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 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 and succeed.
Your future role as an Occupational Therapist could involve working with children or people with mental health or physical needs to enable their ability to engage in activities or occupations that they need or want to do.
Occupational Therapists are in great demand, with job opportunities in the NHS, schools, charities, private practice and custodial environments.
Interprofessional learning with other student health care professionals will be key for your learning throughout the course.
Accreditation
This course is due to be accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
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).
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:
- Integrated 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
- Integrated human sciences and professional development
- Professional practice
- Occupational Therapy process and practice
- Assessing occupational performance
- Practice placement 1
- People in Society: Occupational Therapy in context
- Occupational therapy knowledge and skills
- Critical enquiry
Second Year Level 7
- Capstone project, preparing for employment
- Placement 2
- Placement 3
- Critical Enquiry – research study
Teaching and Assessment
How you will learn
Work alongside experienced staff
During your programme, you will work with experienced staff, including Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Physiotherapists, Nurses, and Social Workers.
You will also undertake 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, and Care Homes.
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 a novel approach of blended learning.
You will only be on campus two days per week. For the rest of the week, you will receive tuition via our virtual learning environment, with facilitated learning, engagement with interactive digital resources and peer learning. This will enable a level of flexibility as you will know your timetable in advance, and be able to manage your time to suit personal circumstances (where feasible).
The programme is two years in length (90 weeks), and on completion, you will be eligible to apply for HCPC registration to practice as an Occupational Therapist. The programme will also be validated by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
Facilities
Learn in practice space
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 various settings, including the NHS, Social Services, Schools, Universities, Charities, Industry, Private Practice, and 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 2025/26
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.
