Faculty of Health Studies
Programme Specification
Programme title: BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy
Academic Year: / 2016/17Degree Awarding Body: / University of Bradford
Partner(s), delivery organisation or support provider (if appropriate):
Final and interim award(s): / BSc (Honours) Occupational Therapy
[Framework for Higher Education Qualifications level 6]
BSc (Ordinary) Health Studies
Diploma of Higher Education in Health Studies
[Framework for Higher Education Qualifications level 5]
Certificate of Higher Education in Health Studies
[Framework for Higher Education Qualifications level 4]
Programme accredited by (if appropriate): / The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
The College of Occupational Therapists (COT)
Programme duration: / 3 Years full time. Maximum 5 years full time in accordance with the College of Occupational Therapists Quality Assurance guidance
UCAS code: / B930
QAA Subject benchmark statement(s): / Occupational Therapy
Date of Senate Approval:
Date last confirmed and/or minor modification approved by Faculty Board / 18 July 2016
Introduction
Occupational Therapists view people as occupational beings. While the values and beliefs central to Occupational Therapy have remained largely unchanged throughout the history of the profession, the shape and form of services provided are dynamic, as are the contexts through which they are delivered (COT 2014).
The health service and care sectors are changing rapidly; to reflect this the BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy at the University of Bradford is a contemporary and innovative programme that seeks to provide students with the opportunity to become creative, resourceful practitioners with the skills to take advantage of a diverse range of employment opportunities. Distinctive features of the programme include the enquiry based learning approach which puts you at the centre of learning; opportunities for students to develop entrepreneurial skills, a deep understanding of occupational science, and ability to undertake research and development of clinical guidelines. Placements in years 2 and 3 are credit rated, providing opportunities for students to gain marks towards their degree classification related to their abilities to apply theory into practice. The final contemporary placement provides opportunities for all students to apply theory into Occupational Therapy (OT) practice in new practice areas, giving graduates unique skills relative for future employability.
Our programme is hosted within the Faculty of Health Studies, and sits within the School of Allied Health Professions and Sport. It is highly rated by the students themselves with the programme achieving a 100% National Student Survey rating for student satisfaction in 2014/15. It particularly suits students who enjoy problem solving, active practical learning and group work; students who are willing to use enquiring minds, literature, evidence based interventions, research and innovation to enhance Occupational Therapy provision in existing and new areas of practice. Small numbers of students per cohort allow great opportunities for debate and discussions within the taught elements, factors positively acknowledged by previous students.
Our programme has been designed and developed with reference to Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Education and Training and Standards of Proficiency (HCPC, 2014 and 2013), the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Subject Benchmark Statement for Occupational Therapy and the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (QAAHE, 2001, 2008), the College of Occupational Therapists’ Learning and Development Standards for Pre-registration Education (COT, 2014) and developed with reference to the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (COT, 2015). On successful completion of the three-year, full time programme graduates are eligible to apply for Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (however this cannot be guaranteed) and can apply for Membership of the College of Occupational Therapists (COT). The title of ‘Occupational Therapist’ is protected by law and anyone using the title must be registered with the HCPC. It is a criminal offence for someone to claim that they are registered when they are not, or to use a protected title that they are not entitled to use.
Student places are funded by the Department of Health and these will vary in relation to the annual commissions made. The programme takes up to 25 students per year with the cohorts including funded commissioned placed and international students. The duration of a pre-registration Occupational Therapy programme will normally be a minimum of 90 scheduled weeks in each academic year. Students must also complete the programme within 5 years as per the professional body regulations.
Programme Aims
The programme is intended to:
§ Develop the subject skills and knowledge required for safe, competent, evidence based practice of occupational therapy within diverse socio economic and multicultural communities.
§ Meet the requirements and values of the Health & Care Professions Council and the College of Occupational Therapists, such that graduates exercise initiative and personal responsibility in the provision of occupational therapy according to professional standards of proficiency.
§ Provide a supportive active learning environment in which you are encouraged to problem solve, reflect, debate, and develop autonomous skills for life-long learning in a university and inter-professional environment.
