Mastering Occupation - Level 7

Mastering Occupation is an advanced CPD module designed to deepen your understanding of the theories and science that underpin contemporary occupational therapy practice.

Building on your previous study and practice experience, this module enables you to critically explore the concept of human occupation and its role in shaping health and wellbeing across individuals, communities and wider society. You’ll engage with key theoretical frameworks and examine how they have evolved over time, developing a nuanced understanding of their relevance in today’s complex and changing healthcare landscape.

Through critical analysis of both established practices and emerging research, you’ll explore how occupational therapy can respond to global challenges, including occupational injustice, human rights, and environmental sustainability. You’ll also consider how occupation can be used to promote health and wellbeing across diverse settings, such as social care, forensic services and end-of-life care.

This module supports you in strengthening your ability to communicate the value of occupational therapy in a rapidly evolving world, while advancing your professional development through reflective engagement with your CPD portfolio.

By the end of the module, you’ll be equipped to apply occupational science critically and confidently within your own practice, contributing to innovative, evidence-informed approaches to care.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

1. Consolidate your learning from previous modules and practice placements through you investigating the informing theories and science of occupation in depth.
2. Critically compare established practices with evidence from emerging research, scholarship and practice at a local and global level.
3. Consider the challenges in communicating the potential of occupational therapy in a complex world, referring to occupational injustice and human rights. This will involve critical appraisal of how occupation can be used to promote health and well-being in different service settings, such as end of life care, forensic services and social care.
4. Consider environmental sustainability and how the changing climate and environment impacts on human occupation.
5. Build on the consideration of your CPD portfolio (see The Career Development Framework (RCOT 2017b)).

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.

We also have expertise in the areas of mental health, 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.

Module Outline

Learning and Teaching methods

This module combines interactive teaching with independent study to support critical thinking and application to practice:

• Taught seminar-style sessions: interactive seminars exploring key theories and concepts, encouraging discussion and critical reflection.

  Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL): investigation of real-world practice challenges, applying theory to complex occupational therapy contexts.

• Independent self-directed study: engagement with academic, research and practice-based sources to develop your ability to synthesise and communicate ideas.

Assessment strategy

100% coursework assessed module.

Our CPD Funding page has more information on fees for our modules and potential funding sources.

We have guidance on making your application and the forms to download on our how to apply page.