Occupational Therapy BSc

The course integrates theory with practice. Periods of campus-based study will prepare you for practice placements, and then information and experience gained on placements provides much of the case study material used in University study. There is also a mix of individual and group work.

Course Themes

Occupation – introduces students to concepts including: occupation, occupational therapy and occupational science; productivity, self-care and leisure; theories and models that inform occupational therapy; planning effective intervention; and managing the occupational therapy process to address clients’ occupational performance needs. This theme includes learning about informing sciences such as human biology (anatomy and physiology) and psychology, which informs us how illness or chronic disease can affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.

Enquiry – teaches skills including: methods of obtaining evidence and assessing its value; understanding the research process and the ability to gather data; critically evaluating professional evidence and applying it; producing research proposals; and evaluating the impact of service provision.

Professional Performance – helps students to achieve goals including: understanding and using a range of occupational therapy procedures; learning professional language and terminology; demonstrating clinical reasoning; demonstrating client-centred practice; identifying change events and understanding their impact on practice; and justifying interventions from a theoretical, evidence and resource base.

Practical Skills

The programme enables you to develop your practical and theoretical skills in tandem, including the theory and practice of self-care and independent living techniques. Practical skills are taught in the state-of-the-art Keep Living Suite, students learn about the use of special equipment, eg wheelchairs, hoists and walking aids and about designing adaptations to living environments. You will also study the principles and management of therapeutic activity groups, and will receive interviewing and communication skills training. You will develop skills in creative vocational and recreational activities and consider their use in treatment.

Level 1
Compulsory

• Knowledge and Skills for Occupational Therapy
• Human Sciences
• Core Professional Skills 1
• Preparation for Level 2 Studies
• Professional Development
• Practice Placement 1

• Core Professional Skills 2
• Theory of Occupation
• Occupations for Health and Wellbeing
• Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy
• Practice Placement 2
• Practice Placement 3

Level 3
Compulsory

• Core Professional Skills 3
• Occupational Therapy Provision and Service Development
• Research Methods
• Research in Occupational Therapy
• Professional Practice
• Practice Placement 4

Read more about the structure of undergraduate degrees at Brunel and what you will learn on the course.