MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration)

This module helps you prepare to be ready for commencing your role as occupational therapists professional learners in real-life service contexts. Also you'll have the opportunity to explore the principles of, and develop skills in:

• communication
• behaviour
• ethics and reflective practice.

You'll get to to understand the foundations of the occupational therapy process for practice, and its alignment with supporting people as occupational beings.

You'll develop a critical understanding of your professional identity, helping you to progress a personalised way of being and relating in the health and social care environment. You'll learn about the delivery of effective health care, aligned with our governing bodies’ standards of practice, within a framework of client centeredness and teamwork.

Through evaluation and reflective opportunities, you'll take a deep exploration of the concepts of professional domains of concerns - more specifically:

• codes of practice
• standards of conduct
• ethics
• allyship
• equality
• diversity and inclusion.

You'll investigate the clinical reasoning process required to practice with sound judgement, honesty, openness and integrity, taking an academic critical approach. .

This module will run at the same time as you're participating in a part time practice placement learning experience.

This format provides you with opportunities for practical application of your learning that you've gained from the start of your course. You'll explore relationships between body structures and their functions and how these impact on humans’ ability to do the things they want and need to do, with or without assistive technology. You'll be introduced to a range of theoretical perspectives to support your ability to engage with graduate level analysis of factors that impact on human function, and to develop your skills of clinical decision making.

This module will run at the same time as you're participating in a part time practice placement learning experience.

You'll explore the research evidence that underpinns the centrality of the relationship between a person and their occupations and environments in support of meaningful occupation. Founded on pre-existing graduate research knowledge, you'll identify quality information, and be guided to demonstrate critical consideration of different forms of research, and you'll explore the ethical principles underlying evidence-based occupational therapy practice.

You'll explore medical conditions and impairments impacting body structures and functions, and the importance of core occupational therapy skills in adapting activity in accordance with person/environment/occupation factors. You'll use a problem based learning approach, through teamwork and collaborative working you'll identify and share knowledge about health and social needs, and apply shared learning to case based scenarios and clinical triggers.

You'll gain in-depth understanding of occupational therapy-specific theories and models, and you'll develop skills in using them to guide the implementation of a theoretically founded, professionally-reasoned occupational therapy process.

On this module you'll all discuss the centrality of cultural humility, diversity and planetary health to the delivery of occupational therapy services.

You'll gain enhanced knowledge related to supporting the occupational participation of older adult populations.

And you'll apply your knowledge and understanding of relevant anatomy, physiology and pathology in relation to lifespan development theory. You'll explore the cultural and societal influences on the occupational participation of older adults. alongwith with factors informing the delivery of appropriate, sustainable and ethical occupational therapy services for this population group. You'll focus on theory-based professional practice, and explore a range of therapeutic approaches for working with this population group.

Foster your skills for the development and delivery of theoretically-founded, client-centred occupational therapy for individuals with neurological or physical difficulties.

You'll demonstrate effective use of occupational therapy models, while critically evaluating appropriate frames of reference and therapeutic approaches when working with individuals with long term conditions.

On this module you'll progress your skills for delivery of theoretically-founded, client-centred occupational therapy for individuals experiencing mental health challenges.

In relation to various mental illnesses, you'll consider body structures and functions, sensory processes, stress and trauma responses and their impact upon occupational participation. You'll be involved in group work and therapeutic use of self in relation to a critical application of relevant frames of reference and therapeutic approaches, while demonstrating consideration of the social determinants of health and wellbeing.

You'll gain enhanced knowledge related to supporting the occupational participation of paediatric populations, and interrogate the practical and ethical considerations related to balancing client-centredness with family-centredness.

Developing your knowledge and understanding of relevant anatomy, physiology and pathology in relation to early lifespan development theory. You'll explore the cultural and societal influences on the occupational participation of children and young people, along with with factors informing the delivery of appropriate, sustainable and ethical occupational therapy services for this population group.

On this module you'll gain an understanding of how occupational therapy professional philosophies change over time, and the influences of such changes on professional models, frames of reference and approaches.

