Occupational Therapy (BSc)

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 experience, skills and knowledge that you as an individual bring to the learning environment. The programme will facilitate your personal and professional development by providing a collaborative, learner-centred environment that encourages self-direction, promotes life-long learning and fosters creative and critical thinking.

The curriculum is delivered through problem-based learning (PBL) and appreciative inquiry (AI); innovative, evidence-based approaches to learning that are consistent with the need to promote active, student-directed learning with a real-world focus and application.

Throughout much of the programme, you will work in tutorial groups to identify and investigate issues relevant to occupation and occupational therapy based on purposefully-designed, creative trigger material that stimulates and inspires learning.  Collaborative learning in the academic environment encourages the development of professional communication and team-working skills and therefore underpins and enhances the learning which occurs during practice placement. Traditional face-to-face learning strategies such as lectures, workshops and seminars will be complemented by interactive online opportunities and resources designed to enhance your overall learning experience and enable you to acquire the knowledge, skills and capabilities that are a requirement of contemporary occupational therapy practice.

Though the majority of practical skills teaching occurs within the practice placement elements of the programme, 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 e.g. manual handling, splinting, interviewing skills etc. are facilitated by both academic staff and visiting lecturers who are practising occupational therapists.  You are also afforded valuable opportunities to learn from the authentic voices of service users and carers who contribute to the programme as experts by experience.
This programme offers elements of provision through the medium of Welsh.

How will I be supported?

You are allocated a personal tutor who is a member of the academic staff group and a qualified occupational therapist.  You will be encouraged to arrange 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 (see Student Handbook for further information).  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 second year of the programme you will be allocated an academic supervisor who will support you in designing and undertaking a small-scale research project and in producing your final-year dissertation.  

During periods of practice placement you will be supported by a named practice educator who has received guidance and/or formal training and accreditation (e.g. under the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ APPLE scheme) in relation to facilitating student learning and assessment.  You will also be assigned a named contact from the 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 and 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. 

How will I be assessed?

Assessment of academic and professional competencies is essential in ensuring that you meet the regulatory standards and entry-level profile of an occupational therapist and that they are fit for practice.  The curriculum incorporates a diverse and creative range of assessment strategies and methods which are reflective of an inclusive, learner-centred approach and aligned to the intended learning outcomes of the programme. 

Each module within the programme incorporates formative assessment and feedback which does not contribute to progression or degree classification decisions but, rather, is designed to support your learning and to assist you in identifying your own strengths and areas for development.  Examples of methods of formative assessment include reflective discussions and written pieces, group and individual presentations, quizzes, debate, simulated and practical tasks. 

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, 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 others.

Feedback

Formative assessment and feedback prepares you for summative assessment which is formally marked and therefore contributes to progression or degree classification decisions.  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 any areas for further development.  Feedback on assessments will be timely, and will be provided to you within 20 working days of the submission deadline.  Examples of summative assessment methods within the programme include forms of coursework, individual presentations and projects and a final-year dissertation.

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:

Knowledge & Understanding:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• A comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the philosophical and theoretical concepts that underpin and inform occupational therapy practice; principally occupational science, the occupational nature of human beings and the impact of occupation on health and wellbeing.
• A sound recognition of the fundamentals of human anatomy, physiology, psychology and sociology that underpin and impact upon occupational performance and participation across the life span, including the nature and meaning of disruption.
• A critical appreciation of the unique, occupation-focused contribution of the profession within a range of practice contexts, to include traditional and newly-emerging areas of occupational therapy service provision for individuals, groups and communities.
• An informed awareness of the social, economic and political dimensions of human occupation and their relevance to occupational therapy service provision, including an understanding of health and social care organisations as complex adaptive systems.
• An in-depth understanding of the core principles and values that underpin collaborative practice in health and social care, including an awareness of the role and contribution of other professionals in ensuring the provision of high-quality, person-centred services. 
• A sound appreciation of regulatory and professional body standards concerning continuing professional development, leadership research and evidence-based practice as relevant to the development, delivery and evaluation of occupational therapy services.

Intellectual Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• Proficiency in the selection, analysis, synthesis and critical evaluation of information from a wide range of sources, drawing logical and reasoned conclusions in the formation of sound decisions and professional judgements.
• A creative and appreciative approach to problem-solving in the academic and practice setting, including imaginative thinking and the development of innovative solutions and ideas.
• Competence in contributing to a professional knowledge-base through the selection, justification and application of ethically-sound research design and methods and the identification of effective dissemination strategies.
• Enhanced professional reasoning skills, including the ability to engage in cogent debate in relation to the relevance and value of occupation and occupational therapy.
• Effective use of reflection and reflexivity as tools to enable critical review and transformation of personal, professional and wider organisational values and practice. 

Professional Practical Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• Established professional values and behaviours in keeping with professional body expectations, including the ‘Code of ethics and professional conduct’ (COT, 2015), ‘Professional standards for occupational therapy practice’ (COT, 2017) and ‘Guidance on conduct and ethics for students’ (HCPC, 2016).
• Effective and appropriate collaborative working practices with users of services, other team members and partners, drawing upon enabling, empowering and consultative approaches and valuing diversity of experience and perspective.
• Competence in employing a broad range of standardised and non-standardised 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 and planning appropriate, evidence-based interventions for the facilitation of occupational performance and participation, respecting the rights, needs and preferences of the individuals and/or groups involved.
• Flexibility in modifying and adapting plans in accordance with the changing needs and priorities of users and services, reflecting upon and evaluating the impact of occupational therapy and identifying appropriate methods to measure occupational outcomes. 
• Critical review and application of methods and strategies for service evaluation and quality improvement within occupational therapy, synthesising professional philosophy to justify the involvement of users and carers in effecting meaningful change.
• Effective prioritisation and management of time, working within given resources throughout the problem solving process and assuming leadership, responsibility and accountability for management and development of self and others.
• A critically-evaluative approach to the socio-political environment as it impacts upon health, wellbeing and occupation within the practice context, analysing relevant local, national and global legislation and policies to inform professionally-reasoned decisions and actions.
• Accurate record-keeping, including competence in producing and reviewing a range of documentation and communications related to occupational therapy practice in a specific context to ensure that they effectively convey and justify professional actions and intervention outcomes.
• Advocacy and advisory skills to inform health and social care policy and practice, including a proactive approach to promoting and protecting the health and wellbeing of individuals, groups and communities and preventing ill health. 

Transferable/Key Skills:

On successful completion of the Programme you will be able to demonstrate:

• 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 others across a range of sectors, build therapeutic and professional relationships and effectively articulate personal and professional abilities. 
• 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 a range of digital technologies to communicate and collaborate with others and in relation to the retrieval, creation and critical evaluation of information. 
• Application of the core professional beliefs and values of occupational therapy as they are aligned to the principles of social and environmental sustainability and contribute to ethically-responsible health and social care provision.