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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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.

Royal College of Occupational Therapists logo

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)
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
Our BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy course has a 100% positivity score for how intellectually stimulating the course is, how staff make it engaging and how good staff are at explaining things (National Student Survey 2023)

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.

Modules

Year 1 (national level 4):

Core modules:

Introduction to Research 1 (10 credits)

This module will introduce you to research critique skills for quantitative and qualitative research. You’ll develop critical enquiry skills, in particular relating to healthcare interventions and treatments for Occupational Therapy. You’ll learn about the main issues and skills needed to understand research in health and social care, and will consider issues such as sampling, validity, reliability, and ethics. You’ll develop your ability to find, read, review, and reference health research and build key research skills including sourcing and retrieving information, academic reading, critical appraisal of scientific and qualitative research evidence, data presentation (figures and tables), constructing a logical and reasoned argument, and academic referencing.

Personal and Professional Development 1 (10 credits)

Through this module, you’ll develop an understanding of the nature of Occupational Therapy as a profession. You’ll be encouraged to identify and reflect on your academic and professional strengths and weaknesses to identify clear areas of development for your future career. You’ll be taught to think about the reasons behind decisions you make by drawing on knowledge of yourself, your professional ethics, organisational values and emotional intelligence, considering how personal feelings and emotions influence how you work and interact with others. Understanding the reasons and values that influence the way you work is critical to self-awareness and to working effectively and competently as an Occupational Therapist. As part of the module, you’ll identify and construct a clear personal development plan and document appropriate action plans for further self- improvement.

Foundations and Skills for Practice (40 credits)*

You’ll be introduced to the history, core philosophy, and influencing theoretical concepts of occupational therapy and occupational science that are fundamental to professional identity. This module includes a 6-week placement which commences at the end of the academic year. You’ll explore the concepts of meaningful occupation, occupational balance, and occupational participation as a foundation for a later understanding of the impact and analysis of occupational disruption. Exploring occupational assessment, the module will introduce you to the core occupational therapy skills that you’ll utilise during your practice placement, and which will provide a foundation for future modules. You’ll develop your knowledge and understanding of national and international ethical guidelines and theories as well as professional frameworks and will demonstrate the application of this knowledge during your practice placements and in practical situations and simulations. As part of the module, you’ll be introduced to professional documentation skills, including the principles of record keeping as part of professional practice. Record keeping will adhere to legal and data protection guidelines and will meet the requirements of professional record-keeping in preparation for practice placement.

Human Function and Lifespan Development (20 credits)

This module examines the development of individuals across the lifespan, from conception to death. It highlights conceptual and historical issues such as the scientific, political, and ethical issues inherent in the production and application of knowledge in this domain. You’ll consider several domains of development, such as attachment, personality, intelligence, and cognition, and will investigate the different life stages of development as a foundation for future disruptions modules.

Occupational Engagement; Psychosocial Factors (20 credits)

This module will introduce you to the concept of meaningful occupation and occupational engagement with relation to psychosocial factors that support health, wellbeing, and human function within contexts. As such the influence of the environment and context in which people live will be considered as part of the module.

Occupational Engagement; Biological and Physical Factors (20 credits)

The aim of this module is to provide a basic introduction to the fundamental concepts of anatomy and physiology, related to occupational engagement. You’ll consider the environment and wider context, as well as typical human functioning as a foundation for subsequent ‘disruptions’ modules. You’ll gain the skills you need for future practice through this module. Increasingly, Occupational Therapists may work with people at the first point of contact within health and wellbeing services and may therefore be faced with people with undifferentiated ‘diagnoses’. A grounding in anatomy and physiology is therefore important for your journey towards being a practitioner who is capable of safe and effective practice in these contexts to support your occupational assessment, formulation and intervention and review. You’ll learn to identify and locate key anatomical features of the human body including organs, glands, bones, muscles, and nerves and their functions. Through this module you’ll initiate your investigation of how physical or biological factors can support occupational engagement.

* 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)

You’ll consolidate the knowledge and skills needed to understand research in healthcare professions, and develop your knowledge and skills around research design, data analysis and dissemination. Research related issues such as sampling, validity, reliability, and ethics will be considered. You’ll learn how to identify a focused line of research enquiry and how to write a clear, concise, and informed research proposal. The module will develop knowledge and understanding of the research process in practice and nurture skills essential for academic success, career entry and life-long learning.

Personal Development and Professional Practice 2 (10 credits)

Through this module, you’ll be encouraged to identify and reflect on your academic and professional strengths and needs from your first year, to identify clear areas for development aligned to your future career. Topics will include emotional intelligence, developing professional reasoning, and developing team-working and leadership skills. You’ll be taught to think about the reasons behind decisions you make, drawing from knowledge of yourself, your professional ethics, organisational values, and emotional intelligence by considering how personal feelings and emotions influence how you work and how you interact with others. You’ll review and reflect on your personal development plan and current achievements, and act on feedback from academics, practice placement educators, service users, and others to update your action plan for further self-improvement.

