Occupational Therapy (Pre-Registration) MSc (2024)

In this module you will develop in-depth critical knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of Occupational Therapy alongside an appreciation of how Occupational Therapists apply their core knowledge to practice. You will explore the academic discipline of Occupational Science which studies the links between meaningful activities, health and wellbeing. Topics in this module will include:

- How occupation is performed across the lifespan
- Using theoretical models to analyse human occupation and the application of contemporary theoretical frameworks to occupational science
- The impact of environments on occupation

Your university learning will be consolidated and developed by a period of practice placement (assessed at BSc level 4) during this module where you will be supported to apply theory to practice and develop your Occupational Therapy knowledge and skills with support and supervision of a Qualified Occupational Therapist. You will engage with service users and carers to gain insight and appreciation of the impact of a range of health, social and/or environmental factors on occupational participation. Part of being a professional in practice is managing workload and your own emotional responses to pressured environments and there will be opportunities to reflect on this both in University and on placement in order to develop physical and mental health self-care strategies.

The preparatory period in university prior to placement will help you to understand the professional conduct required in practice as set out by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Hours completed on this module contribute to the 1000 hours of supervised practice required to be eligible to register to practice on completion of the programme.

Occupational Therapists select, analyse, adapt and utilise occupations to promote occupational engagement, health and wellbeing and you will practice, analyse and reflect on these skills during this module. You will further develop your understanding of how environments and contexts influence occupation and again, develop practice skills in analysing occupation within different contexts and environments. You will also develop and critically reflect upon skills used within therapeutic interactions such as motivating others, collaborative goal setting and working towards behaviour change. Alongside this and integrated with opportunities to learn profession-specific Occupational Therapy skills, you will also develop wider professional skills including skills in risk assessment, record keeping and collaborative working.

Experts by experience have helped to identify the following core values as the most important elements of building relationships with service users and carers: respect, trust, compassion, empathy, listening and collaboration. Through a range of learning experiences students will be supported to examine these values and to think about how they demonstrate them in their professional practice.

You will spend time in a practice context to complete your second period of practice assessed at level 5 practice placement. Hours from the Placement B period will contribute to the 1000 hours of supervised practice required to be eligible to register to practice on completion of the programme. Part of being a professional in practice is managing workload and your own emotional responses to pressured environments and there will be opportunities to reflect on this both in University and on placement in order to develop physical and mental health selfcare strategies.

Authentic case studies will be developed to reflect diverse and contemporary areas of occupational therapy practice, including (but not limited to) scenarios with a focus on prevention and health promotion, acute care, and rehabilitation contexts.

Your university learning will be consolidated and developed by a period of practice placement during this module. Module sessions will help you to understand the professional conduct required in practice as set out by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics (RCOT, 2021) and HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics (2016).

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

•Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
•Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
•Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
•Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
•Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
•Listening skills for lectures.
•Speaking in seminar presentations.
•Presenting your ideas
•Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
•Speed reading techniques.
•Developing self-reflection skills.
•Discussing ethical issues in research, and analysing results.
•Describing bias and limitations of research.

You will develop skills which will continue to place your understanding of occupation at the centre of your practice through the consideration of the complexities of contemporary practice. This will involve debating the realities of practice with the rhetoric of public and professional discourse using applied examples of ethical and moral dilemmas in professional decision-making. You will consider how your critical thinking and reflective skills can be applied when considering the occupational needs and risks of a range of individuals, groups and communities, with an exploration of the public health agenda

As occupational therapists work with individuals and groups to promote health through occupational engagement, you will critically consider how the concepts within Occupational Science might inform your professional role in risk assessment and opportunities for positive risk taking, whilst maintaining safe and effective practice. You will also consider the role of the socio-economic, cultural and political environments in promoting or disrupting participation and engagement in valued occupations.

You will draw on previous learning, practice and experiences of service users/carers, to critically analyse the decision-making processes influenced by the challenges and barriers to maintaining occupation as the central focus of Occupational Therapy. The role of reflective practice and professional attributes will be considered in terms of exploring the opportunities for promoting occupation-centred practice and the continued development of the profession.

