BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy

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UCAS Code

Start Date

September 2027

Location

Pontypridd

Campus Code

UCAS Points

120

Course Overview

As an occupational therapist you will enable and empower individuals, communities, and populations to live their best lives at home, at work and everywhere else.

This part-time Occupational Therapy course is designed to enable you to develop the skills, knowledge and experience required to practice as an occupational therapist across a diverse range of practice environments.

Accreditations and Approvals

We’re accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and are an approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Why study this course?

Placement opportunities

There are four professional practice placements integrated throughout the course providing 1,069 hours of scheduled practice-based learning. These provide opportunities for you to develop professional competence and a professional identity in a range of health and social care settings.

Outstanding facilities

The course benefits from extensive clinical simulation facilities and a community flat simulation area in which a range of practical skills are taught, practised and examined. The University has an extensive range of partner organisations, including and extending beyond health and social care partners, to deliver a high-quality placement programme.

Interactive learning

Practical sessions will take place in our simulation and practical teaching areas, which are extensively equipped to replicate the facilities and situations encountered in a range of real-world practice locations.

Expert teaching

The core teaching team are registered occupational therapists who bring a wealth of experience from across a diverse range of settings. External partners and practice-based experts will be embedded into the life of the course, to ensure real-world health and social care challenges are providing the learning opportunities.

What you'll study

This module will explore the concept of humans as occupational beings across the life cycle and the relationship between occupational engagement and participation and health and wellbeing within populations, communities and individuals.

This module will set the foundation for understanding the history and growth of the profession, leading to today's contemporary occupational therapy practice. It will introduce the central philosophy of occupational therapy and the theories that guided past and inform present practice.

This module will promote the understanding of key biopsychosocial foundations that underpin occupational engagement, participation, and performance.

This module will introduce students to the problem-solving process in occupational therapy both in theory and practice-based learning.

A key feature of this module is interprofessional working and learning and students will share learning with a variety of students studying other pre-registration programmes, including physiotherapy, operating department practice, midwifery, and nursing.

This module will provide an in-depth insight into the disruptors and enablers that children and young people face in engaging in occupation, providing interventions to unlock their potential.

This module will enable students to gain an in-depth insight into the disruptors and enhancers that adults face in engaging in occupation, providing interventions to unlock the potential of occupational performance.

To enable the student to develop, evaluate and apply knowledge of the professional, legal, and ethical issues to occupational therapy practice.

To enable the student to further develop their knowledge, skills, proficiency and confidence in safe and effective Occupational Therapy practice.

This module will enable students to gain an in-depth insight into the disruptors and enhancers that older adults face in engaging in occupation, providing interventions to unlock the potential of occupational performance.

This module to develop the skills and knowledge to employ evidence and research-based methods that enable the development and delivery of safe and effective services, together with opportunities to generate new knowledge.

This module aims to draw together the theory and practice of from Level 4 and 5 modules, preparing students to deal with the complexities of practice to become confident and competent occupational therapists.

To enable the student to consolidate their knowledge, skills, competence, and confidence to become competent and confident occupational therapy practitioner.

To enable the student to further develop their knowledge, skills, proficiency and confidence in safe and effective Occupational Therapy practice.

This module provides the opportunity to explore contemporary and emerging occupational therapy practice with a particular focus on groups, communities and populations.

This module will enable students to reflect and evaluate their own learning development and performance as they look to make the transition to the world of work, post registration.

To enable students to critically evaluate and lead change in Occupational Therapy practice and services.

We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.

Teaching and Assessment

This is a hands-on course designed to prepare you for professional practice as an occupational therapist. You can expect a blend of workshops, seminars, simulation-based learning and placement experience throughout your studies. We focus on helping you build confidence in real-world environments, combining academic teaching with over 1,000 hours of practice-based learning in health and social care settings. You’ll also have access to extensive clinical simulation facilities and practical teaching spaces that reflect the environments you’ll work in after graduation.

The course is designed using a blended approach to enable learning to be as flexible as possible whilst maintaining a sense of belonging within the cohort population.

The delivery schedule will be designed to bring students face-to-face for workshops, seminars and some group and tutorial study, however where possible, students will be facilitated to adopt flexible approaches to time place and mode of study, utilising technologies to enable remote learning and in turn build the students’ digital fluency.

You’ll be assessed through a blend of in-person and online learning designed to give you flexibility while keeping you connected to your course community. You’ll take part in workshops, seminars, tutorials, and group activities, where you’ll develop and demonstrate your knowledge and skills.

There are four professional practice placements integrated throughout the course providing 1,069 hours of scheduled practice-based learning. In the first two years these will be part-time (18.75hrs), whilst in year three and four they will be full-time (37.5hrs). These provide opportunities for you to develop professional competence and a professional identity in a range of health and social care settings.

Most placements will be local, within a thirty-mile radius of the University. Where placements are over 30 miles from the University, temporary accommodation will be offered. Every effort will be made to source Welsh speaking placements for students who request a bilingual learning opportunity.

The course benefits from extensive clinical simulation facilities and a community flat simulation area in which a range of practical skills are taught, practised and examined.

The University has an extensive range of partner organisations, including and extending beyond health and social care partners, to deliver a high-quality placement programme.

For some elements of your course, you will be taught interprofessionally alongside Physiotherapists, Nurses, Midwives, Operating Department Practitioners and will benefit from the holistic understanding this brings.

