Our Occupational Therapy programme is stimulating and rewarding, delivering a breadth of patient-focused practical experience in a region with a particularly diverse population, providing an invaluable insight into a student's potential future career.
Introduction
The Occupational Therapy programme at Liverpool will equip you with a range of both academic and practical skills for a rewarding career that enhances the quality of life for a variety of people encountering physical, emotional and social difficulties.
You will be taught by respected academics with a breadth of clinical and research experience and will graduate with up-to-date knowledge. You will learn about the human body and use the impressive Human Anatomy Resource Centre. This knowledge will help you learn about disease and disability and how they impact on the ability to engage in everyday meaningful occupation.
Throughout the three years you will undertake clinical placements. We have extensive connections with a diverse range of clinical specialties in physical and mental health and learning difficulties, for all age groups from young children to the elderly, in our student placements. There are also opportunities for you to study abroad.
More than 1,000 hours of clinical experience, together with the theoretical knowledge gained from the programme, will enable the Liverpool graduate occupational therapist to competently analyse the psychosocial, physical and environmental factors in the lives of the people in their care and devise appropriate interventions to help them.
The programme is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and is accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT). The programme also has approval from the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT). Recognition of the programme by the RCOT and WFOT are important for graduates seeking international job opportunities.
Programme in detail
During your three years you will engage in modules which are framed within four themes. These themes explore the person, occupation and environment relationship, which is a core underpinning philosophy for the practice of occupational therapy. They are:
Core concepts and skills
Professional identity
Society and well-being
Evidence for practice.
As a requirement for qualification you will experience a minimum of 1,000 hours practice placement education. Placements are integrated within each of the three years of the programme and are undertaken in a variety of health and social care settings.
What you'll learn
Research gathering techniques
Critical thinking skills
Communication skills
Self-directed learning techniques
Patient care
Course content
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
Year One
The aims of year one are to provide you with the opportunity to:
Develop an understanding of the concept of ‘person’ as it relates to health and wellbeing
Explore and experiment with the use of occupation as a therapeutic medium
Demonstrate basic self-awareness and communication skills
Demonstrate an understanding of normal biological and behavioural functioning that contributes to human lifespan
Apply systematic problem-solving approaches to rehabilitation
Develop critical appraisal skills
Develop skills to inform occupational therapy practice and engage with research literature.
Compulsory modules
Concepts of Inclusive Practice (OCCU136)
Credits: 22.5 /
Semester: whole session
This module aims to explore the concept of inclusivity, health and well-being. Taking an experiential approach, students will investigate the factors impacting upon these and their relevance to practice.
EVIDENCE FOR PRACTICE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY 1 (OCCU174)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 2
This module sits within the ‘Evidence for Practice’ theme within the occupational therapy programme. In this first-year module, students will explore how evidence is relevant to occupational therapy practice. They will also be introduced to the philosophical basis underpinning established research methodologies. They will consider how best to source evidence to inform occupational therapy practice. Connections will be made between contemporary occupational therapy practice, evidence-based practice, audit and research.
Learning will comprise a blend of lectures, group-work, guided on-line learning, on-line quizzes, library supported sessions and independent study. Teaching and learning activities will be delivered in line with a hybrid approach. Throughout the module, examples of authentic occupational therapy practice will be used to enable students to recognise the importance of evidence, identify the types of evidence required to inform practice and to propose, at a basic level, how to collect, review and use evidence to inform practice. Throughout the learning journey, students will be concurrently developing IT skills, skills in referencing sources, become familiar with searching library resources and classifying sources based on their quality.
Summative assessment comprises of online assessments and a written assignment in which students can demonstrate their appreciation of the importance of evidence-informed practice and their ability to undertake a basic search for information in a specific, authentic area of practice.
Foundations of Occupational Performance (OCCU116)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 2
This module will introduce students to occupational performance and its impact on health and well-being. Students will develop foundation knowledge of occupational therapy model/s. They will explore occupational therapy for a range of relevant conditions
Foundation Sciences for Occupational Therapy (OCCU115)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: whole session
This module will provide students with the knowledge of foundation sciences with emphasis on anatomy and neuroanatomy required to underpin occupational therapy practice.
Occupational Therapy Core Skills 1 (OCCU111)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will introduce the core skills required for occupational therapy practice.
