BSc Occupational Therapy

Our BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy course helps you to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes to enable you to work with clients of all ages who may have physical, mental health, learning difficulties or social challenges to address.

There's never been a better time to train as you can now apply for a £5000 grant that you won't need to pay back! There is also an extra £3000 funding available depending on your personal circumstances. You can find more information about eligibility and how to apply on the HSC Scholarships and Funding page.

This three-year programme enables you to take advantage of interprofessional learning (IPL), encouraging professionals to learn with and from one another - an understanding that helps to ensure you have the expertise to respond adequately and effectively to the complexity of your clients’ needs, and ensures that care is safe, seamless and of a high standard. Alternatively, if you are already in full-time employment in a relevant role, and have the support of your employer, you may be interested in our Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship which also leads to BSc Occupational Therapy.

Central to the philosophy of our programme is the value attached to ‘occupation’ and ‘activity’ as a means to achieving the health and wellbeing of individuals, which enhances their quality of life, thus enabling them to achieve their desired goals.

We combine a number of teaching styles such as lectures, seminars, enquiry-based and blended learning, as well as enabling you to undertake practice placements in the workplace. The use of peer support and self-directed learning enables you to take control of the learning experience and manage your development of knowledge and skills.

The School of Health and Social Care is proud to work closely with our Service User Reference Group (SURG). SURG is made up of service users, carers, and volunteers who generously share their first-hand experiences of health and social care. We work collaboratively with SURG to design our courses to ensure that we truly are putting the needs of patients and clients at the heart of what we do. SURG are involved as part of our course application processes and often form part of our interview panels. This helps us to be confident that we are selecting the right applicants for the course and their future careers. SURG members also support the delivery of our teaching sessions and research activity, which means you’ll benefit from an insight into their lived experiences of living with a diagnosis, health condition, or circumstance. You’ll find that not only does your clinical knowledge expand, but your empathy, compassion and ability to advocate develops also. You can find out more about SURG by reading their blog here.

Successful completion of this course provides you with an opportunity to access a professional qualification in occupational therapy.

The cost of required uniform will be fully covered by the school.

Placement Opportunities

In order to prepare you for the work-place and enrich your learning, we organise the practice placement education for you with multi-professional health care teams in a wide range of settings. You will gain experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team with people who have physical, mental health, learning difficulties or social needs.

Over a thousand hours will be spent in the practice environment, where you will apply the theory and practice of occupational therapy.

Whilst on placement you will have an educator allocated to you, and contact with a member of the academic team.

Location

Placements encompass a variety of multidisciplinary health and social care settings based within the NHS, the Private Sector, Social Services, Voluntary Organisations and Primary Health Care Services.

Making your application

Before you make your application, take a look at our frequently asked questions section at the bottom of our undergraduate department pages. Here you will find hints and tips on what we are looking for.

DBS and Occupational Health Checks

This course requires a satisfactory Occupational Health Check and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (including child and adult barred list check) - both of these are organised by the University. Please contact our DBS team if you have any questions relating to getting your DBS check.

You will also be required to register for the DBS Update Service (information relating to this service can be found here). You will need to register for this within 30 days of your DBS certificate being issues. The Update Service costs £13 per year, which the University will reimburse. You will need to keep the subscription to this Service active for the duration of your course. If you do not register for the Update Service within 30 days, or your registration lapses, and you later attend placement where this is a requirement, you will have to pay for a new DBS check, which will enable you to sign up to the Update Service. Please contact our DBS team or Occupational Health team if you have any questions in relation to these checks.

A satisfactory Overseas Criminal Record Check/Local Police Certificate is also required, in addition to a DBS Check, where you have lived outside of the UK in the last 5 years for 6 months or more. Further information about how to obtain an Overseas Criminal Record check can be found on the Gov.uk website.

We continue to recommend Covid and flu vaccination to all of our students. This is to protect both yourself and the vulnerable people that you may meet throughout your placement.

Professional accreditation

Accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) for the purpose of ensuring graduates are fit for the profession.

Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for the purpose of providing eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC as an occupational therapist.

Our expert staff

A unique feature of our School is that most of our staff work or have worked within clinical practice. This enhances our grasp of the contemporary links between academic research, the major issues of the day and real-life practice.

Occupational Therapy is taught by registered experienced staff with a variety of different backgrounds. The course is led by Selena Goodchild. Selena qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2003, and has practised in a variety of settings, including inpatient orthopaedics, A&E, and Hand Therapy.

We also have expertise in the areas of learning disability, brain injury and hand therapy. Specialist guest lecturers additionally lend external expertise to our academic staff. Full details of our staff can be found on our HSC Staff Profiles.