Career Prospects

It's an exciting time to work in aircraft maintenance. The industry is changing quickly as it adapts to the challenges of the climate crisis and the need for greener travel. Joining the industry now gives you the opportunity to be at the forefront of that change.

Your future career

You will have an academic qualification and will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as an Occupational Therapist to allow you to pursue a career as an occupational therapist.

100% of Nursing and Health Professions graduates are in Employment and/or Further Study 15 months after graduation.

Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022/23

"We get practical training all the time, like manual handling, breakaway training, basic life support, and wheelchair measurement training."

Sara Head, Occupational Therapy student

Learn more

Salary expectations

A Health Professions degree can open opportunities across healthcare, social care, education, rehabilitation, and community settings. Health Professions careers offer strong earning potential:

Median wage
UK: £37.4k per annum
Wales: £38.5k per annum

Total jobs in 2025
UK: 1.05m
Wales: 47,433

Source: Lightcast Labour Market Data 2026

Build your own career

Your career doesn’t have to mean working for someone else. If you want to freelance, start a business or develop an idea, USW Enterprise can help with one-to-one mentoring, practical workshops and funding opportunities through the USW Enterprise Startup Fund.

You’ll also have access to Startup Stiwdio spaces in our Cardiff, Newport and Treforest campuses. After graduating, you can get free membership for up to three years, giving you workspace and a network of other founders.

Whether you choose employment, freelancing or starting a business, we’ll help you build the skills, confidence and connections to move forward.

USW Enterprise

Industry partners

External partners and practice-based experts will be embedded into the life of the course, to ensure real-world health and social care challenges are providing the learning opportunities.

Entry Requirements

Additional

The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.
Equivalent qualifications considered are Essential Skills Level Two in Communication and Application of Number, or Functional Skills Level Two in English and Maths. (Must be achieved within the last 3 years).
One satisfactory reference to be uploaded with application.
A satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service* (DBS) check on the Child & Adult Workforce and Child and Adult Barring Lists and subscription to the DBS Update Service and an Occupational Health clearance. All applicants are required to sign a declaration of Fitness to Practise at Interview and encourage students to have a flu vaccination.
- *Please note any disclosed police record will be assessed in line with the USW Fitness to Practise process and the requirements of HCPC, to check the potential of successful professional registration with the Regulator upon graduation from the course.
Unfortunately as this course is funded by the NHS and students have to have placements in the local NHS Health Board we are unable to accept applications from international/EU students.

Interview

Applicants are invited to a multi mini modal interview. You will be required to demonstrate a real insight to, and enthusiasm for, the discipline. You should learn as much as you can about the profession, including where practitioners practice, and their role in modern healthcare. You must also demonstrate insight to your organisational skills and ability to effectively manage your studies. You will be required to demonstrate values in accordance with the HCPC (2016) Standards of conduct, performance and ethics.

You can find out more information about what to expect at your interview by reading guidance from the course team.

How to apply Contextual admissions policy Ask us a question

120 UCAS points or above

Typical qualification requirements

A Level:
BBB to exclude General Studies

Welsh BACC:
Grade B and BB at A Level to exclude General Studies

BTEC:
BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction, Distinction, Merit

Access to HE:
Science/Mathematics/Health Care/Nursing Diploma. Must complete 120 credits overall with at least 45 at level 3 and 15 at Level 2. Of the 45 credits at level 3, you will need a minimum of 24 Distinctions, 18 Merits and 3 passes

Closed for International applicants:

Unfortunately, this course is not currently open to international applicants, please visit our course pages where you can find an alternative course choice.

Courses

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

Contextual Admissions Policy

Fees and Funding

Fees and funding Scholarships and bursaries Cost of living support

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment. *Obligatory

Enhanced DBS*

Students will be expected to pay for a DBS or certificate of good behaviour from their home country. The DBS fee includes £49.50 for the enhanced DBS certificate, the Post Office Administration fee and the online administration fee. £64.74

DBS Updating service*

Subscription required for each year of the course for a yearly fee of £16. Please note the service has to be joined within 30 days of receipt of your enhanced DBS certificate. £16

Vehicle Business insurance*
Many students will use their vehicle for practice placement. Business insurance is required and the cost will vary depending on the insurance company. Variable

Fees and funding Scholarships and bursaries Cost of living support

Enhanced DBS*

DBS Updating service*

Subscription required for each year of the course for a yearly fee of £16. Please note the service has to be joined within 30 days of receipt of your enhanced DBS certificate. £16

Vehicle Business insurance*
Many students will use their vehicle for practice placement. Business insurance is required and the cost will vary depending on the insurance company. Variable

100%

of USW BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy students were satisfied with their course

National Student Survey 2026

Ranked in the Top 50 UK universities in the Guardian University Guide 2026

Occupational therapy student attending to a patient in the community flat at the clinical simulation centre

Counselling, Psychotherapy and Occupational Therapy is 2nd in the UK and top in Wales for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2027)

Health Professions at USW is top in the UK for value added

Guardian University Guide 2026

Occupational Therapy interviews

Everything you need to know before attending your Occupational Therapy interview.

Read our interview tips

How to apply

All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS

You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).

Occupational Therapy
- Part-time, 4 years
- September
- Pontypridd
Apply direct

If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.

Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.

International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.

Student Stories

"I’m someone who learns best through practical work, so the course’s hands-on approach really suits me."

Amy Williams Occupational Therapy Student

View student profile

Student Stories

"I came to an Open Day, met the course lead and some of the students, and I was in awe of the facilities."

Sara Head Occupational Therapy Student

View student profile

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