By studying on the BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy at Northumbria University, you will be taking your first steps towards a profession described as ‘the best kept secret in healthcare.’ Occupational therapy is a varied, creative, and engaging career, designed to make a meaningful difference to people’s everyday lives. As an occupational therapist you can have a real impact on health and social care outcomes and enjoy excellent prospects and opportunities.
You will learn about the value of occupation to health and wellbeing – understanding yourself as an ‘occupational being’ and understanding the underpinning theory and philosophy of the profession. You will explore the sciences that support our work and develop essential skills – things like communication and teamwork.
Through the years you build your understanding of the person, their environment, and their occupational performance, all the time developing skills to help meet their needs.
You will grow your academic skills and develop skills in finding and using research to support your practice. In your final year you will be supported to produce a systematic review of a topic of interest to you.
You undertake a series of practice placements where you can grow your skills in the workplace. You will complete 1000 hours of practice within a mixture of NHS Trusts, Local Authority Services as well as possible opportunities within emerging areas of practice.
Education is delivered in a range of ways to create a varied, engaging course. There will be lectures, workshops, and real-life simulation which help develop your understanding of both theory and practice.
Occupational therapy focusses on helping people to live their best lives. We promote health and well-being through occupation by enabling people to participate in the everyday things that matter to them. The word occupation is often associated with work. However, occupational therapists using in much more widely to describe:
‘The everyday activities that people do as individuals, in families and with communities to occupy time and bring meaning and purpose to life. Occupations include things people need to, want to and are expected to do’ (World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 2021).
Imagine being unable to do something that really matters to you – dress yourself, read to your children, drive a car. If it is something that matters to you, it matters to occupational therapists. We work with people who face a wide range of issues that affect their ability to do the things they want, need or ought to do. These can include physical or mental illness, disability, and challenging life circumstances. We also work with people at every stage of the lifespan. We help in three main ways:
Accredited Degree - The course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and is accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. This means that it is designed to reach industry standards and prepare you the world of work.
Student Rated - Over 89% of students studying Occupational Therapy at Northumbria believed that their assessment feedback was often on time and believed the library resources supported their learning (NSS, 2023).
Our courses are designed to prepare you for a career in occupational therapy - a global, client-centred, science-based, healthcare profession. Occupational therapy continues to grow in popularity and provide exciting career opportunities in the UK and overseas. Therapists are working in more sectors than ever.
The course’s contemporary curriculum prepares you for work in multiple areas, and successful completion makes you eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.Health & Care Professions Council
UCAS Code
B925
Level of Study
Undergraduate
Mode of Study
3 years full-time
Department
Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing
Location
Coach Lane Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Start
September 2024 or September 2025
Within this department, over half of our research in Social Work and Social Policy has been rated as world leading or internationally excellent.
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112 UCAS Tariff points
From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.
Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator
Northumbria University is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details www.northumbria.ac.uk/entryrequirementsinfo
Subject Requirements:
There are no specific subject requirements for this course.
GCSE Requirements:
Applicants will need Maths, English Language and a Science at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.
Additional Requirements:
Applicants will be required to attend an interview. Admission is subject to a suitable DBS Enhanced Certificate and a satisfactory health check. Applicants must meet the Health and Care Professions Council's suitability for registration requirements.
International Qualifications:
We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.
If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English Language Requirements:
International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 with 6.5 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section: www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
For further admissions guidance and requirements, please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/admissionsguidance Please review this information before submitting your application.
UK Fee in Year 1: £9,250
* The maximum tuition fee that we are permitted to charge for UK students is set by government. Tuition fees may increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, these are subject to government regulations and in line with inflation.
EU Fee in Year 1: £18,250
International Fee in Year 1:
ADDITIONAL COSTS
You may be required to purchase a fob watch and suitable footwear for use in placement, which will cost approximately £80. You will need to pay for your own travel costs, which may be approximately £800 per year depending on your placement location. You may be eligible to claim reimbursement of travel costs from the NHS Business Authority. Up to date information relating to this can be found at: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/student-services. If using a car to attend placement, you may also need to pay parking charges of approximately £200 per year.
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To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.
All information is accurate at the time of sharing.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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