Occupational Therapy

This is a BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy course, subject to validation. We also offer an undergraduate integrated Masters in Occupational Therapy.

This four-year BSc course will give you the expertise, people skills and conceptual understanding that you will need to work as an occupational therapist. This course is responsive to the demands of the health and social care sector and there are practice-based learning opportunities across the course to integrate theory, knowledge and practice.

Why QMU?

• Develop key skills that will help you work effectively with others: Studying on this course will give you the expertise, people skills and conceptual understanding that you will need to work as an occupational therapist.

• Responsive and relevant: This course is responsive to the demands of the health and social care sector and there are practice-based learning opportunities across the course to integrate theory, knowledge and practice.

• Professional recognition and registration: This course is approved by the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. It is recognised by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT). Graduates are eligible to apply for registration with the HCPC.

• Complete University Guide ranking: We are in the top 5 of UK universities for Counselling, Psychotherapy and Occupational Therapy (Complete University Guide 2024).

• National Student Survey ranking: We are in top 2 Scottish higher education institutes for overall satisfaction in courses in Counselling, Psychotherapy and Occupational Therapy. (National Student Survey 2023)

• You will be taught by highly experienced lecturers who are well respected in their fields: They engage in innovative research, contribute to knowledge development and translation and have strong personal links with practice settings. We have small class sizes, therefore our staff will really get to know you. We genuinely care about your journey and will recognise your strengths and where you most need support.

The course in brief:
Living, not existing, that is a primary objective for the profession. As an occupational therapist, you will work with individuals, groups and communities to foster participation in the aspects of life that people need, want and have to do. This course is your first step towards a rewarding and diverse healthcare career with excellent employment prospects.

On this course you will:

• Explore how to provide practical support to empower people, facilitate health and wellbeing, and help identify and respond to barriers that prevent people from doing what really matters to them;

• Learn a wide range of transferable personal and professional skills, understanding why and how people engage in occupations and what might disrupt patterns of occupation; critically engaging with knowledge and evidence that informs the profession; and collaborating with services to address needs of their communities;

• Develop an appreciation of how individual’s lives can be shaped by society including environments, history, or systems and how these factors can impact health; and

• Learn through a variety of approaches, and practical placements are a key element of the course, giving you the opportunity to translate your learning into practice and to work with a wide range of services and populations.

We also offer a four year integrated undergraduate master’s course in Occupational Therapy. If you are interested in our integrated masters course, the UCAS code is B920.

Course Modules

Year 1

• Foundations of Occupational Therapy

• Introduction to Professional Practice

• Developing Skills for Practice

• Humans as Occupational Beings

• OT Assessment 1: Analysing People and Occupations

• Practice-based Learning 1

Year 2

• Thriving in Professional Practice

• OT Assessment 2: Professional Reasoning and Analysis

• OT intervention: Compensation and Modification for Occupation

• Practice-based Learning 2

• Inquiry and Evidence in Occupational Therapy

Year 3

• OT intervention: Restoration and Maintenance

• Management and Leadership for OT Practice

• OT intervention: Prevention and Health Promotion

• OT Assessment 3: Evidence-informed Practice

• Practice-based Learning 3

Year 4

• Honours Dissertation

• Quality Improvement in Occupational Therapy Practice

• Occupation in Social and Political Contexts

• Practice-based Learning 4

The modules listed here are correct at time of posting but may differ slightly to those offered in 2027. Please refer to our course webpage for the most up to date information. Modules differ between the BSc and integrated Masters routes.

Our course is designed to allow you to get to know your peers and our staff, and build positive academic and professional relationships. Teaching and learning methods include interactive lectures, seminars, practical workshops, group work and self-directed learning. Outside timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning through independent study. For assessment, we focus less on written examinations and more on demonstrations of knowledge and understanding: reports, essays, presentations, oral and practical examinations, and creative assessments.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Health and Care Professions Council
• British Association of Occupational Therapists and College of Occupational Therapists