Occupational Therapy (Apprenticeship) BSc (Hons)
Learn about the philosophy, theory and research that supports Occupational Therapists as independent practitioners.
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Learn about the philosophy, theory and research that supports Occupational Therapists as independent practitioners.
Occupational Therapists work with people of all ages to enable participation in the occupations that they want and need to do. Underpinned by the professional belief that occupation and wellbeing are linked, Occupational Therapists use occupation as both a goal and a main tool for intervention. During the lifespan, occupational participation may be disrupted by ability, a condition, an illness, an injury or a state of mind that can cause a mismatch between the person’s ability, the demands of the occupation and/or the environment. Occupational Therapists enable participation through modifying occupations, promoting new skills or approaches, adapting environments or a combination of these.
This programme is a Higher Degree Apprenticeship and, as such, you will spend 80% of your time learning in your place of employment. The remaining time will be either in the University or on practice placement. You will have the opportunity to learn from people who are experts by their own lived experience, who have used health and social care services and who are fully integrated into the learning, teaching and assessment throughout the course.
You will be taught on campus by a highly skilled and motivated team of lecturers and visiting practitioners from across the world. Teaching methods include lectures (online, live and recorded), seminars, workshops and practical sessions, where problem-based learning activities are used. You will have the opportunity to work with Apprentices from a range of courses across the whole university.
You will be assessed through written assignments, presentations, practical demonstrations and via practice placements. You will need to successfully complete all modules to progress through the course and achieve at least 1000 hours of successful practice placement. During your practice placement you will benefit from the supervision from a practice placement educator as well as support from academic staff. You may be required to work an altered shift pattern and may be required to work weekends. Placements can take place anywhere in the North East region and some placements (especially any re-sits) take place outside of the normal university calendar.
We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.
You should discuss your plan to undertake this apprenticeship with your line manager to ensure that you meet your employer’s requirements prior to applying. The Admissions tutor is also available to discuss the academic requirements with you.
BTEC Extended National Diploma (Sport and Exercise Science, Health Science and Applied Science preferred) DDM. Other BTEC National Diplomas may be considered with AS or A2 Biology / Human Biology / PE at grade B.
Your completed application form will be reviewed by our Admissions Team to ensure that you have the required entry qualifications.
Recognition of prior learning can be discussed with the Occupational Therapy Admissions Tutor in collaboration with your employer.
You will be working and studying simultaneously and will have the support of a work-based mentor and an academic personal tutor.
Your employer will have undertaken a values-based interview with you when you joined the organisation or when you approached them to consider putting you forward to become an apprentice.
An interview for your university place will be undertaken in April.
Medical assessments of your mental and physical health and disclosure of criminal convictions apply to all occupational therapy courses and are based on current HCPC requirements. Occupational Therapists are registered health care professionals and the ability to practise safely, effectively and professionally is essential, so all applicants are required to follow our fitness to practise procedures.
Your employer will undertake a DBS check and occupational health assessment. Please refer to the HEOPS occupational therapy student fitness standards.
We select apprentices based on their knowledge, motivation, experience, values and behaviours, not just academic ability. You need to demonstrate an ability to:
Please note that completing an approved programme does not guarantee you will become registered as an Occupational Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council. It shows the applicant meets the minimum professional standards and is eligible to apply for registration. The Health and Care Professions Council will request additional information from you so that they can verify your eligibility. Further details may be found on the Health and Care Professions Council website.
Applicants and enrolled students must be able to demonstrate that they meet the professional standards for practice, as well as the ethical and professional conduct expectations of our profession, throughout their time in training.
Larger organisations can use their apprenticeship levy and government top-up to pay tuition and professional fees of higher apprenticeships.
For smaller employers, the government pays 95%, with the remainder co-invested by the business.
For a discussion around your specific requirements please call 0191 515 3361 or email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
Occupational Therapists can work in a variety of settings including health organisations such as the NHS, social care, housing, education, voluntary organisations or as independent practitioners working with people of all ages. They can specialise in mental health, physical health and learning disabilities. The average starting salary for a registered occupational therapist working in the UK is in excess of £21,000. A more experienced occupational therapist can earn around £40,000, and a consultant occupational therapist can earn between £66,000 and £82,000.
Employment prospects for new occupational therapists are good though ensuring your application stands out from the crowd is increasingly important. This can be achieved by preparing a thoughtful application and demonstrating a commitment to the profession. Unlike graduates with qualifications that are not specifically career-orientated, new occupational therapy graduates have the advantage of a structured career path with good long-term prospects in this key worker profession.