Overview
Occupational therapy is a regulated health and social care profession that supports people to develop, recover or maintain the skills needed for everyday life. As an occupational therapist, you will work with individuals and communities to enable participation in the activities (occupations) they want, need or have to do – from self-care and education to work, leisure and social connection.
Our BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy course is designed to develop autonomous, team-orientated practitioners who deliver well-reasoned, compassionate and evidence-based care. The curriculum is underpinned by person-centred practice and by occupational therapy values that make explicit the importance of occupation, participation, occupational performance and occupational justice. You will explore how meaning, performance and context shape people’s lives and wellbeing, drawing on occupational science and contemporary practice models.
Practice-based learning is integral. You will gain experience with a wide range of client groups and settings, supported by skilled clinicians and practice educators, and you will benefit from learning alongside other healthcare students at Health Sciences University to strengthen multidisciplinary working and professional communication.
Please note: Subject to HCPC approval and Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) accreditation.
Course details
Across three years you will develop the knowledge, skills and professional behaviours expected of a contemporary occupational therapist. You will learn to:
- Understand the relationship between occupation, health and wellbeing and apply occupation-focused approaches to support people’s goals.
- Assess occupational performance and participation, identify barriers and enablers, and co-produce practical, person-centred intervention plans and adjustments.
- Work across physical and mental health contexts, supporting people with diverse needs across the lifespan.
- Practise ethically and professionally, with equality, diversity and inclusion embedded throughout your learning.
- Use research evidence and reflective practice to support decision-making, service improvement and lifelong learning.
Assessment is designed to be authentic and practice-relevant, supporting you to build a broad skill set for employment. You can expect a blend of assessment types that may include written work, case-based tasks, practical/clinical assessments, presentations and reflective/professional practice activities. Assessment is designed to develop your clinical reasoning and your ability to apply evidence to real-world practice.
Yes. Practice-based learning is a core part of occupational therapy education. You will undertake mandatory practice-based learning in a range of settings which may include health, social care, community and other practice environments, supported by practice educators.
Placements are designed to help you consolidate academic learning, develop professional confidence, and work with a variety of client groups and multidisciplinary teams.
This is a full-time course delivered through a blended model. Your week will typically include a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops and practical skills teaching, plus guided independent study. Workload varies across the year and will change during placement blocks, where you will follow the expectations and schedule of your placement setting.
Unit breakdown
Please Note: The following units are provided for indicative purposes only and may be subject to change pending approval.
Year 1
Foundations of evidence‑based practice – 15 credits 
Develop academic and enquiry skills to appraise evidence and apply it to occupational therapy practice.
Person‑centred care, communication and ethics – 15 credits
Build foundations in professional behaviours, consent, safeguarding and inclusive practice.
Occupation and occupational science – 30 credits
Explore core occupational therapy concepts, including occupation, participation and occupational justice.
Human Sciences for Occupational Therapy – 30 credits
Develop understanding of relevant human sciences to support assessment and clinical reasoning.
Enabling occupation in everyday life – 30 credits
Learn how occupational therapists support people to participate in self-care, productivity and leisure activities
Year 2
Research for clinical
Strengthen research literacy and data skills to support evidence-based practice and improvement.
Clinical reasoning and collaborative working – 15 credits
Advance clinical reasoning, documentation and teamwork skills, including interprofessional learning activities.
Occupational Therapy for physical health challenges – 30 credits
Develop skills to support occupational performance and participation in physical health contexts.
Occupational Therapy for mental health and psychosocial practice – 30 credits
Develop skills for psychosocial and mental health practice, including recovery-oriented approaches.
Practice‑based learning 1 – 30 credits
Supervised practice learning to consolidate skills with real clients and multidisciplinary teams.
Year 3
Research project – 30 credits
Complete a substantial piece of enquiry, service evaluation or practice-related project aligned to occupational therapy.
Leadership, enterprise and quality improvement– 15 credits
Develop leadership and improvement skills to support safe, effective services and a smooth transition into practice.
Complexity, disability and occupational justice – 30 credits
Work with complexity across populations, integrating evidence, context and person-centred approaches
Innovating Occupational Therapy practice across settings – 30 credits
Prepare for diverse employment routes across health, social care and community settings.
Practice‑based learning 2 – 15 credits
Final placement preparation and consolidation towards professional readiness.
