The Master of Occupational Therapy is a dynamic and diverse degree, focusing on functional outcomes. Occupational Therapists are practical problem solvers and have a broad perspective of health and well being, underpinned by a solid scientific base.
Occupational Therapists are in high demand in hospitals, mental health, aged care, disability and rehabilitation environments. It is predicted that the demand for OT's will rise significantly with the introduction of the National Disability Scheme in Australia (NDIS).
Bond University’s Master of Occupational Therapy program is designed to produce highly competitive graduates with comprehensive clinical skills as well as possessing a solid business acumen and research experience. It is the first Occupational Therapy Masters in Australia to offer you the opportunity to complete a clinical research project or undertake business electives in preparation for a career in private practice. You will engage in research training before specialising in one of two elective pathways: Clinically-focused Research Pathway – the clinically focused research pathway culminates in an individual research project that may be eligible for publication. This pathway prepares you for entry into higher research degrees and careers in research and academia, as well as bolstering research networks; or Business-focused Research Pathway – enables you to undertake business electives that will enable you to undertake management roles, and better prepare you to work in the growing private sector. The pathway culminates in an industry research project where you will apply both research and business skills. You will be taught by academics and industry staff who are current practicing clinicians with up to date industry knowledge.
The Bond University Master of Occupational Therapy program has been designed to prepare graduates with the professional qualifications required to practice as an Occupational Therapist in Australia.
The program aims to produce graduates with the comprehensive skills and knowledge to succeed as occupational therapists in both national and international healthcare environments, as well as possess the business acumen to compete in a health care setting of increasing privatisation.
Graduates of the program will be able to apply their experience across a wide range of areas including:
Graduates may be eligible to progress to further post-graduate research, leading to potential career options in research organisations and academia.
Learning and teaching methodology
The Master of Occupational Therapy combines lectures, tutorials, workshops, case studies, fieldwork and simulation to embed the skills and knowledge needed to succeed as an occupational therapist. The program focuses on real-world learning with fieldwork opportunities in most courses to help students link theory to practice. Students will learn from highly qualified occupational therapy academics with clinical and research experience. The choice of a clinically-focussed or business-focussed research pathway allows students to contribute to the advancement of the occupational therapy profession, and broadens future career possibilities in research, academia or private practice.
Recommended study structure
Please visit Recommended Course Structures for guidance on study plans.
https://bond.edu.au/program/master-occupational-therapy
Professional Practice in Occupational Therapy III (OCTY71-703)
*Subject names and structure may change
This course (previously known as Health Through Occupation) gives you license to register and practice as an occupational therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
It is ideal for graduates of any subject who wish to gain both a professional and academic qualification and start a career in this challenging and highly rewarding field.
You will explore occupational therapy through our innovative problem-based learning approach, with an emphasis on practical application of skills and knowledge. Through this balance of theory and practice experience you will graduate a capable and confident occupational therapist.
Our high quality teaching and research are renowned, and have an applied focus. We have established strong links with specialist practice educators to ensure the provision of support and guidance both within the university and in practice.
Successful completion of the professional elements of the programme leads to the award of a postgraduate diploma in Occupational Therapy.
This intensive programme runs over 45 weeks per year, for two years. Your time on the course will be balanced between campus-based study and clinical practice.
Sessions are held in small groups, they are interactive, integrated, self-directed, and focus on problem-solving, to examine real-life situations. The use of problem-based learning is considered crucial to students' fast attainment of masters-level standards, and for critical evaluation.
Other learning experiences are arranged according to the need of the problem; these may be lectures, practical sessions, skills classes, debates or seminars. Most importantly, all subjects are integrated around the problems.
Our postgraduate programmes are taught by a wide variety of methods – small active learning groups, seminars, action learning sets, PBL, lectures, self-directed literature searches.
Understanding the relationship between occupation and human health and wellbeing is also explored through student participation in a variety of activities such as cooking, craft, horticulture, performing arts and pottery.
Assessments allow for individual feedback in essential professional skills including written critique, report writing, team working, presentation skills, and verbal/written presentation of intervention.
You will examine topics such as:
Year 1 modules
Year 2 modules
Practical skills rooms and Daily Living Suite
Practical skills rooms are equipped so that students can learn and practise practical skills with each other before working with patients and clients.
