Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is the health profession concerned with enabling people to participate in the activities of everyday life when illness, disability, injury, mental health conditions, or the effects of ageing make this difficult. Occupational therapists work creatively with individuals to identify barriers to participation, develop therapeutic strategies, and modify environments or approaches so that people can engage in the occupations, the activities, that give their lives meaning and structure. The profession operates across physical health, mental health, learning disability, paediatrics, and older people's services, in hospitals, community settings, and people's own homes.

At Teesside University, this three-year full-time programme prepares you for professional practice as an occupational therapist. You will be introduced to evidence-based practice and the sources of evidence that underpin occupational therapy decision-making, including primary and secondary research, clinical guidelines, and service evaluations. You will develop skills in formulating focused clinical questions, designing search strategies, and critically appraising the literature, alongside the therapeutic reasoning, communication, and practical skills that effective occupational therapy requires.

Clinical placements are integrated throughout the programme, giving you direct experience of working with clients in a range of settings and developing the professional judgement and interpersonal skills that the role demands.

Graduates are eligible to register with the Health and Care Professions Council as occupational therapists, which is required for practice in the UK. Employment opportunities are available across the NHS, social services, independent healthcare, schools, prisons, and the voluntary sector. Many occupational therapists go on to develop specialist expertise in areas such as mental health, neurological rehabilitation, paediatrics, or hand therapy, and postgraduate study in advanced clinical practice or occupational therapy research supports career progression into senior and leadership roles.