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN CONTEXT (OCCU120)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: whole session
This module will prepare the student for professional practice and provide practical experience through practice placements. Practice educators will assess the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for competent professional practice. Experience on observational placements will begin early in the first semester to help the student link theory and practice.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Year Two
The aims of year two are to provide you with the opportunity to:
Demonstrate an understanding and evaluation of the philosophy and theory of occupation and occupational therapy
Appreciate the importance and implications of a multicultural society
Demonstrate an understanding of research methodology and the importance of evidence-based practice
Apply core skills of occupational therapy
Develop a well-being plan to promote health and well-being through engagement in occupation
Demonstrate the ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively.
Compulsory modules
Critical Appraisal for Evidence Based Practice (OCCU240)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will facilitate students to further explore research methodologies; qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodologies relevant to occupational therapy practice. Students will build on skills gained at level 1 in critical appraisal required for evidence-based clinicalpractice
Developing Professional Identity (OCCU220)
Credits: 22.5 /
Semester: whole session
This module aims to further develop personal and professional identity in line with the expectations of the College of Occupational Therapists (COT) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards.Students will also undertake an 8 week Practice Placement.
Educational Programmes for Health and Well-being (& PP4) (OCCU237)
Credits: 22.5 /
Semester: semester 2
In this module, the students will explore concepts of health behaviour change and health behaviour choices culminating in the design of an evidence based educational programme for a fictitious case study of their choice.Students will also undertake a 7 week Practice Placement.
Occupational Performance Across the Lifespan (OCCU210)
Credits: 22.5 /
Semester: semester 1
This module will require students to integrate and apply occupational therapy theory into practice and develop skills in maximising engagement in occupational performance across the lifespan.
Occupational Therapy Core Skills 2 (OCCU215)
Credits: 22.5 /
Semester: whole session
This module will enable skills to be developed in two essential aspects of occupational therapy practice, namely strategies to enable occupational participation and group facilitation. The first semester focuses on the range of strategies and clinical reasoning used to enable a client within a specific context to participate in meaningful occupations. Occupational therapy theory (including models and frames of reference) will be applied to resolve occupational participation issues. Enabling strategies will be discussed while considering the importance of purpose and meaning to the client. Learning and teaching strategies will include key note lectures to introduce theories and and group work will support student understanding. The second semester focuses on the core skill of group facilitation where theory and practical strategies to enable the planning, facilitation and evaluation of a range of groups. Skills will be developed in reflecting on group situations and evaluating own performance in groups. Learning and teaching strategies will include key note lectures to introduce theories and small group work will enable the students to practise their skills. The module is assessed with an assessment in each semester: semester 1 is a written case study and semester 2 is a reflective commentary.
Well-being Through Occupation (OCCU236)
Credits: 15 /
Semester: semester 2
Utilising an occupational science perspective, this module will provide students with the opportunity to explore the complexities of occupation and staying well through life transitions employing personal experiences of engaging in a non statutory community based activity.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
Year Three
The aims of year three are to provide you with the opportunity to:
Consolidate an understanding of the relationship between person, occupation, environment and wellbeing
Demonstrate creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship through the application of technology to practice
Demonstrate competent acquisition of the basic professional skills
Make explicit the acquisition of professional standards of practice.
It may be possible to undertake a placement overseas as an elective personal choice in year three or as part of international agreements with other universities.
Compulsory modules
Systematic Review (OCCU340)
Credits: 22.5 /
Semester: whole session
This module aims to introduce students to the process of systematic review in order for them to devise and answer a research question by undertaking a review of current evidence.
Transition to Newly Qualified Occupational Therapist (& PP6) (OCCU320)
Credits: 30 /
Semester: whole session
This module will focus on preparing final year occupational therapy students for managing the transition from undergraduate student to qualified occupational therapist. Learning will be achieved using a combination of uni-profession specific and inter-professional learning and teaching experiences within the university environment. Students also undertake a 6 week elective Practice Placement experience, the placement is completed off campus, in a health or social care environment of their choice.