As an occupational therapy student, you will make full use of our Daily Living Suite. This room is furnished like a flat with kitchen, bedroom and bathroom facilities, allowing you to practice activities of daily living in a realistic environment. In addition the kitchen area is used for cookery skills and other specialist rooms are equipped for the creative arts and crafts taught as part of the occupational therapy curriculum with its focus on health through occupation.
Human Movement Laboratory
The high-tech Human Movement Laboratory is used widely in teaching and research for students in the school of health professions studying physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry, and is also used for commercial consultancy.
In the lab you will use the latest technology to measure and assess all aspects of human movement, joints, muscles, soft tissue structure and nerves. The laboratory has state-of-the-art equipment for conducting cardio-pulmonary investigations including Cosmed metabolic system and spirometry.
The student exchange programme is for occupational therapy students registered on the Occupational Therapy (Pre-Registration) MSc at the University of Brighton, Occupational Therapy MSc students at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse (UWC) and Occupational Therapy BSc students at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (RGU).
There are two options:
First year students host visiting students during their Maximising Occupational Capacities module which runs from February to April each year. During the second year students have the option of visiting either UWC or RGU during their spring break.
The programme offers students the opportunity to see firsthand similarities and differences in occupational therapy practice and experience life in the USA, if taking this travel option. Exchange experiences will also enhance your CV and give you a wider experience base to refer to and draw upon in your future practice.
Students participate in various learning activities while in the USA or Scotland including attending classes with the occupational therapy students, completing job shadowing in the community and participating in cultural events such as visiting castles, museums and socialising with their host students.
While in either the USA or Scotland, Brighton students are hosted by UWC or RGU students which provide an insight into the daily life of a university student. First year University of Brighton students can choose to host a UWC or RGU occupational therapy student. These students travel to the University of Brighton during their spring break and join in classes, as well as completing job shadowing and participating in cultural activities.
After professional registration with the HCPC graduates are eligible to take up opportunities in health and social care, in the NHS, social services, and the private sector. There are now many new and exciting possibilities for occupational therapists nationally and worldwide.
Occupational therapists work in an ever-widening range of mental health and physical disability settings including acute hospitals, long-term rehabilitation, social care, local communities, schools, factories, residential homes, institutions for older or more profoundly disabled people, voluntary organisations and prisons.
Completion of the Occupational Therapy (Pre-Registration) MSc will also prepare you for further study at MPhil and PhD level if you wish to continue pursuing an academic path.
Our part-time blended learning MSc Occupational Hygiene course will equip you with a wide range of interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to work in areas related to occupational hygiene, culminating in an academic qualification accredited by the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene (FOH) within the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS).
As a graduate of this course, you will have knowledge necessary to recognise, evaluate and control hazards in the workplace, including chemical, physical and biological agents.
In the taught component of the course, the emphasis is on acquiring a thorough understanding of the theoretical principles and research methodologies underpinning the topic covered by each unit.
Emphasis is placed on the development of your critical appraisal skills and your capacity to lead an occupational health team at a senior management level.
The dissertation provides an opportunity to develop experience in applying these principles and research methods to a problem of particular interest to you.
The primary aim of the course is to deliver academic training in disciplines relevant to occupational hygiene. The course aims to provide you with:
The MSc aims to:
The course comprises a blend of specially commissioned written materials in electronic format (PDF), together with interactive teaching material, all delivered via the University's virtual learning environment, Blackboard.
In Year 1, you are required to attend in Manchester for a 1 day seminar associated with Module 1 in month 3, and the same for Module 2 in month 5 and for one exam day in month 10.
You are allocated to tutorial groups for Modules 4 to 8, each supported by a specialist in occupational hygiene. Tutorials are delivered via telephone or web conference.
In Year 2, you are required to attend in Manchester for a four-day practical course in Month 5 and for one exam day in Month 10.
In Year 3, you are required to attend a three-day MSc dissertation course held at the University in Month 1.
All examinations are held at the University.
Some components of the course are held jointly with students on our MSc Occupational Medicine course.
You can view sample study materials and MSc abstracts and papers .
All taught course units will be assessed via examinations held at the University at intervals throughout the course, and the third year will be assessed via submission of a dissertation.
Assessment is by eight examination papers, one per course module. The first will be taken at Seminar 1 (Year 1, Month 3) and the second at Seminar 2 (Year 1, Month 5). The remaining Year 1 assessments will be taken in Month 10. For Year 2, assessments will be held in Month 5 and 10.
If you wish to proceed to the MSc, you are also required to complete a third year, during which you will attend a mandatory three day residential course (in Month 1) and prepare a dissertation.
