Occupational Therapy (Degree Apprenticeship) BSc(Hons)

About the course

This course has been designed to provide you with the opportunity to study Occupational Therapy BSc(Hons) whilst being employed in a health or social care role. It helps you gain a strong grounding in the theory exploring what is involved in the various components of occupational therapy practice.

In line with the apprenticeship model, the course is designed to support a training in practice approach. Whilst undertaking the course you’ll remain employed by your host organisation and spend approximately four days (30 hours) a week in your current workplace and one day (7.5 hours) a week at the University undertaking theory work or alternative practice placements in areas outside of your organisation. At the end of the course you’ll complete an End Point Assessment (EPA) which is integrated into the course and verified at the course assessment board. The course is designed to be progressively demanding and once qualified you’ll be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), as well as the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT).

If you’re thinking of studying an apprenticeship course or are an employer looking for an apprenticeship for your employees, you’ll also find useful information on our Degree Apprenticeship webpages.

Why study Occupational Therapy (Degree Apprenticeship) BSc(Hons)

During this course, you’ll work with people of all ages in different situations, you’ll assess their needs and collaboratively develop interventions facilitating them to achieve their potential and enjoy maximum quality of life. This will assist you in developing an in-depth understanding of occupational therapy through placements in different settings, including old people’s homes, hospitals, local authorities, schools, charities, and prisons.

Our purpose-built occupational therapy skills lab enables you to learn in authentic simulated situations and environments. You can also hear the experiences and viewpoints from service users and carers, who are part of the Public Partnership Group.

Occupational therapists work interprofessionally, alongside other healthcare professionals. You’ll therefore study alongside students from other healthcare professions courses and you’ll have the chance to carry out a research project and develop entrepreneurial and change management skills with them.

In 2024, the University’s new Daphne Steele Building will open on the site of the National Health Innovation campus, too. This will allow our Occupational Therapy students to benefit from specialist clinical teaching facilities and world-leading research facilities.

Entry requirements

In addition you will:

• Be at least 16 years old.

• Be employed in a Health or Social Care setting and supported by your employer to undertake the course.

• Be employed in a role relevant to your apprenticeship for more than 30 hours per week in England (or have at least 50% of their working hours in England).

• Have lived in the EEA for the past 3 years and currently reside in the United Kingdom.

• Be paid more than the Apprenticeship National Minimal Wage.

• Have an understanding of the Occupational Therapy profession.

• Have GCSE English Language or English Literature and Mathematics at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme, or equivalent.

• Be ‘eligible’ as outlined in ESFA’s Funding Rules.

If you have alternative qualifications, along with relevant working experience, these will be considered on an individual basis. Any alternative qualifications must meet the University's minimum entry requirements.

You’ll need to complete a Rehabilitation of Offenders form and have a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health clearances. We arrange these as part of the application process. You’ll be required to sign a self-declaration at the start of each year confirming you have no previous fitness to practise concerns or a criminal record. All police contact during the course must be reported to the course leader as a matter of urgency and may lead to suspension or termination. We will request an Overseas Police Check if you have lived in a country outside of the UK for 6 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years before applying to us and whilst aged 18 or over.

You’ll also be required to complete an Initial Needs Assessment.

If you have previously been enrolled in an Occupational Therapy Pre-Registration programme or any other health professional education programme you must submit a self-declaration confirming no previous fitness to practice concerns.

Offers will be subject to an interview and references. Please note all the information provided in support of your application may be checked and must be verifiable as a true record.

You’ll also required to meet the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct at all times. Copies of these documents will be given to learners at the beginning of the course.

You may be eligible to gain accreditation for your prior learning. Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is where you can claim academic credit for your prior learning achieved from an accredited course. Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) involves claiming academic credit for prior learning gained through experience and not from an accredited course. The University only accepts claims for APL, which combined with the chosen course of study will not exceed six years.

The recognition of prior learning will be considered on an individual basis by the Admissions Tutor. The assessment of recognition of prior learning applications will be undertaken through a collaborative process between the education provider and the employer. The maximum amount of prior learning must be less than or equal to one third of the total pre-registration programme, and may include practice-based learning in accordance with Royal College of Occupational Therapists standards for pre-registration education (RCOT, 2019).

You must comply with the regulations of the University regarding conduct.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum of IELTS 7.0 overall with no element lower than 6.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

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