School of Health Professions

MOccTh (Hons) Occupational Therapy

Stand out from the crowd with an integrated Masters degree in occupational therapy from the University of Plymouth. This full-time, four-year programme offers a challenging and rewarding study experience that will develop your practice, leadership, management and research skills. Explore the philosophy of the profession and the underpinning sciences that guide practice, whilst developing skills in reflection and an appreciation of life-long learning ready for a rewarding career.

First choice for health

Delivered by professional experts, our programmes are tailored to you and your career. Together, we address today's most challenging healthcare issues, through research-informed teaching and active, real-world learning.

#firstchoiceforhealth

Health students will get £5,000 support payment each year

The government is issuing health professions students on courses from 2020 a payment of at least £5,000 a year, which they will not have to pay back. A further £3,000 of funding a year is available for eligible students.

Find out more about the bursary

UCAS tariff	136
UCAS course code	B931
Institution code	P60
Duration	4 years (with placements)
Course type	Full-time
Location	Plymouth

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Help & enquiries

Admission enquiries: admissions@plymouth.ac.uk; +44 1752 585858; @PlymUniApply

School of Health Professions

Key features

A wide range of teaching and learning methods and assessments are used to suit all learning styles.
Experience problem-based learning designed to be practical and close to real-life issues faced by occupational therapists.
Inter professional learning will prepare you for practice and working within multi-disciplinary teams.
You will study a broad range of cutting edge theory and research from Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.
You will benefit from accreditation by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists leading to internationally recognised qualification.
Experience practice placements to develop a range of core skills required for professional practice.
The programme is delivered by a team of well published, internationally recognised, research active Occupational Therapists.
Opportunities to select modules that align with your career aspirations.
Start your occupational therapy career with enhanced clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Course details

Year 1
The initial year of the MOccTh (Hons) is fully integrated with the BSc (Hons) occupational therapy programme. You’ll share teaching and learning with students from other health professions, allowing you to gain core generic knowledge and skills. We’ll introduce you to theoretical foundations and core skills, which will underpin practice. Gain practice skills through an eight-week supervised placement within a health, social or community setting in the South West. Develop problem-solving, reasoning skills and an embedded commitment to lifelong learning.

Core modules
- OCT406 Occupational Studies: Biological and Psychological Foundations for Occupation
  
  A knowledge and understanding of the structure and function of the human body, from both a biological and psychosocial perspective are important foundations for understanding occupation and application to occupational therapy practice. This module is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of human anatomy, physiology, psychology and sociology.
- OCT407 Occupational Studies: Foundations for Occupational Therapy Practice 1
  
  This module introduces philosophical and theoretical foundations of occupational therapy, introducing the student to concepts of the person, environment, occupation and performance. Core skills underpinning the professional practice of occupational therapy will be introduced.
- OCT408 Occupational Studies: Foundations for Occupational Therapy Practice 2
  
  Students will use occupational analysis to identify and explore the components of occupational engagement. An introduction to occupational interruption and the impact on health and wellbeing. Students will study the interaction between person, occupation and environment and how this impacts meaningful occupations.
- OCT409 Occupational Studies: Humans as Occupational Beings Through Community Engagement
  
  This module will examine occupational science perspectives of humans as occupational beings across the life span. The dynamic relationship between engagement in occupation, health and well-being for individuals, groups and communities will be explored. Reflection on personal experience of community engagement will be included.
- OCT410 Practice Placement 1
  
  This module enables students to experience occupational therapy within wider contexts of inter-professional or multi-agency practice. Students will experience collaborative working with colleagues from other disciplines. Through supervised practice, students will develop basic skills underpinning occupational therapy, relating this to campus based study.
- SOHP401 Preparation for Practice
  
