Occupational Therapist Degree Apprenticeship

Occupational therapists help people to maintain or rebuild their lives physically and psychologically, and use activity to retain their independence.

Taught by experts in both public and private healthcare organisations, this Degree Apprenticeship is designed to produce Occupational Therapists who have advanced theoretical knowledge, are autonomous, reflective, ethical and fit for practice.

Occupational therapists work with people who are unable to lead full lives for various reasons. They may have difficulty with essential everyday skills such as dressing, eating and cooking, or the aspects of life that define us, such as our jobs, leisure interests and relationships.

A practical approach to learning means that apprentices apply their knowledge to solve real-world case scenarios in clinical settings. They develop practical skills in our Daily Living Suite in specialist rooms that are equipped for learning about and adapting activities of daily living, and for therapeutic activities such as crafts and gardening. A focus on interdisciplinary learning enriches apprentices experiences while preparing them for the reality of professional practice.

By meeting all learning outcomes of the programme, apprentices are eligible to apply for registration as an Occupational Therapist in the UK with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Potential apprentices should read the FAQs to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria before submitting an application.

Key information

University of Brighton award Occupational Therapy BSc(Hons)

Apprenticeship standard Occupational Therapist

Level 6

Start Date September

Application close date April

Duration Part-time 4 years

Location Brighton: Falmer

Accreditation Health and Care Professions Council, Royal College of Occupational Therapists, World Federation of Occupational Therapists

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Programme details

Programme structure

The Occupational Therapist Degree Apprenticeship programme is a four-year, part-time degree. Apprentices will attend classes on campus two days per week, 32 weeks per year. Within those 32 weeks they will also complete seven or eight weeks of full-time practice placement in each year of the degree. Placements may include school holidays. Apprentices should also expect to spend 20 hours per week (on average) on degree-related independent study during term time.

As part of the requirements for professional registration, apprentices will undertake a minimum of 1,000 hours of clinical placement as an apprentice occupational therapist, returning to their normal employed role outside of university time.

Alongside their scheduled clinical placement and set academic work on the course, apprentices will work with a work-based mentor to make full use of the opportunities to learn within their employed job role.

Students on this professional course are required to adhere to the Health Care Professions Council Standards of Proficiency and Royal College of Occupational Therapist Professional Standards and Ethics. They will be assessed to meet these standards through a combination of essays, presentations and group work. They will also be required to learn about research methodology.

As a student on this course you’ll also get to participate in Schwartz Rounds – hour-long sessions where students come together to listen to stories and share reflections in a supportive and confidential environment. The sessions offer the opportunity to reflect on the emotional aspects of clinical practice and are designed to support students and recent graduates working in complex settings.

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Modules

Year 1

A Professional Perspective of Human Occupation
Foundations of Assessment in Occupational Therapy
Beginning Practice
Assessment in Occupational Therapy

Year 2

Occupational Therapy in Teams
Occupation for Change
Intermediate Practice

Year 3

Occupational Therapy in Diverse Settings
Diverse Practice
Research Foundations for Occupation-centred Practice
Research Design for Occupation-centred Practice

Year 4

Final Practice
Employability and Professional Development
Achieving Occupation-centred Practice
Readiness for Practice
End Point Assessment for Occupational Therapy Degree Apprentices

Core skills

Upon completion of the programme, apprentices will be equipped to:

use occupation-based assessment techniques to identify health and social care needs
uphold and promote the rights of individuals which influence the therapist’s roles
use information provided by other professionals to plan strategies for meeting occupational health needs
formulate specific and appropriate management plans and maintain records appropriately
plan and carry our therapeutic activities skilfully and in accordance with evidence-based practice

critically analyse changing structures and philosophies of care
explore areas outside traditional working environments in which people with occupational needs may be found
promote the principles of occupational science and the use of activity as a means for facilitating change
develop, influence and respond to new models of service provision.

Teaching and assessment

Tuition on the programme is provided by experts based within the university, visiting occupational therapists and others based within public and private healthcare organisations, as well as those with lived experiences as experts in the teaching of occupational therapy. This contributes to ensuring the relevancy and currency of the curriculum.

The innovative curriculum uses a problem-based learning approach, where apprentices examine real-life scenarios together in small groups with a tutor. This type of education reflects the ideas of pragmatism and active learning on which occupational therapy itself was founded.

A variety of therapeutic skills are also practised, for example in arts and crafts, cooking, ceramics, technology and horticulture, and these are examined as to how they may be adapted for people with different needs. In order for apprentices to be aware of their responsibilities during these sessions, they will be asked to sign a statement of consent agreeing to act in client-role-playing as well as practitioner roles in classes.

A range of summative assessment methods that reflect tasks an occupational therapist might encounter in practice are used throughout the programme. These are related to module aims and learning outcomes, allowing apprentices with a range of abilities to succeed. They include:

practice placements
individual and group presentations
written reflections
patient treatment plans
vivas.