There are 3 components to the assessment for this module including a portfolio and interview; a poster and assessment of their practice within practice placement 6.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
How you'll learn
Learning is promoted through a wide variety of activities that enable the students to become autonomous and continuous learners. Interactive lectures, practical and clinical skills group work, directed study, role play, problem-based learning, small group work, student-led seminars, collaborative project work and interactive tutorials are key learning strategies of the programmes. Practical work using our imaging suite digital equipment, the Clinical Skills Resource Room and the Human Anatomy Resource Centre complement teaching activities.
Face-to-face interactions between all students will occur at shared lectures, tutorials and group work and online interaction will be encouraged and facilitated. There is also inter-professional education and learning opportunities across all Healthcare Professions programmes.
How you're assessed
Using a mixture of coursework and examination, a range of assessment methods can be seen across the programmes. These include seen and unseen written examinations, essay assignments with specific word lengths, multiple choice questions, case study presentations, video analysis and interactive practical examinations. Assessment of the work-based learning element of all programmes is an important aspect. You will be required to communicate your views orally and in written form; analyse, implement and evaluate your practice; and to extend the research and evidence base of your chosen profession.
The various methods of assessments have been chosen to provide a balance that will permit the undergraduates to demonstrate their intellectual abilities in all areas to the full.
Liverpool Hallmarks
We have a distinctive approach to education, the Liverpool Curriculum Framework, which focuses on research-connected teaching, active learning, and authentic assessment to ensure our students graduate as digitally fluent and confident global citizens.
Course options
Studying with us means you can tailor your degree to suit you. Here's what is available on this course.
Occupational Therapy students benefit from the School of Health Science‘s experience in delivering over 100 years of dynamic, research-led teaching. Our student satisfaction rates, which range from 93-100%, are testament to our School being a great place to start to your career.
Support for students with differing needs from the Disability advice and guidance team. They can identify and recommend appropriate support provisions for you.
What students say...
Occupational Therapy just jumped out at me a couple of years ago. After looking at Liverpool University on their website I saw that they had a Foundation Year, a Year Zero over at Birkenhead. I did my year there and it gave me the foundation and footing to come to study at Liverpool. Since I have started it is amazing how quickly the practicals come into play. We are working with service users already, they come in and they give up their time to come and talk to us. So we really get to put our experiences across, within the first two weeks we were talking with patients.
I am loving the course, I think it is fantastic. We have such a variety of people on the course and the lecturers are great. You are straight out on placement so you see what is really involved; you get to see what you are going into. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done for my life. I know that I am going to get a job at the end of it. It is a way of changing your future, you either want to do it or you don’t. Liverpool University offers a fantastic place to study and a wonderful city to come to.
Occupational Therapy graduates are eligible to apply for membership of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) to work outside the UK.
Your qualification allows opportunities to build a career in the NHS, Social Services, and independent third-sector employers.
Successful completion of the programme will allow you to work in a range of specialist services with people of all ages to support them to address the psychological, physical, cognitive, social, and environmental challenges that impact their day-to-day functioning.
You can work in a variety of settings including:
hospitals
schools, higher and further education
community centres
prisons
clients’ homes.
99% of health sciences students find their main activity after graduation meaningful.
Graduate Outcomes, 2018-19.
Fees and funding
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Tuition fees
UK fees (applies to Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland)
Full-time place, per year
£9,250
Year abroad fee
£1,385
International fees
Full-time place, per year
£25,450
Year abroad fee
£12,725
Fees stated are for the 2023-24 academic year and may rise for 2024-25.
We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This includes the cost of stationery and equipment, professional association fees, and travel to placements. Students can choose to undertake a placement overseas that would incur additional costs.
The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.
NHS Values will be assessed in all areas of an application including UCAS Personal Statement and at interview. For more details, please download our explanation of Value Based Recruitment.
We believe in treating applicants as individuals and we take into account a range of factors, both academic and non‐academic, in assessing applicants’ merit and potential. We consider personal circumstances and backgrounds and may be able make offers that differ from those indicated as ‘typical’ below when taking extenuating circumstances or relevant experience into account.
If you would like us to consider any extenuating circumstances, please provide evidence of these and their impact on your educational achievement from an appropriate individual (school headteacher, medical practitioner, etc).
Please find below indicative offers for the BSc Occupational Therapy programme. If you would like to discuss your qualifications please contact School of Health Science Admissions office on +44 (0)151 794 9490/5712/5901 for further information.
