Occupational Therapy BSc(Hons)

Overview

Occupational therapy is the study of human activity within everyday personal, work or leisure settings, with focus on enhancing function, or promoting health and wellbeing for all.
It is a rewarding profession for those who would like to work with people and enhance the quality of life of others. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages and from all walks of life, who may be experiencing a loss of participation in everyday activities, leisure activities or work. Most commonly, their participation is impeded by physical, mental, social or environmental situations.
This part-time course provides students with an opportunity to qualify as occupational therapists. It is particularly designed for people already working in health and social care, but a few places are available each year for those from other backgrounds.

Course duration
Part-time: 4 years (max 6 years)

UCAS code apply direct to the university.
Course content

Course structure

During university-based modules, students attend for two days a week. Attendance on the second day decreases during the four years, with an increase in independent study. Each year there are on average seven weeks of practice placement, which require full-time attendance, making a total of approximately 32 weeks a year on the course. Students should allow a total of approximately 30 hours a week for study during term time.

Areas of study

The innovative curriculum uses a problem-based learning approach, where students examine real-life scenarios in small groups with a tutor. This type of education has been found to deepen understanding and promote lifelong learning. The philosophy of the course is founded on occupational science, the study of the role of human occupation in the prevention and relief of health problems. This curriculum is unusual in offering a variety of creative skills options, including arts and crafts, cooking, ceramics, and horticulture. All of these aspects of the course enable students to contribute well in occupational therapy practice.
Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements
individual offers may vary
For non-native speakers of English:
IELTS 7.0 overall, with no element below 6.5.
Other:
Some applicants working in health and social care are seconded onto the course and need to obtain the support of their managers before they apply. Each year some applicants are also accepted from non-statutory organisations. As well as completing an application form applicants are required to visit occupational therapy services, and to write a short report. All applicants undertake a health declaration and are subject to a police check. For further information about entry requirements and funding contact the course leader.
Degree and/or experience:
Knowledge and understanding of occupational therapy.
Recent study to at least A-level standard with a minimum qualification of one A-level.
Other equivalent qualifications might be an accredited Access certificate, or a National Vocational Qualification at level 3 or above (relevant experience will be taken into consideration in the selection process).
Location

Location Eastbourne
Career opportunities

There continues to be a demand for qualified occupational therapists in both health and social care, and increasingly in the third sector. Occupational therapists work in a wide range of settings from hospitals, community rehabilitation, and mental health, through to health promotion.
Please note that the university also has a postgraduate course, Health through Occupation MSc, which entitles students to become occupational therapists. This two-year accelerated course is for graduates only. Course information can be found by clicking the link at the top right corner of this page.

Visit the careers centre website.
Fees and costs

Tuition fees for this course for UK/EU students are paid by the NHS. Students meeting residency requirements are also eligible to apply for a means-tested bursary and a non-means-tested loan.

Further information can be found on the NHS student bursaries website www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students.

For fees for international students, please contact the school.
More details

Excellent Facilities

The School of Health Professions is a centre of excellence for allied health professions education and research and is located on the Eastbourne campus; facilities include Queenwood library, computer pool rooms, learning and technology suite, restaurants and a Students’ Union Shop. Welkin halls of residence provide accommodation for over 350 students.

Eastbourne is a lively seaside town, close to the sea and South Downs. Considered the sunniest place in the UK, Eastbourne is surrounded by beautiful countryside, making it a great place to study. Our campus is home to 3,000 students and located less than 10 minutes walk from the beach at the foot of the South Downs National Park. The town boasts four theatres, four shopping centres, a wide variety of restaurants, cafés, traditional pubs, bars and nightclubs, and is home to the Towner contemporary art museum for South East England. Eastbourne’s Sovereign Harbour, with its stylish cosmopolitan feel, is the largest composite marina complex in Northern Europe. The harbour offers an array of waterside eateries and alfresco dining, whilst the independent boutiques and retail shops make the harbour a great alternative shopping venue.

There are also many sporting and cultural activities on offer, all within a short walking distance of our campus.

Other student support services include the university’s careers centre, welfare service, a counselling service, chaplaincy and childcare provision.

Clinical Skills Facilities

The school has an excellent reputation for teaching clinical skills with dedicated facilities including a human movement laboratory, specialist skills rooms and Leaf Hospital, offering exceptional clinical facilities where students learn practical skills and treat patients throughout their course.

Human Movement Laboratory

The high tech Human Movement Laboratory is used widely in teaching and research for students in the school of health professions studying physiotherapy, occupational therapy or podiatry, and is also used for commercial consultancy. The latest technology measures and assesses all aspects of human movement, joints, muscles, soft tissue structure and nerves. The laboratory has state-of-the-art equipment for conducting cardio-pulmonary investigations including Cosmed metabolic system and spirometry.

Leaf Hospital

The Leaf hospital is an exceptional fully-staffed clinical facility, situated close to the centre of Eastbourne and train station, The Leaf Hospital has two main clinics and three further consulting rooms allowing up to 28 patients to be seen at any one time. Clinical practice is supported by a comprehensive range of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment.

Specialist Skills Rooms

There are a range of practical “skills” rooms, equipped so that students in the school of health professions can learn and practise practical skills with each other prior to working with patients and clients. These rooms are equipped with treatment couches (for example manual skills and exercise therapy rooms). A variety of hands-on skills including those of palpation, massage and manipulation can be facilitated by practice with peers.

Clinical Research Centre for Health Professions

The clinical research centre for health professions is an integral part of the School of Health Professions. It forms a focus for staff and doctoral student research activity.

The Clinical Research Centre is a vibrant environment for staff and students who want to carry out research which results in positive changes to policy and practice. Focusing on three groups: applied clinical and laboratory based research, applied pedagogic research, and wellbeing, health and occupation research, the centre embraces the research activities of occupational therapists, physiotherapist, podiatrists and osteopaths.

As part of its commitment to research-led practice and a research-informed curriculum, staff from the centre regularly act as external speakers, advisors and experts to national and international bodies, as well as providing lectures and seminars internally. In addition, the centre's regular seminar series provides opportunity for staff and students to debate and critique progressive research and methodological positions.
Student views

Kate Guy, Occupational Therapy BSc(Hons), Graduate 2012

For someone taking their first degree later in life than most, Occupational Therapy at the University of Brighton really was the perfect degree to maximise my skills as a student and my skills in life!