You will draw on your learning from previous modules and placements to consolidate your knowledge, skills and in values in preparation for practice and meeting the requirements for registration with HCPC. You will continue to develop your reflective skills and identify your own areas for development to focus your learning and support your transition in becoming a Professional Occupational Therapist; learning to assess and evaluate your own skills.
Your learning will be consolidated during a period of practice placement assessed at level 6 ; where you will be demonstrating the practical and professional skills required of a student making the transition to entry-level practitioner. Placement hours completed on this module contribute to the 1000 hours of supervised practice required to be eligible to register to practice on completion of the programme.

For this placement you may have the opportunity to work in a non-traditional or contemporary area of practice where there is currently no direct OT service. In private, independent and voluntary organisations. For example, previous placements have been within mainstream schools, charities and new NHS services.

You will learn to apply key skills of activity analysis and assessment to identify occupational need/opportunities and design, develop and implement occupation-based interventions/projects. Placements at this level will require you to think creatively and autonomously and apply entrepreneurship and leadership skills to promote the occupational therapy role. Part of being a professional in practice is managing workload and your own emotional responses to pressured environments and there will be opportunities to reflect on this both in University and on placement in order to develop physical and mental health self?care strategies.

In this module you will develop the necessary skills to plan, develop, implement, and critique a research project which is relevant to and with the ability to contribute to the knowledge and evidence base for occupational therapy. This will enhance your skills in the critical evaluation of data. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to plan for dissemination of your research to a wider audience via producing a manuscript in the format suitable for submission for publication in a health or social care peer reviewed journal.

With support from your academic supervisor you will undertake your own research project; this may involve primary data collection, critical analysis of existing data, or a systematic review of the literature on a specific topic.

More specifically, depending on your choice of methodology you will develop
•Project management skills including time management skills
•Knowledge and skills required for quantitative or qualitative data collection and/or systematic literature reviewing
•Knowledge and skills required for critical qualitative or quantitative data analysis, and/or data synthesis

This is a valuable and exciting learning and development opportunity that will enhance your employability and future career opportunities as a contemporary autonomous professional.

In this module you will develop in-depth critical knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of Occupational Therapy alongside an appreciation of how Occupational Therapists apply their core knowledge to practice. You will explore the academic discipline of Occupational Science which studies the links between meaningful activities, health and wellbeing. Topics in this module will include:

- How occupation is performed across the lifespan
- Using theoretical models to analyse human occupation and the application of contemporary theoretical frameworks to occupational science
- The impact of environments on occupation

Your university learning will be consolidated and developed by a period of practice placement (assessed at BSc level 4) during this module where you will be supported to apply theory to practice and develop your Occupational Therapy knowledge and skills with support and supervision of a Qualified Occupational Therapist. You will engage with service users and carers to gain insight and appreciation of the impact of a range of health, social and/or environmental factors on occupational participation. Part of being a professional in practice is managing workload and your own emotional responses to pressured environments and there will be opportunities to reflect on this both in University and on placement in order to develop physical and mental health self-care strategies.

The preparatory period in university prior to placement will help you to understand the professional conduct required in practice as set out by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Hours completed on this module contribute to the 1000 hours of supervised practice required to be eligible to register to practice on completion of the programme.

Occupational Therapists select, analyse, adapt and utilise occupations to promote occupational engagement, health and wellbeing and you will practice, analyse and reflect on these skills during this module. You will further develop your understanding of how environments and contexts influence occupation and again, develop practice skills in analysing occupation within different contexts and environments. You will also develop and critically reflect upon skills used within therapeutic interactions such as motivating others, collaborative goal setting and working towards behaviour change. Alongside this and integrated with opportunities to learn profession-specific Occupational Therapy skills, you will also develop wider professional skills including skills in risk assessment, record keeping and collaborative working.

Experts by experience have helped to identify the following core values as the most important elements of building relationships with service users and carers: respect, trust, compassion, empathy, listening and collaboration. Through a range of learning experiences students will be supported to examine these values and to think about how they demonstrate them in their professional practice.

