MSc Advanced Professional Practice in Occupational Therapy

• Study on a programme with a long, esteemed history and join the many hundreds of successful graduates from all over the world. You will learn to apply up-to-date knowledge of research and theory, to enhance your creativity and flexibility, and to develop the academic skills needed to work effectively in modern health and social care settings.
  
• Join an enthusiastic team of occupational therapists, undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students who are pushing forward the boundaries of knowledge on occupational science and occupational therapy.
  
• Learn within our supportive multi-professional and inter-agency environments on a programme is delivered by experts in a setting where innovative thinking regarding advanced professional development is put into practice.
  
• Become an evidence-based practitioner, equipped to manage and lead in busy and constantly changing settings and able to reflect on and utilise a range of evidence to support your professional occupational therapy practice.
  
• Tailor your learning to your own workplace through module assignments and the occupational therapy practice: supported study module.
  
• Choose from one of three different exit awards to suit your own needs - step off the pathway with a postgraduate certificate (three modules) or postgraduate diploma (six modules) if you wish, or you can continue on to a master’s degree where you will carry out your own research project with the support of experienced occupational therapy lecturers and researchers.
  
• Complete the programme in one year with the full-time study option or balance work and caring commitments by studying part time over a maximum of five years. The full-time route is suitable for international students, who will be supported to choose optional modules with non-clinical assignments.
  

• Programme overview
• You can choose from three awards with full and part-time options:
  
  Exit award postgraduate certificate – to achieve a postgraduate certificate, you will need to earn 60 credits. This must include the core module ‘Applying Evidence to Practice’ (20 credits) and the pathway-specific module ‘Occupational Therapy Practice: Supported Study’ (20 credits), with the remaining 20 credits coming from an optional module of your choice. Please refer to the below programme specification for further information on modules to be studied.
  
  Exit award postgraduate diploma – to achieve a postgraduate diploma, you will have first completed the PgCert and will need to earn 120 credits. You will study the same modules as the PgCert plus core module ‘Project Design for Research’ (20 credits) and the remaining 60 credits will come from optional modules of your own choice. Please refer to the below programme specification for further information on modules to be studied.
  
  Exit award master of science – for a full master degree, you will have first completed the PgDip and will need to earn a total of 180 credits. You will study the same modules as the PgDip, with the final 60 credits coming from the ‘Research Dissertation’ module. Please refer to the below programme specification for further information on modules to be studied.
  
  
  Note: Core module, ADV702 – Applying Evidence to Practice, can be taken as a taught module or via distance learning. Please visit the module webpage for further information.
  
  
  
  For further information on the modules that make up this programme please visit MSc Advanced Professional Practice module information. Full time or international students will be supported to choose optional modules with non-clinical assignments.
  

  Core modules

  • ADV702 Applying Evidence to Practice

    Focusing on the application of evidence based practice (EBP) to professional practice; you’ll learn how to use research to guide best practice. You will also identify a question relevant to your area of practice, review and critique the literature in this area, and plan and evaluate any necessary change to professional practice.

  • ADV715 Project Design for Research

    You’ll explore methodology and methods relevant to the development of a research project and by the end of the module you’ll formulate a research proposal. You’ll learn how to define and refine a research question, select and appraise methodology, address ethical considerations, and select and appraise data collection and analysis techniques.

  • ADV716 Research Dissertation

    You’ll complete your dissertation as part of your Advanced Professional Practice Masters programme under supervision from the module team and a named dissertation supervisor.

  • ADV750 Occupational Therapy Practice: Supported Study

    This module is specifically designed to enable Occupational Therapists to develop their own occupational therapy professional practice by undertaking and reflecting on learning and experience gained through a period of supported independent study related to agreed learning objectives.

  Optional modules

  • ADV768 Clinical Assessment and Management in Neurology

    The module will (a) highlight how understanding neuroanatomy/physiology can aid in the interpretation of the signs and symptoms of commonly encountered neurological conditions (b) facilitate the development of assessment and management skills.

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest programme structure and may be subject to change:

MSc Advanced Professional Practice in Occupational Therapy pathway specification 4466

You’ll normally have a first degree (BSc (Hons) at 2:2 or above or European first cycle equivalent) in Occupational Therapy. If you are a non UK-based candidate you must be recognised as a Occupational Therapist within your own country.

You may be a health or social care professional with a first degree or have related academic degrees. If you do not have a degree but have appropriate experience related to the programme or to any of the chosen pathways you may be eligible to apply.

You must also provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English in accordance with the University’s Admissions Code of Practice - IELTS requirement is 6.5 average with a minimum of 5.5 in each category. If you need to improve your English language to get onto a degree programme at Plymouth University, you can book a pre-sessional academic English course.

You’ll be assessed individually for your ability to study at this level and therefore an interview may be necessary. You’ll normally be required to submit a short piece of writing as part of the admissions process.

AP(E)L

Claims for credit for prior learning, whether certificated or experiential are accepted and will be assessed following University regulations and faculty procedures.

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)

This programme is equivalent to 90 ECTS credits (second cycle) with 30 ECTS credits at postgraduate certificate, 60 credits at postgraduate diploma and 90 credits at masters degree. Each 20 credit module is the equivalent of 10 ECTS credits and assumes a notional student effort of between 200-300 hours.

Successful completion of this pathway does not lead to eligibility to apply for registration as an Occupational Therapist with the Health and Social Care Professions Council.

When to apply

Applications for this programme can usually be made throughout the year. Please check the closing date and apply as early as possible as our programmes are popular.

Apply for this programme

Applications should be made by using the relevant PDF or Word application form.

Postgraduate application form DOC – A DOC application form for postgraduate students to print, fill in and mail to the University

Postgraduate application form PDF – A PDF application form for postgraduate students to print, fill in and mail to the University

International student postgraduate application form DOC – Postgraduate taught programmes application form for international students

International student postgraduate application form PDF – Postgraduate taught programmes application form for international students

Printed application forms are also available and can be obtained from the Professional Development Unit. Please send your completed application form to the address or email listed below:

Professional Development Unit
4th floor, Rolle Building
Plymouth University
Drake Circus
Plymouth PL4 8AA

Email: pduadmissions@plymouth.ac.uk

Tel: +44 1752 586951

What happens after I apply?

You will normally receive a decision on your application within four weeks of us receiving your application. You may be asked to provide additional information, to take part in an interview (which in the case if you are an overseas student may be by telephone or video conference) or you will be sent a decision by letter or email.

If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by Plymouth University, please visit our Disability Services website.

Support is also available from our International Office, if you are an overseas student applying to the University.

Please note that when you enrol on this programme, you always enrol to study the master degree but we offer three exit awards: PgCert, PgDip and MSc.