic calendar.

Year 1 (national level 4):

Core modules:

Introduction to Research 1 (10 credits)
Personal and Professional Development 1 (10 credits)
Foundations and Skills for Practice (40 credits)*
Human Function and Lifespan Development (20 credits)
Occupational Engagement; Psychosocial Factors (20 credits)
Occupational Engagement; Biological & Physical Factors (20 credits)

* A practice placement is aligned to this module

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Year 2 (national level 5):

Core modules:

Evidence-Based Practice and Research 2 (10 credits)
Personal and Professional Development 2 (10 credits)
Occupational Disruptions (40 credits)*
Professional Reasoning and Intervention Strategies (20 credits)
Enhancing Skills for Practice (40 credits)*

* A practice placement is aligned to this module

Year 3 (national level 6):

Core modules:

Dissertation for Occupational Therapy (40 credits)
Personal and Professional Development 3 (20 credits)
Occupation in Complex Contexts (40 credits)*
Occupation for Health in Communities (20 credits)

* A practice placement is aligned to this module

Facilities

This course is based in the Sciences Complex in our City Campus, which has benefited from a recent multimillion pound investment. Teaching takes place in multi-media classrooms with state-of-the-art resources for learning, including a simulation flat, creative activities room, telecare facilities and a therapeutic garden.

The Darwin Building includes a simulated living suite and multi-media workshop alongside two rehabilitation labs. It has shared spaces for Physiotherapy and Sport and Exercise Sciences which include a fully-equipped gym with a range of cardiovascular and resistance training equipment.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

BTEC Extended National Diploma (Sport and Exercise Science, Health Science and Applied Science preferred) DMM. Other BTEC National Diplomas may be considered with AS or A2 Biology / Human Biology / PE at grade B.

Your completed application form will be reviewed by our Admissions Team to ensure that you have the required entry qualifications. If you meet these requirements, then your application and personal statement will be individually assessed by the Admissions Tutor and if successful, you will be shortlisted for interview.

Please note we are unable to accept applications from international students.

Values-based interview

All shortlisted applicants must attend an individual and group interview as part of the selection process. Your values, behaviours, problem solving and communication skills will also be assessed. The interview panel will include academic staff, Occupational Therapy practitioners and experts by their lived experience.

Fitness to practise

Medical assessments of your mental and physical health and disclosure of criminal convictions apply to all occupational therapy courses and are based on current HCPC requirements. Occupational Therapists are registered health care professionals and the ability to practise safely, effectively and professionally is essential, so all applicants are required to follow our fitness to practise procedures. This means you are required to complete the following:

A health declaration form. Here you must demonstrate that you are of good health, good character and can satisfactorily pass occupational health screening. In addition, you will be required to attend an Occupational Health Assessment with an NHS Trust. The University will, taking into account current HCPC regulations, make any reasonable adjustments if required. Please refer to the HEOPS occupational therapy student fitness standards.
A self-declaration form about your conduct.
Obtain an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The cost of the DBS check is covered by the University.

Instructions on how you complete these checks will be sent to you once you hold a conditional firm offer with us. These forms are then reviewed alongside your application, and you must meet both the academic and fitness to practise requirements before you will be given an unconditional offer. If you are successful, you will also need to complete an annual declaration form to confirm you are fit and there are no changes to your DBS.

Second reference

You will be asked to provide a second written reference as part of the interview process. The reference can be from your current employer, character reference (e.g. former employer, colleague, teacher, advisor, etc.) or from a supervisor at a voluntary role. If you are currently employed, the reference should be from your employer. Please note this must not be the same reference you have submitted as part of your application.

Personal qualities

We select students based on their knowledge, motivation, experience, values and behaviours, not just academic ability. You need to demonstrate an ability to:

Study academic subjects at the course level
Debate topics and issues
Draw on conclusions from written material
Study independently and as part of a group
Use computers and technology associated with teaching, learning and assessment
Interact with people in an appropriate manner demonstrating the values of the health and care professions
Demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, the course

Applicants and enrolled students must be able to demonstrate that they meet the professional standards for practice, as well as the ethical and professional conduct expectations of the profession, throughout their time in training.

If English is not your first language, you need an overall IELTS score of 7, with at least 6.5 in each band.

Fees and finance

The annual, full-time fee for this course is:

£9,250 if you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled

We are unable to accept international applicants.

In addition, you will be expected to buy your books, stationery, travel and accommodation. For practice placements you will need to buy a suitable pair of shoes that meet health and safety requirements, you will be provided with a uniform by the University.

Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

A non-repayable grant of £5,000 and extra payments worth up to £3,000 is available to eligible home students for each year of study. Read more about the Training Grant on The NHS Business Services Authority website.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career ready

Occupational Therapists can work in a variety of settings including health organisations such as the NHS, social care, housing, education, voluntary organisations or as independent practitioners working with people of all ages. They can specialise in mental health, physical health and learning disabilities. The average starting salary for a registered occupational therapist working in the UK is in excess of £21,000. A more experienced occupational therapist can earn around £40,000, and a consultant occupational therapist can earn between £66,000 and £82,000.

Placements

As you may be expected to travel long distances, start your shift in the early hours, or finish your shift late at night, you could be entitled to Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE) which allows you to make a retrospective claim for excess travel costs and/or expenses for temporary accommodation near to the location of your placement. Find out more about the NHS Learning Support Fund.

Career prospects

Employment prospects for new occupational therapists are good though ensuring your application stands out from the crowd is increasingly important. This can be achieved by preparing a thoughtful application and demonstrating a commitment to the profession. Unlike graduates with qualifications that are not specifically career-orientated, new occupational therapy graduates have the advantage of a structured career path with good long-term prospects in this key worker profession.

Accreditation

On successful completion of the BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy course, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Graduate Occupational Therapist and can apply for professional membership of the professional body the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

Please note that completing an approved course does not guarantee you will become registered as an Occupational Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council. It shows that you meet the minimum professional standards and are eligible to apply for registration. The Health and Care Professions Council will request additional information from you so that they can verify your eligibility. Please refer to the Health and Care Professions Council.

Meet the students

I love how Occupational Therapy is therapeutic! It has changed how I feel about the world.

Adelle Haley
Learning with the University of Sunderland is far more than simply attending lectures and seminars.

Claire Davison
My favourite part of the course so far is the staff, I love the staff

Emma Moore

Related courses

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

Page last updated: 12 July 2021

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Overview

Why us?

Course structure

Year 1 (national level 4):

Core modules:

Year 2 (national level 5):

Core modules:

Year 3 (national level 6):

Core modules:

Facilities

Entry requirements

Values-based interview

Fitness to practise

Second reference

Personal qualities

Fees and finance

Career ready

Placements

Career prospects

Accreditation

Meet the students

Adelle Haley

Claire Davison

Emma Moore

Related courses

Contact

Sign up to receive more information