Occupational Therapy (Post-Registration) MSc

• Encourages a theoretical underpinning of occupation, occupational therapy and research.
• Nationally recognised for excellence in teaching and research.
• Meets the needs of occupational therapists who wish to enhance their current practice in their workplace.
• Provides academic learning experiences in a supportive environment.
• A modular programme that can be studied full-time, part-time or as an associate student. (Associate enrolment: studying a one off-module – this is very appropriate for continuing professional development.)
• Facilitates reflective practice.
• Develops research competencies for using and developing evidence-based practice.

This course will broaden and deepen your knowledge and understanding of the value of occupational therapy in today's changing world. Each module’s content is embedded in practice and overall the programme aims to develop your skills in analysing evidence, implementing and evaluating occupational therapy research.

Occupational Science*

Main topics include: occupation defined and classified: theoretical perspectivesoccupation as means of promoting and sustaining health and well beingoccupational risk factors as barriers to occupational justicehistorical perspectives on occupationthe theory base for occupational science: paradigms, frames of reference and models of occupationoccupational science in context.

Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy

Main topics include: conducting literature searchesexamining the structure of research paperscomparing results and interpreting outcome measuresunderstanding the purpose and process of meta analyseexamining published outcomes measures

The Art of Professional Practice*

Main topics include: key models of reflectionmodes of clinical reasoning in occupational therapyjudgement, decision making and expertise developmentthe work of key occupational theoristshistorical foundations of occupational therapy.

Research Design*

You will work within a current research activity in an area relevant to your preferred field of interest in each MSc programme area. By means of the construction of a research proposal, you will explore the options of the research process by considering the possibility of:

• quantitative projects focusing on the measurement and analysis of data relevant to a question from within the discipline of their major
• a qualitative project focusing on an inductive approach relevant to the discipline of their major, or
• a systematic review of the evidence relevant to a question from within the discipline of their major.

This latter approach may itself be either qualitative or quantitative. Refinement of the identified topic will be done by way of a literature search. Topics of study might include: search tools, the parameters of a research literature, research questions, and the ethics of research, timelines and the planning of research, costing research, and the research proposal.

Approaches to Research

Main topics include: philosophical underpinnings of research methodologyproposal designsearching and reviewing the literatureethical issues in research and research governancesurveys and longitudinal studiesquestionnaire designexperimental and quasi-experimental designsn of 1 studiesstatistical analysis and using spssdepth interviewsfocus groupsobservationuse of documentary sourcesqualitative analysis.

Dissertation

Recent examples of dissertations by students taking this course include:

• Parent-child play interactionsperceptions and experiences of children with autism.
• Therapists’ perceptions of the use of outcome measures in stroke rehabilitation.

Occupational Therapy for Children, Young People and Families

Main topics include: analysis of aspects in child development and study of common problems and disorders in childhoodreview of the research-based current evidence on occupational therapy theory and practice for children and adolescentsreview of the clinical reasoning process in paediatric occupational therapy practiceexamination of a selection of experimental methods appropriate for assessing and evaluating clinical practice or service delivery in children’s healthexploration of effective ways of incorporating the family into their child’s assessment and treatmentexploration of relevant current children’s health policy and legislation.

Occupational Therapy for Mental Health

Main topics include: overview of occupational therapy in mental healthreview of the research-based literature on occupational therapy theory and practice in mental healthdetailed exploration of current mental health policy and legislation in relation to occupational therapy practiceexploring contemporary issuesexamining current evidence and research related to the contemporary mental health issuesexploring a detailed selection of quantitative and qualitative measures appropriate for assessing and evaluating clinical practice or service delivery in mental health.

Functional Neuroscience for Rehabilitation

Main topics include: nervous system development and plasticitysynaptic physiology – chemical transmittersmodifiable synapses: from development, to learning and recovery of functionautonomic nervous system and hypothalamic functionfunctional neuroanatomy – from pathways to neurological lesions and deficitscellular mechanisms of neural injury and repair in stroke, injury and brain traumagenetics of neurodegenerative disordersbrain chemistry, emotions and behaviourpain and chronic pain managementcortical functioning in sensation and perceptionvision and control of gazehearing and speechbrain imagingconsciousness: EEG, coma, sleep and epilepsy and cognitionmodern neuroscientific tools for the exploration of brain function.

Main topics include: occupations, occupational deprivation and occupational justice for older peoplecurrent older persons’ health policy and legislation relating to occupational therapyreview of the research-based literature on occupational therapy theory and practice for older peopleperson-centred carequantitative and qualitative measures to assess clinical practice or service delivery for older peoplejoint-working across health and social care and voluntary contextsrisk assessment, social inclusion and health promotion.

Specialist Practice in Occupational Therapy

This will primarily be related to the topic chosen by you and your subject advisor. Learning contracts: needs analysis, goal setting, strategies and resources for learning, reflective practicedelineation between networking activities and research activities.

Cognitive and Behavioural Issues in Neurorehabilitation

This module explores psychological processes underpinning perception, attention, memory, and motor planning. The module also investigates how these processes may be disrupted by a variety of neurological conditions. Subjective and behavioural aspects of neurological dysfunction are also discussed, with implications for rehabilitation.

*These modules are also available as CPPD (Continuing Personal and Professional Development) courses. To find out more information and to apply, please click .