  This inter-professional module will introduce students to professional practice and the inherent standards expected of them. The characteristics and identity of allied health professionals, as evidence based practitioners, will underpin learning.
Year 2
Profession-specific modules take a lifespan approach and are designed to introduce you to the core and essential knowledge and skills needed for Occupational Therapy (OT) practice. Modules on inter-professional working and research will help you to develop your professional identity. During a nine-week practice placement, you will have the opportunity to participant more in the occupational therapy process and start to articulate your clinical reasoning.
- OCT531 Practice Placement 2.
- OCT528 Occupational Studies: The Young Person Interruption and Transition
- OCT529 Occupational Studies: Adults; Interruptions and Transitions
- OCT530 Occupational Studies: The Older Person; Interruptions and Transitions
- OCT532 Occupational Studies: Exploration into Practice
- OCT502 Relevance of Evidence to Practice
Year 3
You’ll gain greater independence during a twelve week practice placement and, with support, be able to demonstrate a range of core skills required for an entry level practitioner. Profession-specific modules prepare you for the responsibilities facing newly qualified graduates. Inter-professional modules help you develop and consolidate management research skills and understanding of the wide multi-disciplinary team and help you to prepare for Masters level study.
- SOHP602 Inter-Professional Working in Health and Social Care
- SOHP604 Project Design for research
- OCT605 Occupational Studies: The innovative practitioner
- OCT606 Occupational Studies: The contemporary practitioner
- OCT608 Occupational Studies: Occupation for Promoting Health and Wellness of Communities
- OCT607: Placement 3
Final year
The final year of the programme, facilitates the production of an individual research project and core modules will enable you to consolidate your professional reasoning skills. In addition, you can tailor the programme to your interests, through selecting to complete a module exploring either international occupational therapy or innovation in healthcare.
- SOHP720 Contemporary Leadership
- ADV759 International Perspectives or ADV766 Innovation in an ever changing market place
- SOHP703 Research Dissertation
- OCTP715 Enhanced Professional Reasoning
- OCTP716 Investigating Trends in Occupational Therapy Practice

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

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

MOccTh Hons Occupational Therapy Programme Specification 2020 21 6941

The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff

136

UCAS tariff
136 points, usually with a minimum of Grade B in a Science or Social Science. These may be obtained from a range of qualifications, potentially in combination, to be assessed on individual applications. The below list of examples is not exhaustive:

GCSE Profile
5 GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above to include Mathematics, English, and Science, and usually obtained in one sitting. Preference is given to applicants who have obtained these grades on application.

A level
136 points, usually with a minimum of Grade B in a science or Social Science. Excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking.

International Baccalaureate
33 overall with Higher Level Grade 6 in Science or Social Science.
GCSE equivalence: Higher Level = 4, Standard Level = 5 in Maths, English, and Science.
If overseas and not studying English within the IB, applicants must have IELTS 7.0 overall with 6.5 in all elements.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass Access to HE Diploma with 36 Level 3 credits at Distinction and to include 15 Level 3 credits in Science or Social Science. Remaining credits at Level 3 must be at Merit.

BTEC RQF National Extended Diploma/ QCF Extended Diploma
BTEC National Extended Diplomas and Extended Diplomas are considered on an individual basis, depending on the units that are studied. They may be considered on their own or alongside A level Science or Social Science, which will be assessed on application. Please contact the admissions team for further guidance.

Other qualifications
Equivalent qualifications may be considered, such as relevant Open University courses (e.g. SK299 Human Biology) if other academic points requirements are met, but not in an appropriate subject.

Applications from recent graduates
Applications are welcome from graduates who have successfully completed a degree, have normally studied within the last 5 years, and hold (or will hold) a minimum of a 2:1 classification in a relevant area.

Applicants who have not completed their studies in the English language:
IELTS: 7.0 overall with 6.5 in all elements. If you need to improve your English language to get onto a degree course at the University of Plymouth, you can book a pre-sessional academic English course.

For a full list of all acceptable qualifications please refer to our tariff glossary.

Extended entry requirements

In addition to the above, evidence of academic study within the last five years is required.
You must pass disclosure and barring service and occupational health checks satisfactorily in order to be able to start this course.
If English is not your first language and you do not have GCSE English grade C or above you will have to achieve an IELTS or equivalent qualification at the grades stated above.
Meeting the academic minimum is the first stage of an application being considered. Applicants must also submit a strong personal statement in order to be considered further.

Further information
Enhancing your application

Deferred entry
Unfortunately, we cannot permit deferred entry. However, if you have a query please refer to an experienced admissions administrator who will be able to explain the UCAS application process in more detail admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

Fees, costs and funding

EU applicants should refer to our dedicated Brexit webpage for details of the implications of the UK’s plans to leave the European Union.

New Student	2020	2021
Home	£9,250	£9,250
International	To be confirmed	To be confirmed
Part time (Home)	To be confirmed	To be confirmed

Full time fees shown are per annum. Part time fees shown are per a number of credits. Please note that fees are reviewed on an annual basis. Fees and the conditions that apply to them shown in the prospectus are correct at the time of going to print. Fees shown on the web are the most up to date but are still subject to change in exceptional circumstances. For more information about fees and funding please visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/money.

Additional costs

Placements

All students within the School of Health Professions will spend time in placements away from university. The South West is a largely rural region, which often requires students to travel longer and further distances than may be expected when universities are in largely urban areas. In many cases students will stay away from home for the period of that placement time. Some students on these courses are eligible for reimbursement of additional travel and accommodation costs over normal daily travel costs. This support is part of the Learning Support Fund administered through the NHS Business Services Authority. However, this should be investigated by the student to make sure this applies to your chosen course of study.

