Program Overview

MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration)

Overview

The MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) course is an accelerated postgraduate degree designed for graduates who wish to become registered occupational therapists. This two-year, full-time course incorporates placements over both years, providing students with first-hand experience collaborating with occupational therapists working with people of all ages, with various occupational needs, in a wide range of environments.

Course Information

• The MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) programme is full-time, delivered over 45 weeks each year for 37.5 hours per week.
• Students will be on placement for a total of 30 weeks over the two years, with a total of 14 weeks in Year 1 and 16 weeks in Year 2.
• The course is accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the Health and Care Professions Council.

Year 1

In Year 1, students will study the following units:

• Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy Practice
• Practice Placement 1
• Occupational Therapy Process and Practice
• Practice Placement 2
• Identifying Critical Contexts In Occupational Therapy Practice

Year 2

In Year 2, students will study the following units:

• Practice Placement 3
• Advancing Critical Contexts In Occupational Therapy Practice
• Transforming Occupational Therapy Practice
• Research Methods and Dissertation
• Practice Placement 4

Study and Assessment

• Full-time: 32% lectures, seminars or similar; 34% placement; 34% independent study
• Full-time: 100% coursework; 0% practical; 0% examination

Entry Requirements

• Applicants will have a minimum 2:1 UK undergraduate degree, or equivalent.
• Evidence of academic study in the five years prior to application.
• Preferred subject areas include Health, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Education or Humanities.
• Applicants must meet requirements for NHS values-based assessment at interview, Occupational Health Assessment and have a satisfactory enhanced DBS report.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must be able to communicate in English to the standard equivalent to level 7 of the International English Language Testing system (IELTS), with no element below 6.5.

Fees and Funding

• UK and Channel Island students: Full-time fee: £9,535 for the 2025/26 academic year.
• EU and non-EU international students: Full-time fee: £22,000 per year.
• Additional costs:
  • Placement costs: Travel costs to placement estimated at £2 to £15 a day whilst on placement.
  • Professional costs: Student membership of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists is £61.56 per year/£5.13 per month.
  • Other costs: All books required for the course are available from the library, but students may choose to buy some of the core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop.

Careers Support and Prospects

• 93.7% of our UK-domiciled, full-time, postgraduate taught graduates are employed or in further study 15 months after graduation.
• Through our Careers Service, students will be supported and encouraged to get ready for what comes next - whether that’s continuing their studies or pursuing their work ambitions.
• Many graduates may choose to start their career in the NHS as a band 5 occupational therapist. Becoming an occupational therapist can open up a variety of different careers.