Pre-Registration Occupational Therapy (MSc)

How will I be taught?

In choosing to study occupational therapy at Cardiff University you will pursue a programme that is inclusive, creative, transformative, and forward-thinking in its design. Our educational philosophy echoes that of occupational therapy in that we acknowledge and value the rich store of prior experience, skills, and knowledge that you as an individual bring to the learning environment.

The programme is taught primarily through blended learning methods underpinned by the adult learning principles of problem-based learning. This collaborative teaching approach promotes active, student-directed learning, promotes life-long learning, and fosters creative and critical thinking.

Blended learning is an instructional method that includes a combination of online and in-person learning activities. Face- to face teaching will be complemented by high quality online learning opportunities using a range of digital platforms including Zoom and Blackboard Collaborate. Online learning will include a mixture of real time synchronous and asynchronous activities which you can carry out at your own pace. Digital literacy is an essential requirement of contemporary occupational therapy practice and utilising these methods as a student will enable you to acquire the confidence, knowledge, skills, and capabilities necessary for your forthcoming career. Combining face to face learning with digital learning experiences enables the programme to be delivered in a flexible way, aiding sustainability and reducing travel requirements. You will be taught by a highly experienced, inter-professional academic team with extensive knowledge and expertise in the fields of occupational therapy education, leadership, and practice. You will also benefit from inter-professional education, learning with other students and practitioners in relevant health and social care professions.

Throughout the programme, you will work in small groups to identify and investigate issues relevant to occupation and occupational therapy practice based on purposefully designed, creative trigger material that stimulates and inspires learning. Collaborative and inter-professional learning in the academic environment encourages the development of professional communication and team-working skills necessary for your practice-based learning placements and for your future practice as an occupational therapist. Though most of the professional practical skills teaching occurs whilst you are out on placement, there is an emphasis on ‘learning by doing’ throughout the curriculum. Environmental resources such as the activities of daily living suite afford opportunities to develop and practise skills within a simulated home environment, while practical workshops such as manual handling, splinting, and interviewing skills are facilitated by both academic staff and visiting lecturers who are practising occupational therapists.

Our teaching and learning methods are purposefully designed to support in developing core professional skills relating to collaborative working (including an appreciation of the role and contribution of others), lifelong learning and continuing professional development (CPD), evidence-based practice and digital literacy.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment of academic and professional competencies is essential in ensuring that you meet professional and regulatory standards and the required entry-level proficiency of an occupational therapist and that you are fit for practice. The curriculum incorporates a diverse and creative range of authentic assessment strategies and methods which are reflective of an inclusive, learner-centred approach and aligned to the intended learning outcomes of the programme. Academic assessment is carried out at level 7 with a pass mark for all academic assessments of 50%. You are required to pass all academic assessments and practice-based learning placements.

Each module within the programme incorporates formative assessment and feedback that is designed to support your learning and to assist you in identifying strengths and areas for development of you as an individual learner as well as a member of a group/team. Examples of methods of formative assessment include reflective feedback on individual and group presentations and written work. As part of your ongoing personal and professional development you will be encouraged to evaluate your own progress as well as that of your peers, thus becoming confident and competent in giving and receiving feedback. Throughout your time on the programme, you will also be supported and encouraged to engage in continuing professional development (CPD) and to record, evaluate and share this with your personal tutor and with others.

Formative assessment and feedback help to prepare you for summative assessment which is formally marked and therefore contributes to progression and the final classification of the MSc pre-registration award. The goal of summative assessment is to indicate how well you have succeeded in meeting the intended learning outcomes of a module and the feedback provided will enable you to identify areas for further development.

A variety of summative assessments have been designed to evaluate a range of abilities and to emphasise the diversity of knowledge, skills and attitudes required of an occupational therapist. The assessment schedule reflects both the breadth of the curriculum and the depth of study expected at postgradute level. Examples of assessments used on the programme are written academic essays, individual presentations, an online screening assesment and reflection, a design ‘pitch’ to your peer group, a research protocol and research study report. Assessments can be undertaken through the medium of Welsh.

How will I be supported?

You are allocated a personal tutor who is a member of the occupational therapy academic team. You will have regular meetings with your personal tutor throughout your time on the programme, during which you can reflect on your overall progress and development and access pastoral support and academic guidance in keeping with your individual needs. Personal tutors will also assist in signposting you to other sources of support such as the school and programme student disability contact and University-wide services including Student Support and Wellbeing and the Academic Skills and Mentoring Team.