Specialist facilities

Within our School of Health and Human Sciences, we have a range of specialist clinical laboratories and IT facilities to assist you with the effective learning and acquisition of new skills. For students of our BSc Occupational Therapy, we have a specialist lab at our Colchester Campus which provides you with access to relevant equipment and facilities within supported environments to further develop your skills in helping people in the home.

We also arrange off-site visits to specialist external facilities to assist in your learning, and offer excellent physical and online resources in terms of libraries, computer labs, datasets, archives and other research materials.

Our student-run Occupational Therapy Society is also involved in many internal and external events.

Your future

Successful completion of our BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy programme leads to eligibility to apply for registration as an occupational therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which then allows you to practise as an occupational therapist in the UK, and become a professional member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

98% of undergraduate graduates from the School of Health and Social Care are in highly skilled employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2022)

UK entry requirements

UK entry requirements

GCSE: GCSEs Maths, English and Science at C/4 or above. Acceptable alternatives to our GCSE Maths and English requirements are listed further down this page.

Plus one of the following

A-levels: BBB - BBC or 120 – 112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A-levels

BTEC: DDM – DMM or 120 – 112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of the equivalent of 2 full A-levels. The acceptability of BTECs is dependent on subject studied and optional units taken - please email ugquery@essex.ac.uk for advice on acceptability

QAA-approved Access to HE Diploma: (in a relevant pathway, e.g. Health Professions, Social Sciences): 6 level 3 credits at Distinction and 39 level 3 credits at Merit

This Access diploma must be supported by level 2 Maths, Science and English (either as GCSE or Functional Skill - Level 2 qualifications), if relevant units not taken as part of the Access Diploma.

IB: 30 - 29 points or three Higher Level certificates with 555-554. Either must include Standard Level Mathematics grade 4, or a minimum of 3 in Higher Level Mathematics. We will accept grade 4 in either Standard Level Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches or Standard Level Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation.
Maths in the IB is not required if you have already achieved GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above or 4 in IB Middle Years Maths.
We are also happy to consider a combination of separate IB Diploma Programme courses (formerly certificates) at both Higher and Standard Level. Exact offer levels will vary depending on the range of subjects being taken at higher and standard level, and the course applied for.

IB Career-related Programme: We can consider combinations of IB Diploma Programme courses with BTECs or other qualifications. Advice on acceptability can be provided, please contact Undergraduate Admissions for more information.

We are also happy to consider a combination of separate IB Diploma Programmes at both Higher and Standard Level. Exact offer levels will vary depending on the range of subjects being taken at higher and standard level, and the course applied for. Please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for more information. Maths in the IB is not required if you have already achieved GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above or 4 in IB Middle Years Maths. We accept grade 4 in either Standard Level Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches or Standard Level Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation.

T-levels: We can consider T-levels on a case-by-case basis, depending on subject studied and course applied for. If a T-level can be accepted, the offer for most of our undergraduate courses would be Distinction overall. Depending on the course applied for there may be additional requirements, which may include a specific grade in the Core. If you are worried about meeting our offer level, please contact our admissions team on ugquery@essex.ac.uk who will be happy to discuss your options.

Other qualifications that hold UCAS tariff points, and combined qualifications: 120 – 112 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A levels or equivalent. Tariff point offers may be made if you are taking a qualification, or mixture of qualifications, from the list below:

• A levels

• AS levels

• Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

• OCR Cambridge Technicals

• BTECs

• Cambridge Pre-U Certificates

• Welsh Baccalaurate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate

• WJEC Applied Diploma or Certificates

• Core Maths Qualifications

• LIBF Diploma or Certificates

• A combination of any of the above

If you are taking a qualification on the UCAS tariff that is not included in the list above and want to check whether we can accept it as part of a tariff-based offer, please email ugquery@essex.ac.uk

GCSE/level 2 requirements

All applicants must have, or be working towards, acceptable level 2 Mathematics, English and Science qualifications such as GCSE grade C/4 or equivalent.

• We can accept GCSE Science, Science units from an Access to HE Diploma at either level 2 or 3, or a level 3 qualification which covers Science.
• We can accept a number of OFQUAL regulated level 2 Maths qualifications in place of GCSE Maths C/4, including Functional Skills level 2, Key Skills level 2 or numeracy units taken as part of an Access to HE Diploma.
• If you do not require a Student visa and are either a first language English speaker or have a lived in the UK for over three years, we can accept a number of OFQUAL regulated level 2 English qualifications, including Functional Skills level 2, Key Skills level 2 or literacy units taken as part of an Access to HE Diploma, in place of GCSE English C/4.
• If you have not listed a suitable Maths or English qualification in your application this may form part of any offer given to you.

