Overview
As a registered Occupational Therapist, you will have the privilege to work with people of all ages to help them participate in occupations that hold personal meaning and value to them.
Occupational Therapists are the only profession that uses occupation (the things people do every day which can affect their health and wellbeing) as a therapeutic tool to improve their health, wellbeing and quality of life, enabling them to live the life they want.
Throughout the course you will have the opportunity to enhance your attributes as a compassionate and caring critical thinker with an inquisitive and problem-solving mind, as well as developing your communication skills with people of all ages and abilities.
Successful completion of this course (and subsequent eligibility to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)) allows you to work in a wide variety of fields within health and social care, in the private and public sectors. The skills set you will have developed on successful completion of this course can allow you to work in specialities such as paediatrics, elderly care, mental health, learning disabilities, end of life care, forensics, schools, and emergency services, to name just a few. This master’s level, pre-registration qualification in occupational therapy has been designed to enable the potential for accelerated career opportunities and provides the opportunity to also gain an additional qualification in leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) with the intention to enable you to make a valuable contribution to improve the quality of services.
Why Coventry University?
An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.
COVID-19
The University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2020/2021 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to Covid-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Global ready
An international outlook, with global opportunitiesEmployability
Career-ready graduates, with the skills to succeedStudent experience
All the support you need, in a top student cityAccreditation and Professional Recognition
This course is accredited by the following bodies:
Royal College of Occupational Therapists
This course is accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists until 2025. This enables you to become a student member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (subject to application and additional costs).
When enrolled on the course, you have the opportunity to become a student member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (subject to application and additional costs). Please visit the Royal College of Occupational Therapists website for more information, or speak to your Course Director to find out more.
Health and Care Professions Council
As an accredited course by the Heath and Care Professions Council, this course aims to educate you to become a graduate occupational therapist who is eligible to apply for registration as an occupational therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) .
This course is accredited by HCPC for the 2021/22 intake.
Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
The course also includes the Global Professional Development – Coaching and Mentoring, accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Upon successful completion of this module and meeting the CMI evidence requirements, you will gain a level 7 Award in Leadership Coaching and Mentoring, from the CMI.Please visit the CMI website for full details on the CMI accreditation.
Course information
Successful completion of this two-year, full time MSc in Occupational Therapy (pre-registration) will enable you to become a qualified occupational therapist. Occupational therapists work with adults and children of all ages with a wide range of conditions to help them to carry out their everyday tasks or occupations.
The design of the course provides a balance of university-based education and professional practice and meets The World Federation of Occupational Therapists requirement for students to successfully complete a minimum of 1000 hours in practice (World Federation of Occupational Therapists 2016). Each practice placement on this course has been positioned within the programme to enable you to relate recent learning to the practice setting and to build on the experiences of university-based studies in order to facilitate future learning.
The master’s level curriculum has been designed to enable the potential for accelerated career opportunities and provide an additional qualification in leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) to enable you to make a valuable contribution to improve the quality of services.
Modules
In more detail...
Coventry University offers an advanced learning environment for health care professionals. State -of-the-art facilities of particular relevance to occupational therapists include two fully equipped community houses to help students to develop their clinical skills in simulated practice scenarios and explore developments in assistive and adaptive technologies.
The distinctive features of this course include:
- Embedded leadership skills and a specific CMI accredited qualification
- You undertake three professional practice placements during their course in diverse, contemporary and community environments which are tailored to learning needs;
- Innovative and varied assessment, specifically designed to reflect skills required in occupational therapy practice;
- International learning opportunities including access to fieldtrips (subject to additional costs, availability, application and meeting any applicable visa requirements);
- Partnership working with service users to simulate real-world environments;
- Collaborative working across multi-professional groups in state-of-the-art simulation facilities enhancing professional identity, knowledge and behaviours.
- Guided development of an employability portfolio designed to enhance career opportunities.
- A commitment to working in partnership with students to continually develop and further enhance the programme.
- Our strong links with a wide range of local health trusts, social services, private health, charitable and voluntary organisations who provide practice development activities.
The course has been designed to provide a practical-focused approach for the personal and professional development of occupational therapists. It will be underpinned by the principles of empowerment, self-awareness and individual responsibility in order to prepare you to work within changing health and social care environments.
