Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) City St George's, University of London

Overview

Accidents, illness, disability, mental health issues and ageing affect millions of people all over the world, making it harder for them to do everyday activities, including education, work, leisure or caring for themselves. By working with service users, for example, teaching them new ways to do things, identifying specialist equipment and assistive technology, or making changes in their environment, occupational therapists enable people with a diverse range of needs to live a better life and do what matters most to them.

On our Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) course at City St George's, University of London, learning is very much hands-on, developing your communication skills and preparing you for practice initially in simulated environments, including our dedicated Art of Living Suite, and subsequently on practice placements in an array of different settings. You’ll deepen your knowledge of the human body and how it works through practical sessions in our anatomy and dissection rooms.

Over the course of two years, you will spend 1,000 hours, which is approximately a third of your time on the programme, on placement in and around London in a range of different settings to broaden your experience. These reflect the evolving nature of the profession and may include a wide variety of settings, for example, acute trusts, community settings, schools, local authorities, social enterprises, charities, and non-traditional placements.

Career

Career prospects are excellent with opportunities for career progression within the NHS and other settings through professional practice and development into Senior Occupational Therapist and Advanced Practitioner roles, as well as progression into management, education and training, or academic career pathways. 

If you are an EU or non-EU (international) applicant, you should check with the professional registration body in your country to ensure that you will be eligible to practise there. 

As well as working with individual patients and their families, you could also work with groups and communities, or as part of a multidisciplinary team in hospitals, clinics, charities, prisons and social services departments. As you gain experience, you may opt to specialise in a particular area of practice such as mental health, hand therapy, elderly care or paediatrics. The skills you’ll develop could lend themselves to new emerging roles too, such as working with asylum seekers or refugees, the police or the fire services. 

Accreditation

Soon to be accredited by the  Health & Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and Royal College of Occupational Therapists.