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Living, not existing, that is a primary objective for the occupational therapy 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.

Structure

During your first two years, you'll be part of a diverse cohort of students, exploring the fundamental principles of occupational therapy through placement-based learning and engaging coursework, you'll develop the skills and knowledge essential for this transformative profession.

At the end of your second year, you will move on to one of the two pathways. BSc (Hons) students will refine and further develop their practical expertise, while undergraduate master's students also explore advanced clinical practice and research opportunities.

Regardless of the path you take, you'll graduate with the qualifications needed to register with the HCPC, empowering you to launch a rewarding career as an occupational therapist.

Find out about the benefits of studying an undergraduate master’s.

Teaching, learning and assessment

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.

Placements

Placements provide the opportunity to integrate practice with theory. A practice placement is offered in each year. You will work with individuals, groups and communities in a variety of settings. QMU manages the sourcing and allocation of full-time placements for each student.

Placements take place across Scotland. It is therefore likely that students will have to relocate for at least some of their practice-based learning unless they have individual requirements (eg specific health needs or caring responsibilities) that mean they must remain in a specific location.

Specialist facilities

QMU offers a variety of modern specialist spaces for use by our Master of Occupational Therapy (MOccTh)/BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy and MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-Registration)Ìýcourses. A variety of practice skills are taught both in generic clinical skills rooms and in our own Occupational Performance Room. We also utilise QMU's clinical simulation suite which is equipped to practice both hands-on skills and communication in a simulated real-life (hospital based) environment. In addition to these spaces, our students have access to art/craft based practical rooms as well as kitchens and the outdoor spaces around campus (eg the QMU allotment) when engaging in a variety of occupations. Ìý

Teaching staff, class sizes and timetables

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

For more information, please also visit ‘How we teach and how you’ll learn’.

Year One

You will:

• complete a six-week placement;
• study a range of modules that provide you with the knowledge and concepts that are foundational to occupational therapy practice;
• be introduced to different perspectives on occupation and its centrality in everyday life, as well as its relationship with health and wellbeing; and
• develop skills in communication, information technology and academic study skills.

Modules

• Foundations of Occupational Therapy Practice
• Personal Academic and Professional Development
• Preparation for Practice-Based Learning
• Practice-based Learning 1
• Health Wellbeing and Participation in Occupation
• Finding, Evaluating and Consuming Knowledge

Year Two

You will:

• complete a six-week placement;
• focus on occupational therapy processes (assessment, goal setting, intervention, evaluation) with individuals and communities;
• explore disruption and deprivation of occupation (personal and contextual factors), across the life span; and
• be introduced to aspects of public health and health promotion. This will be revisited in the later years.

Modules

• Assessing, Analysing and Evaluating Occupational Needs, Performance and Participation
• Developing Goals to Meet Occupational Needs
• Facilitating Learning within Occupational Therapy
• Developing, Delivering and Evaluating Occupation-Focused Interventions
• Practice-based Learning 2

A learner who achieves 60% average in SCQF level 8 modules can remainÌýon the MOccTher route. They may choose the BSc (Hons) route even if the 60% average has been achieved.Ìý All learners will be supported in making their decisions.

Year Three

You will:

• complete a nine-week placement;
• critically explore issues related to practice, theories and systems;
• study the social construction and complexity of knowledge and practice;
• develop further understanding of leadership, practice development and innovation in thinking and action; and

Modules

BSc (Hons) route:

• Elective Module
• Occupational Therapy: Contexts, Collaborations and Communities
• Practice-based Learning 3
• Evaluating Occupational Therapy Practice

MOccTh route:

• Elective Module
• Occupational Therapy: Contexts, Collaborations and Communities
• Practice-based Learning 3
• Evaluating Occupational Therapy Practice
• Research Methods

Year Four

You will:

• complete a 10-week placement;
• consolidate your master’s-level learning opportunities and build upon your previous knowledge and practice experiences in diverse and changing contexts;
• participate in community partnership working, project development, leading to the completion of a dissertation, and deepening your leadership skills;
• work alongside other health professionals -Ìý Interprofessional learning and working is an integral part of professional practice and will be incorporated throughout the course

Modules

BSc (Hons) route:

• Health Society and Occupation
• Practice-based Learning 4
• Dissertation Project

MOccTh route:

• Health Society and Occupation
• Practice-based Learning 4
• Transforming Occupational Therapy Practice
• Dissertation Project

NB The modules listed here are correct at time of posting (Feb 2024) but may differ slightly to those offered in 2025. Please check back here for any updates.

The degree opens doors to a rewarding and stimulating career in NHS trusts, local authority social care departments, voluntary organisations, private practice, industry, and your skills will also support entrepreneurial initiatives. Your work as an occupational therapist may not necessarily be in a medical setting, hospital or clinic. Many of our graduates pursue the exciting diversity of employment opportunities in the community, including within the voluntary sector or primary care. The course will enable you to work as part of a health and social care team. You will develop leadership and partnership working skills and you may wish to engage with further professional development or higher level academic learning opportunities.

Entry requirements

Scottish Higher: Standard - BBBB Minimum - BBCC

A Level: BCC

Irish Leaving Certificate: H2 H2 H3 H3

International Baccalaureate: 28 points

International: IELTS score of 6.0 with no element below 6.0. Please be aware that the minimum standard required for HCPC registration is IELTS score of 7.0 with no element below 6.5.

Required subjects: English is preferred, or a discursive subject such as History or Sociology at Higher, A Level or equivalent. English and Maths at Nat 5/GCSE. We can also accept National 5 Application of Maths or Lifeskills at the same grade.

Am I a Widening Access student?: We apply the minimum entry criteria to applicants who meet one or more contextual factor. To see if this would apply to you, please refer to the access and application page.

Mature/Access: We welcome applications from mature students with other relevant qualifications and experience. Related Access course or HNC may be considered for Year One. Visit our College Leavers and Mature Students Advice page for more information. 

Direct Entry:

• HNC Occupational Therapy Support with B in the graded unit plus successful fieldwork placement, can be considered for direct entry into year two when places are available. Other relevant qualifications may be considered for entry to Year One.
• Direct entrants into year two who wish to undertake the Master’s option will be required to achieve an additional 20 credits (one extra module) in Year Two. This will be negotiated with each student and arranged by the programme team.
• Students wishing to transfer from another occupational therapy programme: you will need to complete a self-declaration stating there were no previous concerns regarding fitness to practice. You will also need to grant us permission to contact your course leader to verify your statement.

Other requirements

• A satisfactory criminal records check from the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme, an occupational health check and personal indemnity insurance (normally through membership of the professional body) are required.
• You may be required to attend an interview as part of the application screening process.
• Some experience working or volunteering with different groups of people is advantageous (ie older or younger people with different health or life situations).

Other costs

• The cost of professional indemnity insurance is the responsibility of the student. For more information on this, visit the  page on our website.
• The additional costs associated with placement travel and accommodation are the responsibility of the student. Students who receive SAAS funding may be able to claim for some of these expenses to be reimbursed.
• Uniform, PVG and badge costs – please see page on our website.

Disability/health conditions

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at QMU. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the disability service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.

How to apply

Application for this course should be made through . More application information is available in the 'Start your Application' box at the top right of this page.

Terms and Conditions

• The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2025/26 Entry Terms and Conditions (Undergraduate).
• The course information on this page is correct at the time of posting (Feb 2024) however, the course is due for re-validation in 2024 and this may result in some changes for 2025 entry. Please check the website for updates.

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