It is difficult to give a precise estimate of placement costs for each individual programme, due to the geographical spread of placements, and duration. However it is recommended you attend an Open Day to find out more about what placement costs can be anticipated or discuss placement with a member of our admissions teams.

Despite these costs, clinical placements offer an excellent opportunity to learn from experienced clinicians and are recognised as an essential part of students' development towards becoming a registered practitioner.

Further information

More details of any additional costs associated with the faculty's courses are listed on the following page: Faculty of Health additional costs.

Undergraduate Merit Scholarship for international students

Scholarship value: £2000 off your tuition fees in year one.
To recognise continued academic achievement, you may also receive:

10% off the successive years tuition fee if an overall grade of 60% or above is maintained
20% off the successive years tuition fee if an overall grade of 70% or above is maintained.

To be eligible you must:

achieve one grade above your academic offer.
meet our standard English Language requirements.

This scholarship will be offered automatically, providing you meet the eligibility criteria. A separate application will not be required.

Further information about Scholarships for international students

How to apply

All applications for undergraduate courses are made through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).

UCAS will ask for the information contained in the box at the top of this course page including the UCAS course code and the institution code.

Apply for this course on the UCAS website.

For more information about submitting an application including application deadline dates, please visit the UCAS website.

All NHS funded professional courses are required to select and interview their applicants using a ‘values based’ approach. As part of this process, your UCAS personal statement requires this additional information, which will demonstrate insight into your understanding of the importance of NHS values in your chosen professional discipline.

Why study MOccTh (Hons) Occupational Therapy at Plymouth

6 Benefit from a challenging and rewarding study experience that will prepare you for the working world of health and social care.
6 The integrated Masters programme intends to produce highly proficient clinicians who are skilled at critically evaluating and synthesising theory in relation to contemporary occupational therapy practice at postgraduate level.
6 Graduates from the programme will be confident in their knowledge and understanding of occupational science and people as occupational beings throughout the life cycle.

What's it like to study occupational therapy at Plymouth?

Watch our short video giving you a overview of what it's like to study occupational therapy at Plymouth. Programme lead, Marnie Smith, talks you through the highlights of the course and what it's like to study in Plymouth.

“Occupational therapy is a very diverse profession which makes it really exciting. So that would enable you to apply for jobs in a whole range of sectors.”

Placements

Practice placements will take place generally in the South West of England, and are spread over the duration of your studies. You will complete a minimum of 1000 placement hours in total in a variety of settings. We have placements in health and social care settings, both acute and community as well as a growing number of non-traditional and third sector settings such as homeless hostels, refugee services and care farms.

While on placement you will work with a named educator and work alongside Occupational Therapists and other members of staff. Placements are assessed by achieving professional competencies while working in the practice setting and by oral presentations when you return to the University.

Professional accreditation

On successful completion of the course, you’ll be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Professional Practice

If you are enrolling on this course, we prefer you to be a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists and College of Occupational Therapists.

NHS Constitution

All our students are expected to adhere to the principles and values laid out in the NHS Constitution.

Screening for health students

Additional checks are required for all health students. All offers are made subject to receipt of satisfactory screening in terms of your health, welfare and police checks. Read more about the required screening for health courses.

Please note: In order to successfully complete your course and be eligible to apply for a professional registration you must complete a specified number of practice placement hours along with your theoretical study. This is a requirement of the HCPC. You will only be able to take personal holidays during the specified leave periods for your course. This includes induction week where it is vital you attend ALL sessions.

Additional costs

If you are a bursary recipient you can apply for support with travel and accommodation costs associated with placements across Devon and Cornwall – however you should budget for some additional costs. Please note all additional costs must be met in the first instance by the student and reclaimed via the bursary unit after the placement.
Student access to free E-book provision is continually expanding and all core texts are available in the library however most students find it necessary to have their own copy of some core text books. This is likely to amount to a cost of approximately £130.
All lecture and workshop materials are supplied electronically – students will need to print out lecture notes and other materials as needed.
Uniforms are provided to all students – but suitable footwear may need to be purchased if you do not already own suitable flat shoes.

The skills you need to be an allied health professional

We recently worked with Your Future Career on the 2020 Careers in Science and Healthcare campaign. A printed publication is enclosed within every copy of The New Scientist newspaper and the content is also available online. The campaign featured exclusive content about the importance of the science and healthcare industries from key thought leaders and industry voices – including Professor Sara Demain, Head of School of Health Professions.