Occupational Therapy BSc (Hons)

On this accredited course you will master the skills, knowledge and professional behaviours you need to succeed as an occupational therapist. You will gain experience on placements, and study theories backed up by substantial evidence.

We will guide you to become a competent practitioner who makes a positive contribution to the health and wellbeing of other people. You will study the occupational therapy process, learning to assess, plan and evaluate needs in different therapeutic settings. While you are with us, some of the things you will study include:

• The occupational therapy process and its components
• Occupational analysis
• Theories of occupational therapy
• The relationships between occupation, health, wellbeing and participation
• Planning, implementing and evaluating therapeutic, occupation-focused intervention
• Health and social care systems, policy and legislation

Our course is accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and approved by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT). This means that when you graduate, you can register with the HCPC to practice under the protected title of Occupational Therapist.

On each year of the course you will apply your learning on professional placements. Experienced Occupational Therapists will supervise you as you complete 1,000 hours of placement in different therapeutic settings. This gives you a broad range of experience in the field.

Year 1

Our academic year is split into 2 semesters.

In your first year you will study:

• 1 compulsory module across semesters 1 and 2
• 1 compulsory modules in semester 1
• 1 compulsory modules in semester 2

You can find out which modules are available in each semester on the Course Specifications.

Modules

Year 2

In your second year you will study:

• 1 compulsory module in semester 1
• 2 compulsory modules in semester 2

You can find out which modules are available in each semester on the Course Specifications.

Modules

Year 3

In your third year you will study:

• 1 compulsory module across semesters 1 and 2
• 1 compulsory module in semester 1
• 1 compulsory module in semester 2

You can find out which modules are available in each semester on the Course Specifications.

Modules

Teaching and learning

Your modules will increase in complexity as you progress through your degree. You will learn through:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Individual and group tutorials
• Interactive workshops
• Practical skills workshops
• Professional practice placements

Your contact time can vary each week but will usually be 12 to 18 hours a week. We schedule our taught sessions between 9.00am and 8.00pm, Monday to Friday.

You will need to conduct independent study outside of this time. This might include reading, research and coursework preparation. You can also arrange academic tutorials to receive feedback on your work and discuss the course content.

Our teaching draws on both our research and professional experience. This means your learning is informed by the most current thinking in the subject area. You can find out more about our research and backgrounds by visiting our staff pages.

Assessment

Assessment types vary from module to module. Some of your assessments might include:

• Portfolios
• Presentations
• Oral exams known as viva voces
• Research or service evaluation proposals
• Research articles
• Service evaluation reports

There will also be other assessments that do not count towards your final grade but are an important part of developing your work. For each assessment you will have the chance to talk to a tutor about your work before submission. Each assessment will be marked and returned with feedback so you can improve your academic writing.

Placements

You will complete at least 1,000 hours of professional placement as part of this course. Placements will be in Yorkshire and the Humber and last between 4 and 10 weeks.

Your future with a degree in Occupational Therapy

This course will prepare you for a career as an occupational therapist in a variety of professional settings. You will also develop diverse skills that can be used in a range of jobs. These include data collection and analysis, creative problem solving and communication skills.

This degree could be the first step toward your career as a:

• Occupational therapist
• Art therapist
• Care manager
• Ergonomist
• Health improvement practitioner
• Social worker

Discover more career options on Prospects careers advice pages.

You could also progress onto a postgraduate degree and take your learning even further.

Postgraduate courses at York St John University

Occupational Therapy (pre-registration) MSc

PGCE at York St John University

Further your education and work towards a rewarding career in teaching by studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) after you graduate. For over 180 years, we have worked with enthusiastic individuals who want to shape the future of young people across both primary and secondary school settings. You'll spend a lot of time in schools, developing your practice by teaching. You will graduate with Qualified Teacher Status and become part of the well respected alumni of York St John educators.

Discover more about PGCE

Whatever your ambitions, we can help you get there.

Our careers service, LaunchPad provides career support tailored to your ambitions. Through this service you can access:

• Employer events
• LinkedIn, CV and cover letter sessions
• Workshops on application writing and interview skills
• Work experience and volunteering opportunities
• Personalised career advice

This support doesn't end when you graduate. You can access our expert career advice for the rest of your life. We will help you gain experience and confidence to succeed.

Qualifications

Calculate your UCAS Tariff points

You will need 120 UCAS points from the following qualifications:

We do not accept Adult Numeracy or Key Skills instead of GCSE Maths. We do not accept Adult Literacy or Key Skills instead of GCSE English Language.

Additional requirements

For entry onto this course, you will also need:

• A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• A satisfactory medical report

If you have previously been enrolled in an Occupational Therapy Pre-registration degree or any other health professional education course must submit a self declaration confirming that there are no previous fitness to practice concerns. This is a requirement of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

Interview

If we think your application is outstanding, we will invite you for an interview. We do not interview every applicant. Find out more about the Occupational Therapy interviews, what you will need and what you can expect on the day.

International students

If you are an international student you will need to show that your qualifications match our entry requirements.

Information about international qualifications and entry requirements can be found on our International pages.

If English is not your first language you will need to show that you have English Language competence at IELTS level 7.0 (with no skill below 6.5) or equivalent.

International entry requirements

Terms and conditions

Our terms and conditions, policies and procedures contain important information about studying at York St John University. You can read them on our Admissions page.

UK 2024 entry

The tuition fee for 2024 entry onto this course is £9,250 per year for full time study.

This price applies to all UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.

You can find out more about funding your degree by visiting our funding opportunities page.

Funding Opportunities

NHS Training Grant

If your application to this course is successful, you can apply for extra financial support from the NHS. This is a non-means-tested grant. Find out how to apply.

NHS Training Grant

Tuition fees

International 2024 entry

The tuition fee for 2024 entry to this course is £14,000 per year for full time study.

This price applies to all students living outside the UK.

Due to immigration laws, if you are an international student on a Student Visa, you must study full time. For more information about visa requirements and short-term study visas, please visit the International Visa and Immigration pages.

Find out more about funding your degree.

International Fees and Funding

Accommodation and living costs

For detailed information on accommodation and living costs, visit our Accommodation pages.

Financial help and support

Our Funding Advice team are here to help you with your finances throughout your degree. They offer a personal service that can help you with funding your studies and budgeting for living expenses. 

For advice on everything from applying for scholarships to finding additional financial support email fundingadvice@yorksj.ac.uk.