MOccTh (Hons) Occupational Therapy

• 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 a seven-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

  • Occupational Studies: Biological and Psychological Foundations for Occupation (OCT406)

    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.

  • Occupational Studies: Foundations for Occupational Therapy Practice 1 (OCT407)

    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. 

  • Occupational Studies: Foundations for Occupational Therapy Practice 2 (OCT408)

    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. 

  • Occupational Studies: Humans as Occupational Beings Through Community Engagement (OCT409)

    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. 

  • Practice Placement 1 (OCT410)

    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.

  • Preparation for Practice (SOHP401)

    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.

  • Interprofessional Learning 1 (HIPL400)

• 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 interprofessional working and research will help you to develop your professional identity. During a nine-week practice placement, you will have the opportunity to participate more in the occupational therapy process and start to articulate your clinical reasoning.

  Core modules

  • Occupational Studies: The Young Person; Interruptions and Transitions (OCT528)

    Students will apply the core skills of occupational therapy and occupational science to children and adolescents working with individuals, groups or communities. Assessing and applying appropriate skills and practice tools to sustain occupational engagement. Students will analyse and evaluate transitions and interruptions and their impact on performance of the central occupations relevant to this stage of the lifespan.

  • Occupational Studies: Adults; Interruptions and Transitions (OCT529)

    Students will apply the core skills of occupational therapy and occupational science to adulthood working with individuals, groups or communities.  Assessing and applying appropriate skills and practice tools to sustain occupational engagement.  Students will analyse and evaluate transitions and interruptions and their impact on performance of the central occupations relevant to this stage of the lifespan. 

  • Occupational Studies: The Older Person; Interruptions and Transitions (OCT530)

    Students will apply the skills of occupational therapy and occupational science to older adulthood working with individuals, groups or communities.  Assessing and applying appropriate skills and practice tools to sustain occupational engagement.  Students will evaluate transitions and interruptions and their impact on performance of the central occupations relevant to this stage of the lifespan.

  • Practice Placement 2 (OCT531)

    The module builds on occupational therapy knowledge, skills and experience gained.  Students will actively participate in the occupational therapy intervention process, demonstrating increased autonomy whilst being supervised. Knowledge and skills underpinning inter professional working will be further developed. 

  • Occupational Studies: Exploration into Practice (OCT532)

    This module provides the opportunity to select and explore a particular area of occupational therapy practice of the students’ choice. Enabling an examination of an area of interest to broaden the profile of knowledge. Specific areas chosen will reflect current trends and developments in practice for occupational therapists as well as established practice specialisms, across a broad range of settings. 

  • Relevance of Evidence to Practice (SOHP502)

    This module is aimed at understanding the relevance of evidence based practice (EBP) to professional practice. The students learn how to use research to guide best practice. They will identify a question relevant to professional practice, analyse and evaluate the literature in the area

  • Interprofessional Learning 2 (HIPL500)

• 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. Interprofessional 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.

  Core modules

  • Occupational Studies: The Innovative Practitioner (OCT605)

    This module provides students with the opportunity to critically explore the concept of innovation, change management, clinical leadership, entrepreneurism and intrapreneurship and their links with practice development. 

  • Occupational Studies: The Contemporary Practitioner (OCT606)

    This module provides students with the opportunity to critically explore current and emerging trends in practice. Development of skills and confidence to support the transition into clinical practice. Considers the changing landscape of health and social care services locally, nationally and internationally.

  • Practice Placement 3 (OCT607)

    This module will require the student to demonstrate a range of core skills that will be required of a competent entry level practitioner. The student will develop increasing autonomy, working at times independently demonstrating professional reasoning skills and decision making relevant to clients’ needs and contexts of practice.

  • Occupational Studies: Occupation for Promoting Health and Wellness of Communities (OCT608)

    This module evaluates the importance of applying health and wellness principles to contemporary occupational therapy practice. It critiques and syntheses current and emerging theory and research on the impact of occupation to promote health and wellness of communities. 

  • Inter-professional Working in Health and Social Care (SOHP602)

    Students will explore, in depth, areas of inter-professional working to include quality enhancement of service provision and the patient experience.

  • Project Design for Research (SOHP604)

    Students will explore methodology and methods relevant to the development of a research project and by the end of the module will formulate a research proposal. The module will explore defining and refining a research question, selecting and appraising methodology, ethical considerations, selecting and appraising data collection and analysis techniques.  

  • Interprofessional Learning 3 (HIPL600)

• 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.

  Core modules

  • Investigating Trends in Occupational Therapy Practice (OCTP716)

    This module enables students to explore current trends within professional practice and wider political and socio-economic context. Students will have facilitated in exploring an identified trend through an opportunity to engage in shadowing in a relevant practice context.

  • Enhanced Professional Reasoning (OCTP721)

    This module will provide students with opportunities to consolidate and further develop their professional reasoning. A range of clinical and professional reasoning models will be critiqued. These models will be applied to scenarios from practice in order to provide a deeper level of interpretation.

  • Research Dissertation (SOHP705)

    Over the course of this module students will complete their dissertation as part of their Masters programme under supervision from the module team and a named dissertation supervisor. Students will undertake an individual research project and this is presented as an individual project report/ article. Formative: presentation to peers.

  • Contemporary Leadership (OCTP723)

    This module aims to share the contemporary thinking in relation to leadership theory and its relevance to professional practice. Students will be supported to relate this theory to their own personal and professional development in addition critically exploring its capacity to impact on global, organisational and team dynamics.

  Optional modules

  • Innovation in an Ever Changing Marketplace - Entrepreneurship for Health and Social Care Professionals (SOHP706)

    This module will be delivered using a blended learning approach. Through a series of seminars, tutorials, webinars and e-learning students will explore the concepts of marketing, entrepreneurship and innovation relating to independent practice, social enterprise, charitable organisations and the NHS. Students will examine and gain an understanding of law and policy related to their field of interest.

  • International Perspectives and Practice Requirements for Health and Social Care Practitioners (SOHP707)

    This module will enhance students' knowledge of their profession within a global context. It will provide the opportunity for health and social care practitioners to explore current research and development related to a range of countries.

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_6941