YEAR 1
Module 1: Introduction to Hazards, Risks and the Working Environment
Module 2: Occupational Ill Health
Module 3: Health and Workability
Module 4: Hazardous Substances
YEAR 2
Module 5: Understanding Physical Agents
Module 6: Control of Workplace Hazards
Module 7: Research Methods and Data Analysis
Module 8: Management of Workplace Hazards
Our part-time blended learning MSc Occupational Medicine course provides an overview of the whole spectrum of medicine and hygiene within the workplace.
The course is aimed at GPs who want to gain an academic qualification in occupational medicine and doctors already working in the field - especially in specialist training posts - who want to prepare for professional exams with the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM).
This MSc is also suitable for doctors in other disciplines who have an interest in occupational medicine.
You will benefit from access to a range of specialist knowledge and resources within occupational health and examine the evidence on which occupational health practice is based.
The course takes place in a research-enriched environment and, for those progressing to the third year of the MSc, you will have the opportunity to undertake research-based activities relevant to occupational health, including formulating a research question, designing and executing an appropriate study and drawing valid conclusions through writing a dissertation.
Our course follows the syllabus requirements of the FOM (London and Ireland).
This course aims to provide you with the information required by medical practitioners working in the field of occupational medicine, and to allow you to pursue an academic qualification in this subject.
We also aim to provide you with the benefit of blended learning methodology, which allows you to apply the knowledge gained during your day-to-day work.
Compliant course content
This course adheres to the syllabus requirements of the FOM, RCP (London) and RCP (Ireland).
The course comprises a blend of specially commissioned written materials in electronic format (PDF), together with interactive teaching material, all delivered via the University's virtual learning environment, Blackboard.
In Year 1, you are required to attend in Manchester for a one-day seminar associated with Module 1 in Month 3, and the same for Module 2 in month 5 for September starters, in Month 6 for April starters and for one exam day in Month 10.
You are allocated to tutorial groups for Modules 4 to 8, each supported by a specialist in occupational medicine. Tutorials are delivered via telephone or web conference.
In Year 2, you are required to attend in Manchester for a four-day practical course in Month 5 and for one exam day in Month 10.
In Year 3, you are required to attend a three-day MSc dissertation course held at the University in Month 1.
Some components of the course are held jointly with students on the MSc Occupational Hygiene course.
You can view sample study materials and MSc abstracts and papers .
All taught course units will be assessed via examinations held at the University at intervals throughout the course, and the third year will be assessed via submission of a dissertation.
Assessment is by eight examination papers, one per course module. The first will be sat at Seminar 1 (Year 1, Month 3) and the second at Seminar 2 (Year 1, Month 5 for September starters and Month 6 for April starters). The remaining Year 1 assessments will be sat in Month 10. For Year 2, assessments will be held in Month 5 and 10.
If you wish to proceed to the MSc, you are also required to complete a third year, during which you will attend a mandatory three-day residential course (in Month 1) and prepare a dissertation. For doctors in approved training posts, the dissertation may also be eligible for submission for the MFOM.
YEAR 1
Module 1: Foundation for Postgraduate Practice
Module 2: Fitness for Work
Module 3: Health and Workability
Module 4: Aspects of Good Professional Behaviour
YEAR 2
Module 5: Understanding Physical Agents
Module 6: Management of Occupationally Related Disease
Module 7: Research Methods and Data Analysis
Module 8: Management of Workplace Hazards
Training as an Occupational Psychologist in the Institute of Management Studies will equip you with the scientific knowledge and practical skills to challenge the status quo and offer innovative solutions to workplace problems.
Occupational Psychology, both as a professional and academic field, seeks to address questions of critical importance in business and enterprise.
The MSc in Occupational Psychology, run by the Institute of Management Studies, will equip you with the knowledge and skills to begin considering these questions. The programme has been designed in line with British Psychological Society (BPS) and Division of Occupational Psychology (DOP) requirements and has been accredited since 1995. We recently updated our programme content in line with the 2014 changes to the DOP Occupational Psychology curriculum and, as of September 2014, we are teaching in line with the new curriculum.
The MSc in Occupational Psychology aims to equip you with a thorough grounding in the application of psychological theory to work settings, to provide you with the skills necessary to conduct cutting-edge research in applied research projects to a high level of competence, and to impart core practitioner techniques and awareness.