Welsh-speaking personal tutors are available to you if your preference is to access support through the medium of Welsh.

Individual module leads, the Programme Manager and the Professional Head of Occupational Therapy can offer support in relation to your overall experience as a student of the programme, including any feedback or concerns you might have in relation to quality. In the first year of the programme, you will also be allocated an academic research supervisor who will support and supervise you throughout the two research modules.

During the practice-based learning placements, you will be supported by a practice educator who has received guidance and/or formal training and accreditation in relation to facilitating student learning and assessment. You will also be assigned a named contact tutor from the occupational therapy academic staff group who will offer support before, during and after a placement and who will facilitate a formal review of your progress at the half-way point. A dedicated placement support team will also be available to you, alongside formal mechanisms, and procedures to support your learning and progress to address any issues or problems that may arise. The placement team will attempt to source Welsh-speaking educators or bilingual placement learning opportunities and Welsh-speaking named contacts from the academic setting upon request.

From the beginning of the programme, you will be a member of an interprofessional study group with MSc pre-registration Physiotherapy students. Supported by an academic member of staff these groups will inform your professional development as a healthcare student and emerging practitioner through reflection, self-directed learning and specific interprofessional education activities that are embedded within the modules.

All modules within the programme make extensive use of Cardiff University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Learning Central, on which you will find course materials, links to related materials and assessment exemplars.　Normally, lectures are recorded via a variety of electronic platforms, and are available for you to view throughout your programme.　　

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will be able to do as a result of your study at Cardiff University. They will help you to understand what is expected of you.

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme can be found below. On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

Knowledge & Understanding:

• Critical evaluation of the development and evolution of the occupational therapy profession including occupational science and practice theory, the occupational nature of human beings and the impact of occupation on health and wellbeing.
• A critical appreciation of the unique, occupation-focused philosophy and values of the profession as applied to the whole person-centred practice across the lifespan for individuals, groups and communities.
• Critical evaluation and application of the bio- psychosocial theoretical model on occupational performance, participation, wellbeing and disruption across the life span.
• Critical evaluation and application of theoretical professional knowledge underpinning the occupational therapy problem- solving process across a range of practice contexts.
• Critical evaluation application of the profession’s regulatory and professional body standards concerning continuing professional development, leadership, research, and evidence-based practice for development, delivery and evaluation of occupational therapy and the autonomous practitioner.

Intellectual Skills:

• Proficiency in the selection, analysis, synthesis, and critical evaluation of contemporary evidence-based information, drawing logical and reasoned conclusions in the formation of professional decisions and judgements.
• A creative and appreciative approach to problem-solving in the academic and practice setting, including innovative thinking, problem solving and justifying realistic solutions.
• Competence in contributing to a professional knowledge and evidence base through the selection, justification and application of ethically sound research design and the identification of effective dissemination strategies.
• Enhanced professional reasoning skills in relation to the relevance and value of occupation and occupational therapy within multi-disciplinary/professional teams.

Professional Practical Skills:

• Professional values and behaviours in keeping with professional body/regulator expectations, including the ‘Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics (RCOT 2021) and ‘Guidance on conduct and ethics for students’ (HCPC, 2016).
• Effective and appropriate collaborative working practices and relationships with users of services, multi and interdisciplinary team members and other practice partners.
• Non-discriminatory occupational therapy practice valuing individual, group and community diversity of experience and perspective.
• Competence in assessment methods and techniques to identify occupational needs and in analysing tasks, activities, and occupations as a core professional skill.
• Sound professional reasoning skills in identifying, planning and evaluating evidence-based interventions for the facilitation of occupational performance and participation.
• Critical evaluation of leadership, service, and quality improvement within occupational therapy practice.
• Application of knowledge of the socio-political and legal environment as it impacts upon health, wellbeing, and occupation within the practice context of individuals, groups, and communities.

Transferable/Key Skills:

• A creative and innovative approach to problem-solving in the academic and practice environment, including the application of enterprise and entrepreneurship within the context of health and social care.
• Active engagement in continuing personal and professional development underpinned by critical reflection and a commitment to lifelong self-directed learning.
• Enhanced communication skills in the academic and practice environment to collaborate and work in partnership with other people across a range of settings.
• Effective self-management and an advanced ability to teach, mentor and motivate others, drawing upon fundamental leadership and management skills in identifying methods and strategies for quality improvement.
• Effective and responsible engagement with digital education and practice technologies relevant to changing working environments in diverse health and social care settings.