Employer and apprentice commitments

In order to deliver the programme, the employer undertakes to:

conduct a workplace induction and set out a contract of employment
provide an appropriately qualified workplace mentor to support the apprentice
attend the apprentice’s progress review (four a year)
ensure that an Occupational Health Screening and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check has been undertaken
release the apprentice for scheduled off-the-job training
have an Apprenticeship Agreement in place from the start of the programme
provide the apprentice with work-based opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours in alignment with the apprenticeship standard.

Throughout the programme, apprentices will:

attend the workplace for the agreed pattern as set out in the employment contract
record all training sessions and off-the-job learning in a timely manner
attend scheduled university learning sessions and complete all assessments as required by the university and the End Point Assessment Organisation
behave in a safe and responsible manner at the workplace and university
engage with regular progress reviews
complete a professional development portfolio throughout the apprenticeship.

Fees and funding information for apprentices

Course fees

As an apprentice, the cost of your learning programme is covered by your employer through their Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS) account.

Student finance

Higher and degree level apprentices are not eligible for any element of student finance. This is because they receive a salary instead of the student loan package. However, if you are experiencing any financial difficulties, please contact the Student Advice Service on 01273 642 888.

Learning support

Apprentices studying at Higher and degree level may be able to access funding in relation to additional support, but this is available through the university and not Disabled Students Allowance. Apprentices may also be able to apply for Access to Work funding for work-based equipment and software. Please contact the Disability and Learning Support team on 01273 643 799.

Living costs and benefits

Higher and degree level apprentices must fulfil the standard eligibility criteria in order to apply for means tested benefits such as Universal Credit, Child Tax Credit and Housing Benefit. If you have any questions about entitlement to benefits, please contact the Student Advice Service on 01273 642888.

Higher and degree level apprentices who are undertaking a full-time mode of study can be treated as being exempt from paying Council Tax. Although some programmes require study on a day-release arrangement, this can still be classed as full-time study. You will need to obtain a letter from the Student Support Desk at any campus and send this to your Council Tax department when you enrol on the programme.

Other

Brighton and Hove bus discount

NUS card

Entry requirements

Academic requirements
Apprentices will be expected to provide evidence of academic achievement at Level 3 or above, equivalent to at least one subject at A-level. This could be a BTEC National Extended Certificate, an Access to HE qualification, Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate or degree. Normally, this will have been awarded no earlier than the summer 10 years before the September start date.

For any degree-level qualifications gained outside of this period you are asked to support your application with evidence of relevant work-related CPD or other studies.

T-level
Pass with D or E in your core components in the Health, Healthcare Science or Science T-level. Other T-levels are not accepted.

GCSE
Grade C/4 or above from GCSE maths and English language. Level 2 Functional Skills will be accepted. Qualifications must be regulated by Ofqual, CCEA and Qualifications Wales. Find out more about the other qualifications that we accept.

Non-academic requirements
A 500-word report which demonstrates the applicants understanding of the diversity of occupational therapy. Each applicant is responsible for gaining the knowledge required to write the report. Applicants who work in an occupational therapy setting may wish to draw on their experience, but it will be expected that a range of services will be referred to including physical, mental health, hospital or community settings. All applicants are encouraged to use resources such as books, journal articles and web-based sources. The report will not be expected to cover all occupational therapy practice settings.

The report is in addition to the personal statement and should be uploaded as a separate document on the personal statement section of our admissions portal.

References
Two references are required. References should not be from personal acquaintances, and apprentices should consider referees who can best support their suitability for the programme.

Applications
Please ensure applications meet the above criteria and are complete in order to be considered for interview. Please indicate that applications are supported by the employer when completing the form. The deadline for applications is April, however we reserve the right to close the course before this date if all places have been filled. Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) and occupational health screening must be undertaken by the employer and satisfactorily cleared as a condition of an offer of a place on the apprenticeship.

Deferred applications
We are not able to accept applications for deferred entry onto this course. If you wish to apply for a later year of entry, we recommend waiting until the admissions cycle for that year opens – this is usually in October of each year.

Occupational health screening and vaccinations
You will need to complete an occupational health screening and we strongly encourage that you get all of the required vaccinations. Particular vaccinations are a requirement of certain NHS placement providers and are in place to protect you and the patients. Without the appropriate vaccinations you will not be able to undertake some placements – and this may impact on your ability to complete your course. The list of required vaccinations is updated by the NHS and may change over the course of your studies.

Why choose us?

The professional accreditation ensures that apprentices receive a wide-ranging, research-informed education and develop the practical skills demanded by employers
We are a trusted partner to the health and social care sector, working extensively with local providers over many years
We are at the forefront of universities delivering apprenticeships in health
Apprenticeships rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted