Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy is a healthcare profession that helps people whose ability to engage in the activities that matter to them has been affected by illness, injury, disability, or mental health challenges. The underlying principle is that meaningful activity, or occupation in the professional sense, is central to human health and wellbeing. When people lose the ability to do the things they need, want, or are expected to do, occupational therapists work with them to restore, develop, or adapt that capacity.

The profession works across a remarkable range of settings, from acute hospital wards and community rehabilitation to schools, prisons, mental health services, and workplaces.

At Swansea University, this three-year full-time programme equips you with the expertise to begin your career in this diverse and rewarding profession. You will build the knowledge, skills, and experience to become a compassionate and work-ready practitioner who understands the power of meaningful activity to transform lives. The curriculum covers the theoretical and scientific foundations of occupational therapy, including anatomy and physiology, psychology and mental health, social determinants of health, and the models and frameworks that guide OT assessment and intervention.

Clinical placements are integral to the programme, taking you into a range of practice settings in Wales and beyond where you develop your clinical skills under the supervision of qualified occupational therapists.

Swansea's programme leads to eligibility for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council, the regulatory body for occupational therapists in the UK. The combination of academic rigour and clinical preparation ensures that graduates are ready to practice from the moment of registration.

Graduates work in NHS hospitals, community health services, mental health trusts, local authority social care, schools, private practice, and the voluntary sector. Some go on to specialist roles in neurological rehabilitation, paediatrics, or mental health, or to postgraduate study in occupational science or allied health research.