Occupational Disruptions (40 credits)*

Building on the identification and assessment of occupational needs, you’ll begin to analyse and prioritise occupational needs to collaboratively plan and deliver interventions to facilitate occupational performance guided by the occupational therapy process. You’ll consider the local, national, and international factors that relate to occupational therapy practice. You’ll have the opportunity to practice your skills through case studies and in simulated environments in the University, and will then apply your learning from this module to your practice placements.

Professional Reasoning and Strategies for Intervention (20 credits)

Enhancing Skills for Practice (40 credits)*

Through this module, you’ll increase your understanding regarding assessment and provision of assistive equipment, including legislation, ethical decision making, and risk assessing. Consent, mental capacity, moving and handling will also be included. The analysis of occupations, grading and adapting, cultural considerations and professional reasoning will be included as well as individualised planning. This module also includes the key skill of splinting, the use of assistive technology and a more in-depth consideration of standardised assessments. You’ll continue to develop your communication skills, learning to clearly articulate assessments via a variety of mediums.

* A practice placement is aligned to this module

Year 3 (national level 6):

Core modules:

Research 3: Dissertation (40 credits)

For this module, you’ll be required to identify a realistic and feasible research question and then critically review the topic of your choice in relation to the available literature, ultimately leading to an answer to your question. You’ll be supported in identifying a theme/topic and how to reduce this down to an answerable question. Projects may, following discussion and negotiation with the project supervisor, integrate applied practice and include a case study approach.

Personal Development and Professional Practice 3 (20 credits)

Through this module, you’ll be introduced to the concepts of clinical audit, service effectiveness, and evaluation as methods of quality improvement in practice. Clinical audit and evaluation provide a systematic approach for evaluating current practice and outcomes of clinical audits can inform future service improvement. Additionally, through clinical audit, good practice can be identified and promoted, practice can be enhanced, service effectiveness can be established, and problems may be identified, and solutions implemented. Clinical audit can also enhance team working and communication. As part of this module, you’ll receive training in coaching and subsequently provide peer support to another student who is in year 1 or 2.

Occupation in Complex Contexts (40 credits)*

This module aims to combine your understanding of occupational therapy with people with complex problems in challenging environments, using critical analysis of the evidence to inform practice. Drawing on local, national, and international policy and practice, you’ll apply your critical thinking and professional reasoning to people who are deprived of the opportunity for occupation due to the complex contexts in which they live.

Occupation for Promoting Health in Communities (20 credits)

This module aims to combine your understanding of occupational therapy with people with complex problems in challenging environments, and apply this at a family, group, community, societal, population and/or international level. The focus of the module is on the use of occupation as a preventative strategy to address public health issues.

* A practice placement is aligned to this module

Facilities

This course is based in The John Dawson 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

Our typical offer is:

Qualification	Minimum grade
High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade: SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement	GPA 3.0 or above and: Sat score of 1100/1600 from SATs AP (Grades 3+ in at least 2 subjects) ACT (score of 26+)

If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.

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.

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 the 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.

Students studying a health or social care course, that has a placement within the NHS or any other Care Quality Commission establishment, are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Find out more in our Help and Advice article.

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

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual fee for this course is:

£9,250 if you are from the UK/Europe*
£16,000 if you are an international student (EU nationals will receive a £5,750 scholarship to reduce their fee to £10,250)

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, and the University will provide you with a uniform.

*The discounted fee will be reflected in your offer letter. Learn more in our Help and Advice article.

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.

Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

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.

According to National Careers, the average starting salary for a registered occupational therapist working in the UK is around £28,000. A more experienced occupational therapist can earn up to £50,000.

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

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

Claire Davison
You can always rely on the academic team to support and guide you

Georgia-Leigh Hall
I would 100% recommend Sunderland for anybody thinking of studying Occupational Therapy

Sofie Cooper

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

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing

Page last updated: 07 March 2024

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.

Overview

Why us?

Course structure

Modules

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 and Physical Factors (20 credits)

Year 2 (national level 5):

Core modules:

Evidence Based Practice and Research 2 (10 credits)

Personal Development and Professional Practice 2 (10 credits)

Occupational Disruptions (40 credits)*

Professional Reasoning and Strategies for Intervention (20 credits)

Enhancing Skills for Practice (40 credits)*

Year 3 (national level 6):

Core modules:

Research 3: Dissertation (40 credits)

Personal Development and Professional Practice 3 (20 credits)

Occupation in Complex Contexts (40 credits)*

Occupation for Promoting Health in Communities (20 credits)

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

Claire Davison

Georgia-Leigh Hall

Sofie Cooper

Meet the team — BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy

Related courses

Contact