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Embrace the power of occupation to transform lives through a diverse and rewarding career in Occupational Therapy. Gain real-life experience through practice placements and apply your learning to real-life situations. Graduate with the knowledge and skills to enable people to facilitate their recovery and overcome any barriers preventing them from doing the activities (or occupations) that matter to them.
Please note, this course is closed for 2025/26 entry. Applications are open for our two-year accelerated route BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy Accelerated.
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 the goal and main tool of 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.
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 and teaching across the course. This ensures that you develop your skills prior to practice placement and receive feedback in a safe and secure learning environment. Through this process, you will be more confident and competent when engaging with people on placement which will support your learning in practice to flourish.
You will be taught by a highly-skilled and motivated team of lecturers, visiting practitioners and volunteers who are experts by their lived experience. Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, workshops, online tutorials and problem-based learning activities. A strong professional identity and confidence to learn and work with other professional groups is an essential part of the course. You will have the opportunity to work and learn alongside students from other professions and to learn about the other professions through participation in inter-professional education. As this course leads to a professional qualification a minimum attendance level of 80% per semester is required.
You will be assessed through written assignments, critical reflection, presentations and practical and written examinations. You will be required to successfully complete all modules to progress through the course. Simulated practice is integrated into the course to provide opportunities to practise skills prior to placements and to help bridge the theory / practice gap.
Practice placements form a significant part of this course. You will successfully complete a minimum of 1000 hours practice placement. During placement, you will be supervised by a practice placement educator alongside support from academic staff. You will need to complete a Practice Assessment Document and will be assessed in terms of your competence. You may be required to work an altered shift pattern and seven day work patterns while on placement. Please note placements can take place anywhere within the North East region and some take place outside the normal University academic calendar.
Our typical offer is:
| Qualification | Minimum grade |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma along with one of the following at the required grade: SAT I and SAT II, ACT or Advanced Placement | GPA 3.0 or above and: Sat score of 1100/1600 from SATs AP (Grades 3+ in at least 2 subjects) ACT (score of 26+) |
If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.
If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.
BTEC Extended National Diploma (Sport and Exercise Science, Health Science and Applied Science preferred) DMM. Other BTEC National Diplomas may be considered with AS or A2 Biology/Human Biology/PE at grade B.
Our admissions policy uses a range of flexible options to support you in studying with us. This may include a reduced offer of up to 16 UCAS tariff points, (or equivalent). Find out if you are eligible.
Your completed application form will be reviewed by our Admissions Team to ensure that you have the required entry qualifications. If you meet these requirements, then your application and personal statement will be individually assessed by the Admissions Tutor and if successful, you will be shortlisted for interview.
All shortlisted applicants must attend an individual and group interview as part of the selection process. Your values, behaviours, problem-solving, and communication skills will also be assessed. The interview panel will include academic staff, Occupational Therapy practitioners, and experts by their lived experience.
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. This means you are required to complete the following:
Instructions on how you complete these checks will be sent to you once you hold a conditional firm offer with us. These forms are then reviewed alongside your application, and you must meet both the academic and fitness to practise requirements before you will be given an unconditional offer. If you are successful, you will also need to complete an annual declaration form to confirm you are fit and there are no changes to your DBS.
You will be asked to provide a second written reference as part of the interview process. The reference can be from your current employer, character reference (e.g. former employer, colleague, teacher, advisor, etc.), or a supervisor in a voluntary role. If you are currently employed, the reference should be from your employer. Please note this must not be the same reference you have submitted as part of your application.
We select students based on their knowledge, motivation, experience, values, and behaviours, not just academic ability. You need to demonstrate the ability to:
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 the profession, throughout their time in training.
If English is not your first language, you need an overall IELTS score of 7, with at least 6.5 in each band.
Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
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.
According to National Careers, the average starting salary for a registered occupational therapist working in the UK is around £28,000. A more experienced occupational therapist can earn up to £50,000.
As you may be expected to travel long distances, start your shift in the early hours, or finish your shift late at night, you could be entitled to Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE) which allows you to make a retrospective claim for excess travel costs and/or expenses for temporary accommodation near to the location of your placement. Find out more about the NHS Learning Support Fund.
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.
On successful completion of the BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy course, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Graduate Occupational Therapist and can apply for professional membership of the professional body the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
Please note that completing an approved course does not guarantee you will become registered as an Occupational Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council. It shows that you meet the minimum professional standards and are eligible to apply for registration. The Health and Care Professions Council will request additional information from you so that they can verify your eligibility. Please refer to the Health and Care Professions Council.
Learning with the University of Sunderland is far more than simply attending lectures and seminars.
You can always rely on the academic team to support and guide you
I would 100% recommend Sunderland for anybody thinking of studying Occupational Therapy
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