Additional requirements

Study towards admitting qualifications within the last 5 years is required. Please get in touch if you think you might not meet this requirement.

Alongside academic criteria, applicants need to demonstrate knowledge of the scope of Occupational Therapy and practice settings, together with effective communication skills.

You must also have a satisfactory Occupational Health Check and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (including child and adult barred list check) - both of these are organised by the University. Please contact our DBS team if you have any questions relating to this.

A satisfactory Overseas Criminal Record Check/Local Police Certificate is also required, in addition to a DBS Check, where you have lived outside of the UK in the last 5 years for 6 months or more.

For 2024 entry, applicants must be aged 18 or over on 1 January 2025.

We welcome applications for Year Two or final year entry, but they must be submitted by 30 April 2024. These applications will need to go through the APEL process, as applicants are required to have studied a comparable first year at another institution and (where applicable) to have completed comparable Professional Capabilities through placements. Applicants for Year Two and Final Year also need to meet the GCSE Maths, Science and English, or acceptable alternatives, requirements.

Application process

If your achieved or pending qualifications meet our requirements, you will be invited to attend a compulsory interview.

Contextual Offers

We are committed to supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds to access the University of Essex, as outlined in our information for schools and colleges and our Access and Participation Plan.
That is why we may make contextual offers to applicants in the following categories:

• Applicants from underrepresented groups

• Applicants progressing from University of Essex Schools Membership schools/colleges

• Applicants who attend a compulsory admissions interview

• Applicants who attend an Offer Holder Day at our Colchester or Southend campus

Further information, and full eligibility criteria, can be found in our contextual offers policy.

Eligible applicants will be made a conditional offer up to two A-level grades, or equivalent, below our standard conditional offer. Contextual offers will be made to eligible applicants taking A-levels, a Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma, a combination of qualifications that hold UCAS tariff points (e.g., A-levels alongside a BTEC) and the International Baccalaureate. Where possible, we may make contextual offers to eligible applicants holding other qualifications. For further information about what a contextual offer may look like for your specific qualification profile, please contact our Admissions team on ugquery@essex.ac.uk.

What else do I need to know about applying?
We will use all of the information on your application form when making a decision about your suitability for the course you have applied for. Where possible we will look to suggest an alternative course if we cannot accept you for the course that you have applied for. Visit our undergraduate application information page for more details.

What if I am a mature student?
We recognise that students come from all backgrounds and embrace the different experiences that mature learners bring to our community. Our mature students pages will help to answer your questions.

English language requirements

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in each component, or specified score in another equivalent test that we accept.

Details of English language requirements, including UK Visas and Immigration minimum component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here

If we accept the English component of an international qualification then it will be included in the information given about the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.

Please note that date restrictions may apply to some English language qualifications.

If you are an international student requiring a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

What if my IELTS does not meet your requirements?

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Do I need to have achieved an acceptable English language qualification before I apply?

You don’t need to achieve the required level before making your application, but it will be one of the conditions of your offer.

What if the English language qualification I hold, or am taking, is not listed?

If you cannot find the qualification that you have achieved or are pending, then please contact Admissions on ugquery@essex.ac.uk for advice.

What are the requirements for second and final year entry?

Different requirements apply for second and final year entry, and specified component grades are also required for applicants who require a visa to study in the UK. Details of English language requirements, including UK Visas and Immigration minimum component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here

Course structure

These carefully selected modules will give you the chance to explore, question, and create powerful ideas. Picked to give you an extensive and in-depth education, they’ll equip you with the specialist knowledge, vital transferrable skills, and the confidence to make a genuine difference to the world around you.

We’re reactive, we’re pioneering, we never stand still, so modules might change from year to year in response to new developments and innovation. Those listed below show how a typical course might look, but more detail on course structure, including details of all optional modules, is available on our Programme Specification.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, or in response to COVID-19, we’ll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Teaching

• This course combines University learning, e-learning and practice-based learning
• Teaching staff include clinically qualified lecturers in occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, adult and mental health nursing, as well as health psychologists, medical sociologists, social policy, informatics and management specialists
• The multidisciplinary nature of our School and its rapid growth has fostered a dynamic and innovative learning environment

Assessment

• You are assessed through coursework, presentations, essays, posters, portfolios, CPD profiles, examinations, innovative practice proposal and direct observation of practice by the mentor in clinical settings
• You also conduct a research dissertation