You'll explore meaningful activities from the perspectives of people from different backgrounds, considering intersectionality, cultural drivers and environmental sustainability, and you'll interrogate their personal responsibilities towards the delivery of appropriate occupational therapy practice for all service users.

You'll focus on leadership and change management in health, social care and non-traditional settings. Building your understanding of your personal role as a leader, and how you can facilitate quality improvement for efficient and sustainable service delivery. You'll proactively develop and deliver evidence-based services in an evolving world.

Through analysis of occupational science concepts, you'll develop your understanding of how people engage in daily activities and the impact of these activities on their health and well-being.

You'll explore the social and cultural influences on occupation, using intersectionality to understand the challenges faced by individuals. This connects therapeutic occupation to improving health at individual, community, and global levels, while questioning assumptions about health and environment.

Appraise the occupational therapist’s role for future practice in uncertain contexts, with consideration of the potential contribution of individual and group-based occupational therapy services.

The relationship between issues of occupational justice and human rights in relation to public policy will be analysed and you'll interrogate the contribution of occupational therapists as advocates within a global profession, in ever-changing, complex health, social care and non-traditional contexts.

The dissertation module will help you to gain experience in identifying appropriate practice-based research gaps, and implementing suitable strategies for addressing these. You'll have the opportunity to further progress your understanding of ethics and critical appraisal, and apply your learning related to a wide range of research methods and approaches.

You'll be able to demonstrate abilities of contextualisation of research findings in relation to the health and social care context in general, and occupational therapy practice in particular, with specific consideration of your personal obligations in this regard.

This module is submitted in the final semester of studies, however, it is launched to you during your first semester/first taught module.

This module bridges the gap between academic theory and professional practice, you'll take responsibility for developing a professional portfolio from the outset of your programme. During this semester, you'll have the opportunity to demonstrate high-level consolidation of all components of your learning in relation to your integrated professional identity, which will enable you to successfully deliver a role as future occupational therapist.

At this point you'll be aware of the ethical, professional and behavioural expectations of HCPC registered occupational therapists. Through consistent effort towards a long-term task with direct links to employability, you'll develop high level post-graduate skills related to integration and application of knowledge, portfolio building, project and time-management and communication techniques.

This 7 week, part-time practice placement module takes place in the latter half of the semester, and is designed to run simultaneously with two taught modules and, where feasible, using a 2:1 supervision model. This format enables you to have opportunities for practical application of your learning from the start of your programme, and you'll develop the resilience necessary for commencing a professional role.

This practice placement module provides you with an opportunity to begin recognising key occupational therapy concepts, and to proactively develop and apply professional values, skills and knowledge in a professional practice context.

Developing your skills in observation, reflection, evidence-based practice and engagement in occupational therapy practice, and demonstrating professional behaviour through interaction and professional communication with team members and contribute to occupational therapy practice with service users.

This practice placement module provides you with an opportunity to further develop your occupational therapy professional identity, through increased autonomy within a professional practice setting that is likely to differ from your first professional practice experience.

By this stage, you've had extended opportunities to develop your learning related to all of the threshold concepts of the occupational therapy programme. This practice placement module is your opportunity to build on your previous placement experience, further applying your increasing skills and knowledge base, while continuing to integrate your learning across all modules you have completed so far.

This placement will prepare and get you ready for practice across a wide range of contemporary, non-traditional settings.

During this 9 week, part-time practice placement module, you'll further develop your knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively apply occupational therapy principles and practice within a non-traditional setting, fostering creativity, adaptability, and a broader understanding of the role of occupational therapy in diverse contexts.

You'll be supported through your transition from guided to self-directed practice, self-evaluation and identification of your own development goals with an emphasis on inter professional working.

You'll be prepared for the transition into qualified occupational therapy roles, by providing opportunities for you to consolidate and apply all of your occupational therapy learning, experience, skills and understanding to date.

This 12 week, full-time practice placement module is designed to support your final university-based Capstone module, which requires you to reflect on your achievements and learning from each stage of your occupational therapy course, in the process of solidifying you professional identity.

You'll be supported to build on your previous practice placement experience and you'll take a greater autonomy over the implementation of occupational therapy practice appropriate to the clinical setting.