Occupational Therapy (Pre-Registration)

This module will provide you with an introduction to occupational therapy.  You will explore the unique philosophy and history of the profession and consider what occupational therapists do and where they work. You will examine key concepts in occupational therapy practice and will explore how an occupational therapy process and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) professional standards and ethics inform the practice of occupational therapy. 

This module also introduces ways of learning and practising, including making the most of simulation and coaching, digital skills for learning, mandatory training for placement and use of a CPD portfolio. Alongside developing key master’s level skills of literature searching, and critical writing. 

Using simulation, this module provides you with the opportunity to explore the concepts of occupation, activity, tasks and skills and their relevance to human occupation. 

You will explore the complex interplay between occupation, health, and wellbeing, as articulated in occupational science. You will also explore a range of applied sciences that will help you to understand people as occupational beings and analyse tasks, activities, and occupations. 

This module also develops your learning and study skills, including the use of literature to critically explore concepts. 

In this module you will apply occupational therapy processes to real-world scenarios, using the best available evidence to inform decision making. To select and apply evidence you will be introduced to research paradigms and design. Using simulation, case studies and on practice placement you will have the opportunity to ‘meet’ a range of individuals who are experiencing occupational disruption or dysfunction due to ill health and/or disability. You will apply occupational therapy processes, an occupation-focused model, and a range of approaches to improving occupational performance, reviewing a range of evidence to inform professional reasoning. 

You will critically explore some of the social determinants of health in relation to occupational performance, you will also evaluate your own health and wellbeing and identify strategies for coping with challenging situations, in preparation for placement. This module also includes your first practice placement. 

This module will focus on professional communication, occupation-focused models and a range of approaches, to further develop your knowledge and application of occupation-focused practice to improve the occupational performance of a diverse range of people. 

You will explore the value of creating collaborative therapeutic relationships, person-centred practice and effective communication when creating occupation-focused intervention plans. You will have the opportunity to put some of these skills into practice by working with experts by experience and with simulated case studies. 

The module will also build on your understanding of occupational identity and the social determinants of health, and will introduce the concept of occupational justice, alongside evaluating the impact of political power, intersectionality, and post-colonial influences on occupational theory and practice. By thoroughly exploring these topics, you will gain valuable insights to identify potential biases and limitations that might impact on occupational therapy practice. 

This module will draw on your learning to date to enable you to appraise the application and/or apply an occupational therapy process, occupational-focused models, and a range of approaches, to support people with their occupational performance and engagement, within a specific practice setting. You will also be introduced to the concept of health promotion, considering its role in enhancing health and occupational wellbeing.

During the module you will have the opportunity to work with a range of stakeholders and to appraise the role of occupational therapy within the multi-disciplinary team or wider service provision. You will appraise your own practice, academic development and professional growth and will expand your literature searching and critical appraisal skills as part of your professional journey. 

The module includes your second practice placement. 

This module critically explores the evidence base and theoretical influences on occupational therapy practice. 

It supports you in enhancing your research and reasoning skills, enabling you to develop a sound understanding of theory and evidence. Drawing on a range of knowledge, theory and evidence and a topic of your interest, you will be supported to develop an understanding of the secondary research process to develop a short critically appraised topic and develop a report on your findings. 

This module will provide you with the foundation skills to undertake a project, in the Advancing OT Practice module in trimester two. 

The module includes a placement, in which you will have the opportunity to work in an emerging area of occupational therapy practice or undertake a project or leadership placement. 
 
The module explores leadership and professional sustainability, and you will use theory and evidence, including new occupation-focused models to learn how to advocate for people’s occupational aspirations and goals. 
 
The module also offers the opportunity to make decisions about your career through critical reflection on development, the enhancement of your professional profile, preparation for challenge, and change, and developing the skills necessary for effective personal and professional development. 

This is a project-based module where you will choose an area of occupational therapy that interests and motivates you and propose change in this area.  

You will identify a need or gap and propose research, a quality improvement process or service implementation plan to address that need. You will use your understanding of research methods, methods of evaluation, critical thinking, ethics, and inclusivity to propose action for the future. 

This module integrates your final practice placement opportunity with theory-based learning to culminate in your ability to practice occupational therapy autonomously. 

In this module you will embark on a journey of critical exploration, emphasising a theory-informed and evidence-based approach to tackling complex decision-making in practice. 

On placement, through co-creation, and in simulation you will hone your expertise in risk management, caseload management, professional reasoning, and advanced communication, all while maintaining a focus on adhering to the highest professional standards.