Occupational Therapy

About this course
Become an Occupational Therapist and improve patients' lives with BSc Occupational Therapy at the University of Southampton, a course ranked 3rd in the UK (Complete University Guide 2026).

On your three-year BSc Occupational Therapy degree you'll gain the knowledge and skills needed to treat people with psychological, physical or social disabilities. You'll learn how to work effectively with patients, their families, and carers, as well as with other healthcare professionals and you'll be supported by world-leading academics* who are actively shaping the profession and are there to help you every step of the way from student to registered healthcare professional.

This programme gives you all the knowledge and skills to start your career along with eligibility to register with the Health and Care Professions Council as an Occupational Therapist. This programme is also accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Key features of the course:

• Develop a strong professional identity as an occupational therapist and gain a clear understanding of how the role contributes to multi-disciplinary teams

• Study in our purpose-built facilities, which include a multisensory environment, a biomechanics laboratory and an adapted flat

• Gain experience across the 1,000 placement hours you'll complete in the community, social care and hospitals

• Graduate you’ll be eligible to register as an occupational therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Student support
You'll be supported from day one, both during your time studying on campus and during your placements, by your personal support network of academics: your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT), a senior tutor, and by your fellow students via initiatives like the Schwartz Rounds designed to support health-care staff to deliver compassionate care by helping them to reflect on their work in groups of peers.

Further information
This programme gives you all the knowledge and skills to start your career along with eligibility to register with the Health and Care Professions Council as an Occupational Therapist. This programme is also accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

The NHS Learning Support Fund may assist your journey to becoming a registered healthcare professional. If you're a UK applicant you could be eligible for £5,000 per academic year, depending on your programme of study. Students studying Mental Health Nursing may also be eligible for a further £1,000.

• 92% of our research has been classed as world leading or internationally excellent Research Excellence Framework, 2021.