Why study Occupational Therapy at HSU?
Study BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy at Health Sciences University and join a specialist health sciences community focused on real‑world, person‑centred care. You’ll learn how occupational therapists help people live as independently and fully as possible by enabling participation in meaningful everyday activities. Through workshops, simulation and practice-based learning, you’ll graduate ready to work with people of all ages across a range of settings.
Careers and progression
Occupational therapists work in many settings including NHS hospitals and clinics, GP practices, schools, rehabilitation centres, care homes, vocational services, charities and other community services. You may work across physical and mental health, and with children, young people and adults.
Interprofessional learning
You will have opportunities to learn alongside students from other health disciplines at Health Sciences University, developing the collaborative skills needed for multidisciplinary practice.
Why HSU?
HSU is a specialist health sciences university. Learning alongside other future healthcare professionals and accessing specialist facilities and clinical learning opportunities helps you gain insight into clinical life after graduation.
What to expect
- Strong focus on person‑centred practice and professional readiness.
- Occupational science and occupational justice embedded through the programme.
- Practice-based learning designed to expose you to a breadth of client groups and settings.
Support and next steps
If you have questions about entry requirements or applying, contact Admissions. We encourage you to visit an Open Day or arrange a campus tour to explore facilities and meet the team.
Facilities
- Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Suite to support occupation-focused practical teaching and simulation.
- Clinical skills laboratories and teaching spaces suitable for workshops and small-group learning.
- Expanded simulation facilities to support safe skills development and practice learning preparation.
- AI‑enabled simulated clinical learning environments and opportunities for multi-disciplinary learning.
- On‑site clinics and services supporting real‑world clinical learning opportunities.
- Library and digital learning resources to support evidence‑based practice.
Entry requirements
What qualifications do I need?
Indicative entry requirements for this course:
- GCSE: English and Maths at grade 4 or above (or equivalent)
- UCAS Tariff: Typically 112-120 UCAS points achieved through A levels or equivalent qualifications (e.g. BTEC National Diplomas and Extended Diplomas, T Levels in relevant subject areas, Access to Higher Education Diplomas, International Baccalaureates, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, Irish Leaving Certificates and other national and internationally recognised Level 3 qualifications)
The University is committed to ensuring that it offers a route to high-quality education for students from a range of backgrounds. Contextual offers may be made to applicants who meet our contextual eligibility criteria. The university may also make offers on the basis of work/life experience and non-academic aspects of the application.
Is there anything else that is required?
Because this is a clinical course with practice-based learning, you should expect:
- An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (UK applicants).
- Occupational health screening prior to starting the course.
- An interview as part of the selection process.
- Mandatory practice-based learning/placement participation.
International students
International applicants are welcome. Entry requirements and English language requirements vary by country/qualification.
As an HCPC-regulated profession, you will also need to meet the required standards of English.
Please refer to our International Entry Requirements and English Language Requirements guidance and contact Admissions if you need support.
How do I apply?
Please use the Apply Now button above to make an application for this course through the UCAS system.
Still have questions about applying?
Course fees
Tuition Fees 2027/28
UK/ROI/Channel Islands
£10,050 Fees for overseas students are still to be confirmed.
These fees are for the 2027/28 academic year only and may be subject to an increase in subsequent years of study. Any future increase will be in line with our Tuition Fees Policy which can be accessed on our Study Money Matters page.
Additional Course Costs
In addition to tuition fees, there may be further course-related costs and requirements which should be taken into consideration when planning for your studies. Visit our Additional Costs page for more information.
More information
Visit The Funding Clinic for more information.
For questions related to payment of tuition fees please visit our Fees and Payment Information page or contact studentfinance@hsu.ac.uk
Additional Funding
Students studying for a recognised Allied Health Profession qualification may be entitled to apply for additional funding from the NHS Learning Support Fund.
This fund provides supplementary financial support to the mainstream student loans system, and is intended to support students whilst they train and gain professional registration. This funding is not means-tested and is a grant rather than a loan, so the majority of students will not need to pay it back when they start work in the future.
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Why choose Health Sciences University
There are many benefits to studying at Health Sciences University, from our expertise and history in teaching health sciences, to our state-of-the-art facilities, on-site clinical training, and of course our location on the beautiful Bournemouth coast.
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