Alumnus loyalty reward for postgraduate study
- A 10 per cent discount on home tuition fees.
- Or a £2,000 discount on international tuition fees.
Your career as a healthcare professional starts here
The first-class new home for our healthcare teaching and research providing students with skills to meet the needs of 21st century careers.

A unique new learning space where undergraduate and postgraduate students from the largest breadth of health disciplines in the South-West learn together under one roof, with expert practitioners.

Experience an interprofessional learning environment across our health programmes that will prepare you for life as a healthcare professional.

Collaboration across the schools helps students to learn with, from and about each other, gaining the real-world experience employers seek.
Careers with this subject
Key features
- Study full time over two years and gain an MSc as your entry qualification to the profession.
- Join an enthusiastic team of occupational therapists and undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students who are pushing forward the boundaries of knowledge on occupational therapy and occupational science.
- Take the opportunity to study on the only programme of its kind in the South West.
- Cover the required 90 weeks of pre-registration study in two years, instead of the usual three years, on the full-time accelerated programme, to qualify and gain employment more quickly.
- Develop your understanding of the philosophy of the profession and the relevant sciences that guide practice, as well as the creative reflexivity for effecting necessary change.
- Benefit from the experience of being out on placement for 29 weeks – gain invaluable knowledge, skills and industry contacts which will help boost your future career prospects.
- Train and practice your professional healthcare skills in an inspiring purpose-built environment,
InterCity Place . - Looking for a change of career? Prepare yourself for a new future role. Your first degree does not have to be from a health profession background to study on this programme.
- Successfully complete the programme and you’ll be eligible to apply for registration as an occupational therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council and to be a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists.
- Your qualification will be recognised by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, meaning you may be eligible to apply to work overseas.
Course details
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Programme overview
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To successfully complete the programme and be eligible to apply for a professional registration as an occupational therapist you must complete a specified number of practice placement hours along with your theoretical study. This is a requirement of the Health and Care Professions Council. As such, you will only be able to take personal holidays during specified leave periods including induction week, where it is vital you attend all sessions. You will experience interprofessional learning and explore your role in preparation for placement or as a potential leader and manager in future practice. You will develop the core understanding of occupational theory, occupational science and skills, and understand and appraise evidence-based practice issues and the applicability of a wide range of research methods. Placement opportunities will enable you to develop professional practice skills in distinctive service settings under supervision.
Core modules
OCTP403
Practice Placement 1This 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.
OCTP717
Occupational Studies Core Skills 1: Foundations for Occupational Therapy PracticeThis module aims to evaluate theoretical foundations of occupational therapy. Links will be made between the impact of occupation, the person and the context on occupational engagement in different life stages. Core skills for professional practice that promotes occupational engagement will be analysed.
OCTP718
Occupational Studies Core Skills 2: Applying Theory for Occupational Therapy PracticeBuilding on knowledge of occupational performance and analysis, and foundational sciences, this module explores application of occupational therapy tools for practice, including digital literacy. Students will demonstrate critical understanding of the causes and impact of occupational challenges. Students will learn how to promote continued engagement in occupation that contributes to health and wellbeing.
SOHP701
Preparation for PracticeThis inter-professional module will introduce students to professional practice and evaluation of the inherent standards expected of them. Critical analysis of the characteristics and identity of allied health professionals, as evidence based practitioners, will underpin learning.
OCTP715
Project Design for ResearchStudents 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.
OCTP722
Occupation as the Focus of Contemporary PracticeThis module explores occupation in contemporary occupational therapy practice. This includes current and emerging theory and research on occupation, occupational performance and models of practice. The module develops students ability to reflect on, challenge and articulate application to practice.
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Final year
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Core modules
OCTP503
Practice Placement 2The 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.
OCTP603
Practice Placement 3This 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.
OCTP719
Occupational Studies Core Skills 3: Occupation for Health and Wellness of CommunitiesThis module evaluates the importance of applying health and wellness principles to contemporary occupational therapy practice. It analyses current and emerging theory and research on the impact of occupation to promote health and wellness of communities. Students will consider how to help empower communities to find ways of facilitating meaningful occupations in a sustainable manner.
SOHP703
Research DissertationOver 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.
OCTP723
Contemporary Leadership 20 creditsThis 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.
100% Coursework
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:
Entry requirements
Bachelor (honours) degree at 2:1 or above in a relevant subject area.
GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above in Mathematics and English. Consideration may be given to Functional Skills Level 2 in Mathematics. Please note we do not accept Functional Skills Level 2 in English, or Key Skills in Maths or English, or Adult Literacy/Numeracy.
- In addition to the above, evidence of academic study within the last five years is required.
- 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. Applicants should demonstrate evidence of their interest in occupational therapy, and the seeking of work experience in this field is encouraged.
- We will require an academic reference as part of the application process.
- Attend an interview.
- 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/4 or above you will have to achieve an IELTS (or equivalent qualification) at the grade of at least 7.0 (at least 6.5 in all elements sections).
International students – English language requirements .
Fees, costs and funding
2024-2025 | 2025-2026 | |
---|---|---|
Home | To be confirmed | To be confirmed |
International | To be confirmed | To be confirmed |
Part time (Home) | To be confirmed | To be confirmed |
Scholarships for international students
Additional costs
Postgraduate Merit Scholarship for international students
You may also receive:
- 10% off the successive years tuition fee if an overall grade of 60% or above is maintained
- achieve the equivalent of a good UK 2:1 degree classification.
- meet our standard
English language requirements
NHS Learning Support Fund
Alumnus loyalty reward for postgraduate study
- A 10 per cent discount on home tuition fees.
- Or a £2,000 discount on international tuition fees.
How to apply
Help & enquiries
- Admission enquiries
- admissions@plymouth.ac.uk
- +44 1752 585858
- PlymUniApply
Occupational therapy practice placements

Occupational therapy careers
On graduation, you will have the opportunity to work in a wide range of settings including hospitals, social care, schools and voluntary agencies, and there are also options to specialise in areas such as mental health, neurology, paediatrics, learning disabilities, vocational rehabilitation or research.
- the use of occupation as a therapeutic intervention
- health promotion with individuals and communities
- clinical reasoning
- critical appraisal of research
- multi-agency working
- evaluation using assessments and outcome measures.



Research in this area
Study a broad range of cutting-edge theory and research from occupational science and occupational therapy. You will learn how to search for, critique and apply research evidence to your practice and how to develop yourself and others.

NHS Constitution

English Language Centre
People
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Fiona Fraser
Lecturer in Occupational Therapy (Education)
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Miss Melissa Jacobs
Lecturer in Occupational Therapy
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Dr Tanja Križaj
Lecturer in Occupational Therapy
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Mr Kevin Steede
Lecturer in Occupational Therapy
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Dr Alison Warren
Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy
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Mrs Sam Wakley
Lecturer in Occupational Therapy
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Mrs Sarah Reynolds
Lecturer in Occupational Therapy
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Mrs Emily Thubron
Lecturer in Occupational Therapy
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Mrs Rebecca Slee
Lecturer in Occupational Therapy (Education)
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Dr Elana Moore
Lecturer in Occupational Therapy
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Mrs Miranda Cunningham
Associate Head of School (Marketing and Recruitment)