Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) Edinburgh Napier University

Overview

This innovative  Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) course from  Edinburgh Napier University  is designed for graduates who wish to qualify as an Occupational Therapist, with eligibility for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). It offers an accelerated two-year route of study.

This unique MSc (pre-registration) Occupational Therapy degree programme best prepares you as a future occupational therapist to work effectively within the complex and rapidly evolving environment of health and social care. 

Edinburgh and its surrounding areas have been a significant location for occupational therapy professional development over the past century. During the First World War, our Craiglockhart campus was a military psychiatric hospital for officers suffering from ‘shell shock’. The internationally renowned War Poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen were patients there. The hospital was known for its ‘work cure’, elements of which can be traced to the development of occupational therapy as we know it today. The embryonic profession of occupational therapy was later established at the Astley Ainslie Hospital and the Council Meeting of the first ‘World Federation of Occupational Therapists’ was held in Edinburgh in 1954 and again in 1992.  At Edinburgh Napier University we aim to continue this tradition of occupational therapy professional development.

Edinburgh Napier University is recognised as a University that is professional, ambitious, innovative, and inclusive, values that are embedded into the teaching of the programme. 

Course details

From the beginning of the programme, you will undertake discipline specific modules where you will develop your Occupational Therapy knowledge and skills.  This will include research modules, where the theoretical content and methods are considered within the context of occupational therapy, with an opportunity to apply this knowledge to the profession through the dissertation module. 

One of the unique benefits of this programme is that you will be able to participate in shared aspects of learning with inter-disciplinary students.  This will allow you to develop a deeper understanding of the roles of others and enhance your skills in communication and partnership working.

In the final term of each year of the programme you will undertake two periods of assessed practice in work settings (practice placements*), and you will undertake preparation for your first placement (preparation for practice) throughout the term 2 of the first year of study. 

Careers 

This degree is the beginning of a lifelong career where you can continue to gain skills, specialise in an area of interest, or pursue advanced degrees such as a doctorate.  Occupational therapists can work in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, schools, nursing homes, and clients' homes, adapting their interventions to meet the specific needs of each client.