Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is a registered allied health profession based on the principle that engagement in meaningful activity is fundamental to human health, identity, and quality of life. Occupational therapists work with people whose ability to engage in the activities that matter to them has been disrupted by physical illness or injury, mental health difficulties, learning disability, cognitive impairment, or the effects of ageing, helping them to find ways to live as fully and independently as possible. The profession draws on neuroscience, psychology, sociology, and human development alongside clinical and practical knowledge, requiring practitioners who can think creatively and collaboratively across the full complexity of individual human lives.

At the University of Plymouth, this four-year full-time degree develops both the academic knowledge and the clinical skills required for professional registration. You will study human occupation across the lifespan, the theoretical frameworks of occupational therapy practice, anatomy and physiology, mental health, physical health conditions, assessment and intervention methods, and the professional and ethical dimensions of working in multidisciplinary teams. Supervised practice placements are central to the programme, providing experience of occupational therapy across a range of settings including hospitals, community services, mental health services, and social care, and developing the practical competence and professional judgement that employers and the regulator require.

You will develop inter-professional working skills by collaborating with colleagues from other health and social care disciplines, reflecting the reality of contemporary practice.

Graduates register with the Health and Care Professions Council and work as occupational therapists across NHS acute and community services, mental health services, social care, the voluntary sector, private practice, and specialist settings. The profession offers a deeply rewarding career with consistently strong employment prospects, reflecting the central importance of occupation to human wellbeing. Career progression leads to specialist clinical roles, advanced practice, management, education, and research.

Many occupational therapists continue to postgraduate study to develop specialist expertise or to pursue academic careers in occupational therapy or related fields.