You are encouraged to engage in a variety of discussions, simulation, practical and group-work learning activities and have the opportunity to share your own learning and practice experiences with lecturers and peers. Service users and carers, special visiting lecturers and representatives from health and social care, work in partnership with lecturers in delivering the course in order to deliver educationally transformative learning experiences.
Course assessment has specifically been designed to reflect the skills required in occupational therapy practice and includes, presentations, critical reflections, reports and a case based oral assessment.
On successful completion of the course you will be able to:
- Evidence a critical understanding of the complexity of human occupation and its centrality in relation to health and wellbeing;
- Demonstrate an understanding of the core principles and values of Occupational Therapy and their application to person-centred practice across the lifespan for individuals and groups within and across communities;
- Critically evaluate therapeutic reasoning and practice and the contribution of occupational therapy knowledge, skills and behaviours to service delivery and communities of practice;
- Critically appraise intercultural competencies at a national and international level, to practice as an autonomous health care professional, and to be able to appraise your own intercultural development in order to enhance your lifelong learning.
- Apply collaborative capabilities that promote integrated learning and working within public, private and third sector organisations, for the health and well-being of people in our community;
- Manage your own personal health and wellbeing and have insight and self-awareness of when and how to access support, as emotionally intelligent and resilient individuals.
- Appraise and create research as evidence informed practitioners within the context of health and social care;
- Critically examine your leadership capabilities to enable you to continually improve and influence service development;
- Be an innovative and creative practitioner who critically engages and participates in an evolving technological arena demonstrating digital fluency;
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of coaching and mentoring and the theories and practices of strategic leadership.
Contact hours for teaching varies according to the modules you are studying. In a typical week during semester one you will have up to 12 'contact' hours of teaching per week which is made up of: lectures, workshops and seminars
In addition, you will be expected to undertake a minimum of 20 hours of self-directed study each week, e.g. working on course assignments and small group work. There will also be clinical skills workshops in preparation for clinical practice placements, which include moving and handling, CPR and hand washing.
During semester two you will complete a part time practice placement. During a typical week you will attend your practice placement for three days and attend university alongside it with ‘contact’ hours of teaching approximately 4 hours per week.
Placements two and three are full time placements within practice (approximately 37 hours per week).
Opportunities for an international experience exist across the department, school and university. An example of this would be a study tour to experience health care within a different country (subject to additional costs, availability, application and meeting any applicable visa requirements).
Global ready
Did you know we help more students travel internationally than any other UK university according to data from the experts in higher education data and analysis, HESA?
In 2018/19, we were able to provide a total of 5,469 experiences abroad that lasted at least five days.
Much of this travel is made possible through our Global Leaders Programme, which enables students to prepare for the challenges of the global employment market, as well as strengthening and developing their broader personal and professional skills.
Explore our international experiences1st for
International experiences
Sending more students overseas than any other UK uni 2016/17
5,469
Student experiences
The number of student trips abroad for at least 5 days in 2018/19
12,000
and counting
The number of students we’ve helped travel internationally since 2016
12
global programmes
As well as trips, we offer other opportunities like language courses
Entry Requirements
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis and offer a wide range of scholarships to support students with their studies. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to), equipment, materials, travel, accommodation and visas).
EU student fees:
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year remain eligible for the same fees as home students and the same financial support. Financial support comes from Student Finance England, and covers undergraduate and postgraduate study for the duration of their course, providing they meet the residency requirement.
For tuition fee loans:
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for the three years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that three year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
For maintenance loans:
EU nationals starting in the 2020/21 academic year must have resided in the UK and Islands for the five years prior to the start of their course. The purpose of that five year residency should not have been mainly for the purpose of receiving full time education.
Career prospects
Graduate Immigration Route visa
Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.
On successful completion of this course you will be eligible to apply to register with the HCPC as a registered Occupational Therapist (additional fees to HCPC apply).
The master’s level curriculum has been designed to develop the potential for accelerated career opportunities and provide an additional qualification in leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI)* to enable you to make a valuable contribution to improve the quality of services. In addition an employability portfolio will enable regular reflection upon the development of skills and learning and will provide the potential for enhancement of employability and career development prospects.
* Coventry University’s accreditation with CMI is currently ongoing for the relevant modules, but is frequently reviewed and monitored by the CMI through their quality systems. If any changes occur with respect to our accreditation related to these modules, we will seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.
Where our graduates work
Occupational Therapists have a wide range of employment opportunities including the NHS, social care, charities, education, private employers and within independent practice.
Disclaimer
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2020/21 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