§ Develop a clear professional identity that enables you to work in a wide variety of health and social care settings and to identify and embrace opportunities within emerging areas of practice.
§ Develop the ability to reason and critically evaluate practice and the evidence upon which it is based, whilst appreciating the existence of limitations and uncertainties.
§ Provide opportunities for engagement with service users and carers to ensure you develop the conceptual understanding underpinning the need for their involvement in the planning and delivery of services.
§ Develop additional skills commensurate with graduate employment; team working, interpretation of number leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
Programme Learning Outcomes
To be eligible for the award of Certificate of Higher Education at FHEQ level 4, students will be able to:
LO1 Demonstrate knowledge of the underlying concepts and principles associated with your area of study and an ability to evaluate and interpret these within the context of health.
LO2 Demonstrate an ability to present, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data to develop lines of argument and make sound judgments in accordance with basic theories and concepts relevant to health.
LO3 Evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems related to health.
LO4 Communicate the results of your study/work accurately and reliably, and with structured and coherent arguments.
LO5 Have the skills and understanding to undertake further training and develop new skills within a structured and managed environment.
LO6 Demonstrate the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of some personal responsibility
Additionally, to be eligible for the award of Diploma of Higher Education at FHEQ level 5, students will be able to:
LO7 Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the principles of health and the way in which these have developed.
LO8 Demonstrate an ability to apply underlying concepts and principles outside the context in which they were first studied, including the application of those principles in an employment context.
LO9 Demonstrate knowledge of the main methods of enquiry in health and have the ability to evaluate critically the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems in health.
LO10 Demonstrate an understanding of the limits of your knowledge and how this impacts on your analyses and interpretations of that knowledge.
LO11 Use a range of established techniques to initiate and undertake critical analysis of information, and to propose solutions to problems arising from that analysis.
LO12 Effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms to specialist and non-specialist audiences, and deploy key techniques of the discipline effectively.
Additionally, to be eligible for the award of Honours Degree of Bachelor at FHEQ level 6, students will be able to:
LO13 Critically analyse theoretical constructs of occupation and occupational therapy as it relates to health, well-being and development in a variety of contexts.
LO14 Evaluate the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic barriers within environments, cultures, societies, individuals and groups that prevent people engaging in valued occupations from a local and global health and care perspective.
LO15 Critically apply detailed knowledge to underpin the necessary skills of clinical reasoning, problem analysis, and problem solving to assess, deliver and evaluate therapy for occupational function, dysfunction, impairment and deprivation across the lifespan.
LO16 Critically evaluate empirical evidence including data analysis, and apply findings in proposals for the development of service provision.
LO17 Promote and lead on opportunities for individuals, groups, and societies to engage in occupation, re-able and enhance function, increase personal feelings of value and purpose, and achieve well-being.
LO18 Utilize therapeutic relationships and the relevance of self to demonstrate the principles of client centred work within practice.
LO19 Practice competently applying all aspects of practice as defined by professional, national, and international regulatory standards for occupational therapy.
LO20 Examine opportunities to apply contemporary issues within occupational therapy provision for, entrepreneurship, enterprise, and innovation to enhance current and future practice.
LO21 Work collaboratively with and contribute to multi-disciplinary teams, leading where appropriate for the benefit of the patient/client and the service.
LO22 Communicate complex ideas to a range of individuals: from the service user to the professional using a range of technologies and interpersonal skills.
LO23 Manage time and prioritisation of workload, and reflect on practice as a basis for the lifelong learning expected of health professionals.
Curriculum
Stage 1/Level 4
The curriculum at this level seeks to develop your knowledge of health and wellbeing, and to link this robustly with the values, principles, and practice of occupational therapy. Thus, modules in the first semester of level 4 include developing understanding on occupation, the occupational therapy profession and the relationships of these aspects to the health and well-being of people and societies. Learning is facilitated to ensure students acquire knowledge about the emotional and physical issues which can impact upon occupation. You will develop an appreciation of the individual as a whole in relation to their lived experience and context.