You will spend time in a practice context to complete your second period of practice assessed at level 5 practice placement. Hours from the Placement B period will contribute to the 1000 hours of supervised practice required to be eligible to register to practice on completion of the programme. Part of being a professional in practice is managing workload and your own emotional responses to pressured environments and there will be opportunities to reflect on this both in University and on placement in order to develop physical and mental health selfcare strategies.

Authentic case studies will be developed to reflect diverse and contemporary areas of occupational therapy practice, including (but not limited to) scenarios with a focus on prevention and health promotion, acute care, and rehabilitation contexts.

Your university learning will be consolidated and developed by a period of practice placement during this module. Module sessions will help you to understand the professional conduct required in practice as set out by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics (RCOT, 2021) and HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics (2016).

Academic skills when studying away from your home country can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

•Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
•Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
•Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’
•Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
•Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
•Listening skills for lectures.
•Speaking in seminar presentations.
•Presenting your ideas
•Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
•Speed reading techniques.
•Developing self-reflection skills.
•Discussing ethical issues in research, and analysing results.
•Describing bias and limitations of research.

You will develop skills which will continue to place your understanding of occupation at the centre of your practice through the consideration of the complexities of contemporary practice. This will involve debating the realities of practice with the rhetoric of public and professional discourse using applied examples of ethical and moral dilemmas in professional decision-making. You will consider how your critical thinking and reflective skills can be applied when considering the occupational needs and risks of a range of individuals, groups and communities, with an exploration of the public health agenda

As occupational therapists work with individuals and groups to promote health through occupational engagement, you will critically consider how the concepts within Occupational Science might inform your professional role in risk assessment and opportunities for positive risk taking, whilst maintaining safe and effective practice. You will also consider the role of the socio-economic, cultural and political environments in promoting or disrupting participation and engagement in valued occupations.

You will draw on previous learning, practice and experiences of service users/carers, to critically analyse the decision-making processes influenced by the challenges and barriers to maintaining occupation as the central focus of Occupational Therapy. The role of reflective practice and professional attributes will be considered in terms of exploring the opportunities for promoting occupation-centred practice and the continued development of the profession.

You will draw on your learning from previous modules and placements to consolidate your knowledge, skills and in values in preparation for practice and meeting the requirements for registration with HCPC. You will continue to develop your reflective skills and identify your own areas for development to focus your learning and support your transition in becoming a Professional Occupational Therapist; learning to assess and evaluate your own skills.
Your learning will be consolidated during a period of practice placement assessed at level 6 ; where you will be demonstrating the practical and professional skills required of a student making the transition to entry-level practitioner. Placement hours completed on this module contribute to the 1000 hours of supervised practice required to be eligible to register to practice on completion of the programme.

For this placement you may have the opportunity to work in a non-traditional or contemporary area of practice where there is currently no direct OT service. In private, independent and voluntary organisations. For example, previous placements have been within mainstream schools, charities and new NHS services.

You will learn to apply key skills of activity analysis and assessment to identify occupational need/opportunities and design, develop and implement occupation-based interventions/projects. Placements at this level will require you to think creatively and autonomously and apply entrepreneurship and leadership skills to promote the occupational therapy role. Part of being a professional in practice is managing workload and your own emotional responses to pressured environments and there will be opportunities to reflect on this both in University and on placement in order to develop physical and mental health self?care strategies.

In this module you will develop the necessary skills to plan, develop, implement, and critique a research project which is relevant to and with the ability to contribute to the knowledge and evidence base for occupational therapy. This will enhance your skills in the critical evaluation of data. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity to plan for dissemination of your research to a wider audience via producing a manuscript in the format suitable for submission for publication in a health or social care peer reviewed journal.

With support from your academic supervisor you will undertake your own research project; this may involve primary data collection, critical analysis of existing data, or a systematic review of the literature on a specific topic.

More specifically, depending on your choice of methodology you will develop
•Project management skills including time management skills
•Knowledge and skills required for quantitative or qualitative data collection and/or systematic literature reviewing
•Knowledge and skills required for critical qualitative or quantitative data analysis, and/or data synthesis

This is a valuable and exciting learning and development opportunity that will enhance your employability and future career opportunities as a contemporary autonomous professional.