Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is founded on the understanding that engagement in meaningful activity is fundamental to health and wellbeing. When illness, injury, disability, or the challenges of ageing prevent people from participating in the occupations that give their lives structure and purpose, occupational therapists work with them to find ways to re-engage, adapt, or discover new routes to a full and independent life. It is a health profession that combines scientific knowledge of the body and the mind with deep personal engagement, requiring practitioners who are curious, flexible, and committed to the people they serve.

At Birmingham Newman University, this three-year full-time BSc prepares you to practise confidently, competently, and safely across a variety of occupational therapy settings. You will develop the knowledge, skills, and professional values needed to rise to the diverse challenges that occupational therapists encounter, working with people across the lifespan in settings ranging from acute hospitals and rehabilitation units to community care, mental health services, and schools. The programme encourages you to show initiative, think critically, and work flexibly, reflecting the reality that occupational therapy often requires creative problem-solving in complex and unpredictable situations.

Clinical placements are central to the degree, giving you supervised professional experience that develops your practice skills alongside your academic knowledge.

Birmingham Newman's values-led educational ethos creates a supportive environment in which professional identity and ethical commitment are developed alongside clinical competence.

Graduates register with the Health and Care Professions Council and go on to work across the NHS, social services, and independent healthcare in a wide range of settings. Many pursue specialist postgraduate training in areas such as hand therapy, neurological rehabilitation, paediatrics, or mental health occupational therapy. The profession offers graduates genuine career diversity and the opportunity to make a direct and lasting difference to people's independence and quality of life.