To facilitate the inter-professional learning students will be allocated into an inter-professional learning group for all three levels. Key activities are scheduled not only to develop understanding of others work but also enable collaborative working with other professionals in the real and virtual clinical environments.
At level 4 you will develop the ability to collaborate, through understanding of each other’s roles and the significance of working relationships with service users and carers. Students will explore principles of person centred care and its relevance to caring for the vulnerable by studying patient cases. The written activities start to develop the academic skills of writing and researching by exercises shared and posted in an electronic portfolio.
Students will have many opportunities to learn from and within the local community to develop knowledge of occupation, health and well-being, providing interesting and varied opportunities for learning, in addition to those within the University. In the second semester you will assimilate and expand on the information by developing more depth of understanding about occupational beings and the lived experience/context of peoples’ lives. The placement opportunities in semester 1 and at the end of level 4 allow further integration and use of knowledge of the community, people, occupational roles, health and well-being within the profession of occupational therapy.
FHEQ Level / Module Title / Type(Core/
option/
elective) / Credits / Semester (s) / Module Code
4 / Occupational Wellbeing, People and Populations / core / 20 / 1 / OCT4002-B
4 / Professional Knowledge, Values and Beliefs / core / 30 / 1 / OCT4003-C
4 / Principles of Collaborative Professional Practice / core / 20 / 1 & 2 / HES4001-B
4 / Occupational beings in Context / core / 40 / 2 / OCT4001-D
4 / Professional Practice Placement 1 / core / 10 / 2 / PRP4008-A
At the end of stage 1, students will be eligible to exit with the award of Certificate of Higher Education if they have successfully completed at least 120 credits and achieved the award learning outcomes.
THIS AWARD DOES NOT CONFER ELIGIBILITY TO REGISTER WITH THE HEALTH AND CARE PROFESSIONS COUNCIL.
Stage 2/Level 5
At level 5 you will build on the knowledge acquired in stage one to develop skills in occupational therapy practice. The academic modules introduce students to specific interventions and methods of engaging with people, which will enable people to maintain/ enhance their functional skills, overcome barriers, and promote well-being. A module in semester 2, (Occupational Therapy in Action 2) provides specific opportunities to utilise these skills within the delivery of health and well-being groups for community groups or University staff, providing real experiences in the application of skills, and appreciating the increasingly diverse opportunities for professional practice.
The emphasis on inter-professional working at this level is to collaboratively develop research skills through concepts of wellbeing and health education. There will be a series of activities including the development of skills in critiquing evidence, understanding data collection tools and analysis. This will culminate in production of empirically sourced health promotion materials that can be shared with the local population and accessed by service users through a public display.
Level 5 also provides further opportunities to engage in placement learning, demonstrating increasing levels of competence in practice. Level 5 incorporates opportunities to learn and appreciate the contemporary aspects of the profession, developing appreciation for the transferability of occupational therapy knowledge and skills outside the statutory services. This enables students to address the broader occupational aspects related to social and health needs of the general population, marginalised people and populations, and to appreciate the relationship of health, culture and occupation. Further development of professional skills in a placement in semester 2, which includes aspects such as project management, will equip students with business and entrepreneurial skills, and awareness of how to address sustainability and project development within practice.
FHEQ Level / Module Title / Core/Option
(Honours) / Credits / Semester (s) / Module Code
5 / Evidencing Professional Practice / core / 20 / 1 & 2 / HES5001-B
5 / Occupational therapy in action 1 / Core / 20 / 1 / OCT5002-B
5 / Professional Practice Placement 2 / Core / 20 / 1 / PRP5009-B
5 / Contemporary issues in Occupational therapy / Core / 20 / 2 / OCT5001-B
5 / Occupational therapy in action 2 / Core / 20 / 2 / OCT5003-B
5 / Professional Practice Placement 3 / Core / 20 / 2 / PRP5010-B
At the end of stage 2, students will be eligible to exit with the award of Diploma of Higher Education if they have successfully completed at least 240 credits and achieved the award learning outcomes.