MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-Registration)
Boost your career and train to be an Occupational Therapist
Boost your career and train to be an Occupational Therapist
Overview
NHS Funding
Receive at least £5,000 a year of NHS funding for this course, with up to £3,000 further funding available for eligible students. Find out more on the NHS website.
The MSc Occupational Therapy degree is ideal for graduates who want to gain a professional academic qualification and start a career in a highly rewarding field where you will help and support people of all ages to overcome challenges they may experience in completing activities that are necessary and meaningful to them.
This accelerated full-time, two-year course will utilise evidence-based practice and principles, focusing on active learning and practical application.
You will focus on how to work with the person to plan, practice, and set realistic and personal goals to help them achieve, succeed and live their best lives.
Your future role as an Occupational Therapist could involve working with adults or children of all ages, most commonly living with mental health, learning disabilities or physical needs, to improve their ability to engage in activities or occupations that they need or want to do.
Occupational Therapists are in great demand, with a diverse choice of job opportunities in hospitals, community health settings, social services, schools, charities, private practice and custodial environments.
During the course, there are opportunities for interprofessional learning with other student healthcare professionals.
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT).
When you graduate from this course, you will be eligible to apply for registration as an Occupational Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and can apply for membership with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).
The Course
What you will study
The University of Chichester prides itself on its supportive community. Our smaller class sizes ensure you are well-known and supported. This also means we can endeavour to match elements of the programme to your own areas of interest, such as your final placement (availability allowing), aspects of your assignments, and your research topic.
Throughout the course, you will explore:
- Applied Health Sciences, including anatomy, physiology, psychology, sociology, and occupational science.
- How to assess and manage occupational needs of individuals, groups and communities.
- Person-centred practice and communication skills.
- Different health conditions, environmental factors and life events, including how these impact a person’s sense of self, their relationships, and the activities they want to do.
Modules
First Year Level 7
- Applied Health Sciences
Aims to apply the informing sciences that underpin communication, engagement in activity, movement and function. To develop informed reasoning for assessment and intervention, professional terminology and inform the relationship between health, ill health and disability. - Occupational Therapy Process and Practice
In summary, aims to explore Occupational Therapy Models and frameworks that inform Occupational Therapy Practice, the role of activity and meaningful occupation as a vehicle for rehabilitation, reintegration, empowerment and social engagement. - Professional Skills & Identity – Practice Placement 1
In summary, aims to prepare you for professional practice, including standards of practice, codes of conduct and ethical conduct, recognise the roles of other professions in health and social care, how they relate to occupational therapy and reflective practice. You will also be introduced to strategies to maintain resilience as a new healthcare professional. - People in Society: Occupational Therapy in Context
Aims to explore the driving facilitators and barriers experienced by individuals, communities and populations in endeavouring to maintain health and well-being in occupation-based practice. - Practice Placement 2
Full-time eight-week placement, where you will receive support to be an active participant progressively taking responsibility in the decision-making and skilled activity. - Occupational Therapy Knowledge and Skills, Adults, Children and Young People
Aims to explore the assessment and intervention for adults, children and young people using an occupation-based lens in relation to task and occupational performance. In addition, this module will develop critical appraisal skills, evidence-based practice, and clinical reasoning. Module runs into the second year.
Second Year Level 7
- Research for Health, Research Methods
The aim is to build on research skills acquired during your bachelor’s degree and previous learning to enable the undertaking and completion of an empirical research study at master’s level. You will develop a research and ethics approval protocol in preparation for your dissertation. - Occupational Therapy in Contemporary Practice
Aims to explore contemporary practice within traditional, non-traditional, role-emerging and international practice. Considers the transferable nature of the occupational therapy role, the future of professional practice, as well as developing resilience strategies when working in new and evolving areas of practice. - Practice Placement 3
Full-time, eight-week placement where you will be supported to take or share the lead in clinical thinking, decision-making and skilled activity. - Research for Health – Dissertation
You will successfully undertake and complete an original piece of research designed to evaluate and contribute to evidence-based Occupational Therapy. - Practice Placement 4
Full-time, ten-week placement where you will take the lead in clinical thinking, carrying out the process independently. You may work autonomously, or alongside the Practice Educator and/or members of the team as determined by the context.
Teaching and Assessment
How you will learn
Work alongside experienced staff
During your programme, you will work with experienced staff, including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Nurses.
There are a variety of assessment methods applied across the course to ensure students develop and are able demonstrate a range of knowledge, skills and attributes in multiple ways.
You will also undertake a minimum of 1000 hours of assessed practice placement in a variety of settings, such as: Mental Health, Forensic settings, Schools and Education establishments, NHS settings, Charity settings, Care Homes, Social Services and Community Services
You will work with HCPC registered Occupational Therapists in these environments. These individuals will support you in developing your skills and achieving your learning goals.
Learning environment
This programme will utilise an innovative approach of blended learning.
There will be a combination of on-campus face-to-face learning, along with our virtual online learning digital resources (which allows for a level of flexibility around when you study to suit your personal circumstances, where feasible) and practice placement learning.
This accelerated full-time programme is condensed into two years in length and timetabled over 90 weeks in total (45 weeks per year) in accordance with RCOT’s standards. On completion, you will be eligible to apply for HCPC registration to practice as a registered Occupational Therapist. The programme is validated by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).
Facilities
In addition to traditional classrooms and digital online resources, learn in practice space
Immersive sensory learning technologies
Explore our immersive learning and simulation rooms that recreate sounds and visuals from a range of clinical settings, supported with the latest virtual reality technologies.
Take a 360 tour (opens in a new tab)
Immersive Simulation Room
Simulation Room 2
Flexible teaching space
Our newly developed HealthOne building includes dedicated teaching spaces that can transform into a variety of layouts and functions.
Simulated settings
Practice your communication skills and managing difficult situations via Forum theatre and with actors in our community flat.
Immersive sensory learning technologies
Experience our immersive learning room that recreates sound and visuals from a range of clinical settings, supported with the latest virtual reality technologies.
Expert and supportive staff
Our experienced teaching staff are here to support you as you develop into a competent Occupational Therapist.
Learning Resource Centre
The Learning Resource Centre (LRC) contains the library, a café, IT/teaching rooms and the Support and Information Zone (SIZ).
Library
Our campus library holds more than 200,000 books and over 500,000 eBooks.
Careers
Where you could go after your studies
Occupational Therapists can work in a wide range of settings, including, but not limited to:
- The NHS
- Hospitals
- Community health settings
- Local authorities
- Social Services
- Schools
- Universities
- Charities
- Industry
- Private Practice
- Legal settings
Occupational Therapy is also a global profession, and on graduation, you could work anywhere in the world. Occupational Therapists work with people across the lifespan, from babies to older adults. This is a career truly centred on people, helping them to live their best life.
Course Costs
Course Fees 2026/27
UK fee
International fee
For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fee page.
For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.
University of Chichester alumni who have completed a full undergraduate degree at the University will receive a 15% discount on their postgraduate fees.
To find out about any additional costs on this course, please see our Additional Costs page.
Entry Requirements
Typical offers (individual offers may vary):
Degree
GCSE English and Maths
IELTS
Interview
You will be required to attend a values-based interview for this degree. Questions during the interview include problem solving and ethical dilemmas. For more information on the interview process, please visit our Interviews and Auditions page.
Background checks
We are required to verify that you are of good health and character. We achieve this through a satisfactory occupational health assessment and enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check on entering the programme. You are required to self-declare this on an annual basis.
