Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy (MSc)

Cardiff University

United Kingdom, Cardiff

University RankQS Ranking

186

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Home/United Kingdom/Cardiff /Cardiff University/Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy (MSc)

Cardiff University

United Kingdom , Cardiff

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake Deadlines

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 2 year(s)

Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy (MSc)

About

Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy (MSc)

Full time

Why study this course

This programme is designed for those who hold a degree, and provides a two year fast-track route into a professional career in Occupational Therapy.

Ranked 1st in the UK

for pre-registration education in Occupational Therapy (Complete University Guide 2023)

State of the art facilities

including a simulated home and an in-house Occupational Therapy Clinic

Full funding available

providing you meet eligibility requirements

A range of placements

giving you valuable clinical exposure, and opportunities to work or volunteer abroad

Professionally accredited

our programme is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT)

Our MSc Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy programme is designed for those who already hold a degree and it provides a two year fast-track route into a professional career in Occupational Therapy. On successful completion of the programme, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as well as professional membership of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT). Our programme is also recognised by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).

Our course fully prepares you to join the future generations of occupational therapists. It focuses on developing your competence and capability in key areas such as critical thinking, problem solving, professional reasoning, research, and leadership. You will also learn professional values and behaviours and develop an understanding of the nature and meaning of occupation in human life, the relationship between occupation, health and wellbeing and the power of occupation to transform the lives of individuals, groups, and communities.

A varied profile of placement experience undertaken across the two years of the programme will allow you to integrate academic theory with actual occupational therapy practice and gain an insight into the wide-ranging employment opportunities available to you upon registration. Your practice-based learning will be facilitated by experienced occupational therapy practice educators who will support you in becoming the best occupational therapist you can be.

We promote compassionate and aspiring leadership. You will be introduced to the NHS Wales Gwella Leadership Portal as a key learning resource. We also use the Cardiff University ‘Becoming a Caring & Compassionate Practitioner’ website-hub to support your learning and reflection on effective and evidence-based leadership models.

Accreditations

Where you'll study

School of Healthcare Sciences

Our courses are designed to provide you with the knowledge and experience you need to embark on a professional healthcare career.

Get in touch
+44(0) 29 2068 7538
University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN

Requirements

Entry Requirements

This is a conversion course. Conversion courses allow you to study a subject unrelated to your undergraduate degree or current career, and support you with a change of career path. No prior knowledge or degree in the subject is required.

In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.

With your online application you will need to provide:

A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:1 honours degree in any subject area, or an equivalent international degree. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 7.0 with 6.0 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
Two references (academic or professional) which confirms your suitability for the programme.
A personal statement (maximum 600 words) which must evidence the following criteria:

Demonstrate a desire to study occupational therapy.
Demonstrate understanding of the nature of occupational therapy. This may be evidenced through research or through undertaking visits/discussions with occupational therapists.
Demonstrate understanding of the expectations and demands of problem-based learning and master’s-level study.

Application Deadline

The application deadline is 31^st January. If you submit an application after this date, we will only consider it if places are still available post-interview.

Selection process

We will review your application and if you meet the entry requirements, we will invite you to attend a Multi Mini Interview (MMI) process. The MMIs are made up of a series of short, carefully timed interview stations designed to enable applicants to critically appraise information, to communicate ideas and demonstrate that they have insight into the values, conduct and ethical expectations that are important to the occupational therapy profession. Following interview, offers will be made to the highest scoring candidates.

Additional requirements

You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) good health and character and fitness to practise requirements. This will be achieved by providing a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate.

All successful applicants will be required to have a satisfactory health screening prior to enrolment on this course which is conducted independently by the University’s Occupational Health Department. There will be a need to adhere to any immunisation requirements identified. Full guidance will be provided during the application and enrolment process.

Find out more about English language requirements.

Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.

Selection or interview process

Applications to the MSc pre-registration Occupational Therapy Programme are made via the Cardiff University online application system. Applicants who are successful in both the academic and non-academic screening process will be invited to attend a Multi Mini Interview (MMI) process. The MMI process is an opportunity to address interviewees in person and to assess information that is not always readily forthcoming in traditional application processes.

The MMIs are made up of a series of short, carefully timed interview stations designed to enable applicants to critically appraise information, to communicate ideas and demonstrate that they have insight into the values, conduct and ethical expectations that are important to the occupational therapy profession.

If you have a disability or specific learning need, please contact the admissions tutors for the programme so that reasonable adjustments can be made to the application and interview process.

Additional requirements

Preferably, one academic reference is required. Alternatively, we will accept a reference from your current employer.

During your application to the programme, you will be required to demonstrate that you meet the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) good health and character and fitness to practise requirements. This will be achieved by providing a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate. All successful applicants will be required to have a satisfactory health screening prior to enrolment on this course which is conducted independently by the University’s Occupational Health Department. There will be a need to adhere to any immunisation requirements identified. Full guidance will be provided during the application and enrolment process

Criminal convictions

You will be required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check if your application is successful. If you are applying from certain countries overseas, a Certificate of Good Conduct may be required.

If you have a relevant criminal conviction, this will be stated in the check and may affect your ability to enrol on the course. Applicants who are on the barred list should be aware that applying to this course is likely to be considered a criminal offence.

Career

Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy (MSc)

Full time

Careers and placements

There are excellent employability options for those pursuing a career in occupational therapy and Cardiff University occupational therapy graduate prospects were rated at 95% by the Complete University Guide 2022.

This programme of study will equip you with a sound understanding of the changing landscape of health, social care, and wider community services, supporting your development as a creative, dynamic, and innovative occupational therapist and will provide opportunities to develop the leadership and research skills you will require to shape current and future services.

If you are in receipt of an NHS Wales Bursary you are expected to gain employment as an occupational therapist in Wales within three months of completing your programme and gaining registration with the HCPC. Traditionally Cardiff University pre-registration postgraduate students have been highly successful in securing posts in Wales and are considered very desirable employees by NHS and Local Authority employers.

In addition to these established traditional areas of practice within statutory sectors, the unique occupation-focused contribution of occupational therapists is increasingly recognised and valued within public organisations such as prisons and schools, private-sector organisations such as residential homes and housing associations and by third sector organisations such as charities and social enterprises.

Placements

All occupational therapy students must complete a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised and successfully assessed practice-based learning as a requirement of the professional body (WFOT 2016). The programme includes three placement modules which will enable you to apply and build upon the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you will have acquired in the academic setting. Practice-based learning placements occur in each year of the programme, they are all full-time and range in duration as follows:

Year One

Assessment and Planning Placement 8 weeks (February â€“ March).
Intervention Placement 10 weeks (June â€“ August).

Year Two

Critical Evaluation Placement 11 weeks (March â€“ May).

During your first placement you will focus on developing your assessment and planning skills akin to the initial stages of the problem-solving process in occupational therapy. The focus of the second placement is on occupational therapy approaches and intervention and the third and final placement considers the implementation and evaluation of the complete problem-solving process as well as critical appraisal of your own personal practice and of occupational therapy service provision.

The development of inter-professional team-working skills will be a key focus of practice-based learning across the two years. You will therefore work with your fellow MSc pre-registration Physiotherapy students in an interprofessional study group to reflect on and support your learning and professional practice.

Practice-based learning placements will be carefully planned and organised for you to ensure that you complete the programme having experienced and been assessed in a range of practice settings. Our placement providers are primarily situated in health and social care settings across South East Wales, although you may also pursue non-traditional placements in the private and third sectors as well as non-frontline opportunities if appropriate to your learning requirements.