5 GCSEs at grades A*-C or 4-9 including Maths and English Language. Please note English Language must be achieved at a minimum of grade 5. A GCSE Science subject (not applied) must be achieved at grades 4-9 or A*-C if applicants are not offering an A-level Science qualification or level 3 equivalent.
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma
BTEC nationals are considered in addition to 5 GCSEs grades A* – C or level 5, which must include English Language, Mathematics and a Science subject. Science Dual Award is acceptable. Core and Additional Science are also considered. Please note that Applied GCSEs will not be considered.
We will only accept one BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate at a minimum of Distinction. This must be accompanied by two A-Levels at grade B. The A2 subjects must include Biology/Human Biology, Sociology, Psychology, PE or Health & Social Care. In total between the two types of qualification 3 separate subjects must be taken.
BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Health & Social Care will be considered at grade DD plus one accompanying A-Level at grade B.
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care, Sport and Exercise Science or Applied Science will be considered at grade DDD
International Baccalaureate
30 points to include 3 Higher Level subjects at a minimum of Grade 4. Biology must be offered at a minimum of a Grade 4.
European Baccalaureate
74% overall with a minimum mark of 8 in biology and no subject mark below 6.
Irish Leaving Certificate
6 Higher Level subjects including Biology, English and Mathematics. Four subjects graded at H2 or above which should include Biology. The remaining two subjects should be graded at a minimum of H3.
Scottish Higher/Advanced Higher
Advanced Higher Level/Higher Level
A minimum of 5Bs from any combination of Higher levels and advanced Higher levels. Consideration will only be given to advanced highers in different subjects to those of highers. All grades offered must be at least B.
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced
WJEC Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate (Level 3) at grade A in addition to two level 3 qualifications as outlined above.
Cambridge Pre-U Diploma
Grade M2 accepted in addition to 2 A-levels achieve at BB. At least one subject must be taken from Biology, Health & Social Care, Psychology, Sociology, P.E or Sport Science. Three separate subjects must be taken between the two qualifications.
AQA Baccalaureate
Will be considered.
Graduate application
We welcome applications from graduates holding a 2:2 classification, or above. For queries about the suitability of your degree, please contact the Admissions Tutor in the first instance. Experience in health care is also an advantage.
Access
The Access to HE Diploma should include 45 credits at Level 3 in a Biological, Psychological, Sociological or Health related subject (all should be new learning, ie. GCSE awards cannot be APL'd against the Diploma). 30 credits passed at distinction and the remaining 15 credits must be passed at merit or higher. The diploma qualification should be supported by a sound academic background. We would usually expect applicants to meet the GCSE requirements listed.
Academic Reference
An academic reference must be included within the UCAS application. If the applicant is a graduate and has been working since graduating (within three years), an employer reference is acceptable.
Profession-specific knowledge and skills required
Candidates must show evidence, in their UCAS Personal Statement, of a good understanding of the scope of Occupational Therapy practice, preferably indicated by observational experience. It is recommended that applicants have observed Occupational Therapists at work and reflect this in their personal statement. It is preferable to have at least two visits, one being in the field of mental health and one being in the physical field.
The Personal Statement of the UCAS application form will be screened for evidence of what has been learned from these visits. Health Trust Open Days, careers conventions, information leaflets and websites may also provide useful background information. Experience in a paid or voluntary capacity in a health and well-being environment that demonstrates your caring nature.
Declaration of criminal background
You will understand that as a health sciences student, and when you qualify, you will be asked to treat children and other vulnerable people. We therefore need information about any criminal offences of which you may have been convicted, or with which you have been charged. The information you provide may later be checked with the police.
If selected for interview you will be provided with the appropriate form to complete.
Health screening
The University and the School of Health Sciences has an obligation to undertake health screening on all prospective healthcare students. Any offer of a place to study is conditional on completion of a health questionnaire and a satisfactory assessment of fitness to train from the University’s Occupational Health Service. This will include some obligatory immunisations and blood tests.
Disability information
If you have, or think you have dyslexia or a long term health condition or impairment that may have the potential to impact upon your studies and/or your Fitness to Practice duty, please complete the Disability form. We will contact you to discuss your support needs.
International qualifications
The IELTS requirement is an overall score of 7.0 with no component less than 6.5
Alternative entry requirements
If your qualification isn't listed here, or you're taking a combination of qualifications, contact us for advice