The programme’s success is increasingly reflected in the excellent employment rates of our former MSc students in both public and private sectors. Some students also go on to carry out PhD level study with us to become academic Occupational Psychologists.
In the IMS we work to the academic-practitioner model. That is, our Occupational Psychology programme is specifically designed to equip you with a theoretical and empirical knowledge base that you can bring to your consultancy and practice. To that end, you’ll have the opportunity to engage in both cutting edge research, as well as practical skills sessions. For your research dissertation you’ll have access to academics with expertise in areas such as occupational health and wellbeing, talent management and entrepreneurship.
In the IMS we have an invited speakers’ programme called the Distinguished Speakers Series. This series provides specialised talks by either academic or practising experts in various fields of business, enterprise and occupational psychology.
The MSc programme runs for one year, starting in September. Most lectures and seminars are in the first two terms of the academic year, however the programme is structured in such a way that you are expected to pursue your studies beyond formal term times. Apart from the individual module-units listed in the syllabus, you will be required to attend other seminars and workshop series.
As far as is practicable, the majority of lectures and seminars will be timetabled for Mondays and Tuesdays.
Research Project (60 credits)
The research dissertation requires you to execute and document an original research investigation. The focus can be on any area related to occupational psychology, and can take place in either a laboratory or field setting, using a specific population (eg salespersons) or the general public. It is also possible to conduct a piece of archival research (eg meta-analysis), if your supervisor agrees that this is appropriate.
You normally begin the research dissertation in the second term (January), together with necessary literature reviews and research design, and the submission deadline is late August.
Occupational Test User Training
(Formerly known as Level A and B training)
During your MSc you will be provided with the opportunity to partake in training that will allow you to qualify for the BPS certificates in “Test User: Occupational, Ability” and “Test User: Occupational, Personality.” This qualification recognizes you as an expert in the administration, scoring and interpretation of ability tests and personality questionnaires. Your training will be delivered by Criterion Partnership, a world-recognised authority on objective assessment.
Assessment
Your performance will be assessed by formal examinations, essays, presentations, business reports and a research dissertation of not more than 10,000 words.
You'll develop technical skills related to occupational psychology including:
You’ll also develop the analytical skills that you will need as a professional psychologist.
Through the Professional Skills Workshops you will be able to interact closely with experts from the world's leading organisations and enhance your professional development.
The programme’s success is increasingly reflected in the excellent employment rates of our former MSc students in both public and private sectors. Some students also go on to carry out PhD level study with us to become academic Occupational Psychologists.
You may go on to work as an independent consultant, as an ‘in-house’ consultant for a private or public sector organisation, in a consultancy, or in academia.
Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.
Successful completion of this course will ensure you are eligible to apply for initial registration as an Occupational Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and for full membership of the British Association of Occupational Therapists and World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
You will complete modules on campus and practice placements. You will be taught in a small group in our purpose built rehabilitation and assessment facilities, which includes an occupational therapy skills areas, simulated home environments and movement analysis laboratory. There is particular emphasis on ‘real life’ assessments that reflect the ways in which you will learn and practice during the course and will make you ready for the complexity of contemporary occupational therapy practice.
We have excellent links with Occupational Therapists working within the NHS, Social Care and private practices across the North West. There are also links with charitable organisations and international institutions and hospitals, providing excellent opportunities for our students to gain experience of the breadth of contemporary practice.
YEAR 1 MODULES
YEAR 2 MODULES
In the second year you will build on knowledge and skills developed in year 1 applying it to contemporary service delivery, exploring entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship and leadership skills. You will also have the opportunity to complete an extended piece of project work, further developing skills for research and service improvement.
COURSE HIGHLIGHTS
Teaching takes place in our purpose-built facilities, which include an Occupational Therapy Skills Facility, multidisciplinary therapy clinic and movement analysis laboratory.
Members of the course team are actively involved with the professional body (RCOT) in a number of capacities, including membership of committees relating to education, and steering groups for profession related research projects.
We have well established links with occupational therapists working within the NHS, social services, third sector and private providers across the North West, as well as charitable organisations and international institutions and hospitals, providing excellent opportunities for you to gain experience of the breadth of contemporary occupational therapy practice.
We have a particular emphasis on ‘real-life’ assessments that reflect the ways in which students will learn and practice during the course. Methods include practical assessments, presentations, assignments and practice-based assessment. There is a strong commitment to providing timely and constructive feedback for all assessments.
Throughout the course you will meet a range of service users and carers within the academic curriculum as well as you practice placements.
The programme is comprised of six modules four delivered in the first year and two in year two. You will develop your knowledge, skills and capabilities through small-group learning, through a case-based and client-centred approach. You will develop your learning via realistic cases, so that you can see the contemporary practice relevance of the content. The face-to-face time will be used in an active and interactive way, and we expect you to engage in tutor- and self-directed learning.
Students will have opportunity to test their knowledge and skill development through a range of assessment tasks, including practice based learning assessment, written assignments, presentations, practical skills assessments, occupational analysis, project work, OSCE and examinations.
In addition to these summative assessment tasks (which students must pass in order to pass each module), we offer formative assessment opportunities which include online learning tasks, peer assessment of written work, class presentations, academic advisor support for the core practice skills portfolio, and regular debrief sessions of practice placement experience. These opportunities are central to your learning, as you will receive feedback that is relevant both to your development and to the summative assessment tasks in the module.
All the core members of the teaching team are HCPC registered Occupational Therapists and members of the RCOT. The team has wide and diverse experience, including current practice, research informed teaching, and research. We have staff who are specialists in a range of Occupational Therapy practice and research areas, who are able to bring this expertise and experience to life for students in the teaching sessions.
Inter-professional working is an integral part of Occupational Therapy practice. During this course and in your professional career, you will be working alongside other healthcare related professionals such as Doctors, Nurses, Physiotherapists, Psychologists and Social Workers to deliver effective and patient-centred care. Whilst you are at University, you will have timetabled sessions where you will work in partnership with several professions. You will learn about the crossover in care amongst disciplines, as well as distinct differences and boundaries between the professions. Learning about, with and from students in other disciplines will help prepare you for real-world practice settings. During your time on placement, you will work with a variety of professionals and will be a part of the wider multi-disciplinary team. This will further develop your skills in communication and collaborative working to provide optimal care and improve health and social care outcomes.
During the programme you will undertake 4 placement blocks in a range of contemporary settings which are arranged throughout the programme. You will experience real-life occupational therapy practice from the first semester of the course. You will be supported by your Practice Placement Educator and be also visited by your UCLan Placement Tutor. This means that you will have opportunity to learn in the practice environment whilst also being supported by academic staff in the university. You will ned to successfully complete minimum 1,000 hours of assessed placement practice. The final placement block can be a 10-week full time elective placement, where you have the opportunity to negotiate your own placement setting which could be an international placement.
This is an innovative course and the first of its kind in the UK. You learn about occupational therapy while on placement in the workplace, supported by one or two days a week of academic learning delivered at Sheffield Hallam University.
Please note this course is taught over 90 weeks. You will have 7 weeks holiday a year: one week at Easter, four weeks in August and two weeks at Christmas.
Successfully completing this course makes you eligible to apply for registration with the UK Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Registering with the HCPC enables you to work as an occupational therapist anywhere in the UK.
You learn from a highly respected team who will lead your learning in the core theories and principles of occupational therapy.
You take four periods of practice in health and social care settings and study nine academic modules. Modules you study include
Your academic modules guide you in developing relevant knowledge and theory that underpins occupational therapy practice, and are assessed through coursework. Throughout the taught modules we use your placement experiences in group discussions to relate theory to practice and enhance critical thinking skills.
You also spend a significant amount of your time in practice-based learning. In the first year, after a six week full-time induction period, you are placed in two different occupational therapy practice placements, each for 13 weeks from February to May and from September to November. You are on placement in these services from Monday to Wednesday, attend the university on Thursdays and normally have some personal study time on Fridays. Your practice in the service is assessed to meet professional requirements.
In the second year, you are on placement part-time for 12 weeks from February to May in a service where they may be no direct occupational therapy involvement but where there is potential for occupational therapy. This may be in the voluntary, independent or private sector. Again your academic study features alongside your practice-based learning.
Following submission of your practice-based dissertation, you complete your course with a ten-week full-time placement.
This course is accredited by the British Association of Occupational Therapists and College of Occupational Therapists.
Graduates can apply for registration with the UK Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in order to practise as an occupational therapist.
You can also apply to become full members of the British Association of Occupational Therapists and College of Occupational Therapists.
The masters award is achieved by successfully completing 180 credits.
Core modules
Assessment
We assess your practice learning to meet professional requirements and your academic modules through coursework. There are no formal examinations.
You can apply for registration with the UK Health and Care Professions Council and find careers as an occupational therapist in many sectors.
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