Postgraduate Course

MSc Occupational Therapy

(Pre-Registration)

How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Occupational Therapy (Pre-Registration)

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 2 years

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Health and Social Care (School of)

Our MSc Occupational Therapy (pre-registration) programme helps you to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes to enable you to work with clients of all ages who have physical, mental health, learning difficulties, or social challenges to address. If you already have a degree, and have carried out some relevant experience, then this programme could be your route into occupational therapy.

There's never been a better time to train as you can now apply for a £5000 grant that you won't need to pay back! There is also an extra £3000 funding available depending on your personal circumstances. You can find more information about eligibility and how to apply on the HSC Scholarships and Funding page.

This pre-registration course is a two-year accelerated programme which enables you to take advantage of interprofessional learning (IPL), encouraging professionals to learn with and from each other – an understanding that helps to ensure you have the expertise to respond adequately and effectively to the complexity of your clients' needs, and ensures that care is safe, seamless and of a high standard.

Central to the philosophy of our programme is the value attached to ‘occupation' and ‘activity' as a means to achieving the health and wellbeing of individuals, which enhances their quality of life, thus enabling them to achieve their desired goals.

The School of Health and Social Care is proud to work closely with our Service User Reference Group (SURG). SURG is made up of service users, carers, and volunteers who generously share their first-hand experiences of health and social care. We work collaboratively with SURG to design our courses to ensure that we truly are putting the needs of patients and clients at the heart of what we do. SURG are involved as part of our course application processes and often form part of our interview panels. This helps us to be confident that we are selecting the right applicants for the course and their future careers. SURG members also support the delivery of our teaching sessions and research activity, which means you'll benefit from an insight into their lived experiences of living with a diagnosis, health condition, or circumstance. You'll find that not only does your clinical knowledge expand, but your empathy, compassion and ability to advocate develops also.

Placement Opportunities

In order to prepare you for the work-place and enrich your learning, we organise the practice placement education for you with multi-professional health care teams in a wide range of settings. You will gain experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team with people who have physical, mental health, learning difficulties or social needs.

Over a thousand hours will be spent in the practice environment, where you will apply the theory and practice of occupational therapy.

Whilst on placement you will have an educator allocated to you, and contact with a member of the academic team.

Placements encompass a variety of multidisciplinary health and social care settings based within the NHS, the Private Sector, Social Services, Voluntary Organisations and Primary Health Care Services.

If you are already a registered occupational therapist, please see Continuing Professional Development on our Health and Social Care web pages.

The cost of required uniform will be fully covered by the school.

DBS and Occupational Health Checks

This course requires a satisfactory Occupational Health Check and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (including child and adult barred list check) - both of these are organised by the University. Please contact our DBS team or Occupational Health team if you have any questions in relation to these checks.

You will also be required to register for the DBS Update Service (information relating to this service can be found here). You will need to register for this within 30 days of your DBS certificate being issues. The Update Service costs £13 per year, which the University will reimburse. You will need to keep the subscription to this Service active for the duration of your course. If you do not register for the Update Service within 30 days, or your registration lapses, and you later attend placement where this is a requirement, you will have to pay for a new DBS check, which will enable you to sign up to the Update Service. Please contact our DBS team if you have any questions relating to this.

A satisfactory Overseas Criminal Record Check/Local Police Certificate is also required, in addition to a DBS Check, where you have lived outside of the UK in the last 5 years for 6 months or more. Further information about how to obtain an Overseas Criminal Record check can be found on the Gov.uk website.

We continue to recommend Covid and flu vaccination to all of our students. This is to protect both yourself and the vulnerable people that you may meet throughout your placement.

Professional accreditation

Accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) for the purpose of ensuring graduates are fit for the profession.

Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for the purpose of providing eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC as an occupational therapist.

Why we're great.

Develop your practical skills with exclusive use of our dedicated occupational therapy labs.
Our close links with clinicians in practice will strengthen your career prospects.
Learn alongside our students from other health professions, gaining an interdisciplinary perspective.

Our expert staff

A unique feature of our School is that most of our staff work or have worked within clinical practice. This enhances our grasp of the contemporary links between academic research, the major issues of the day and real-life practice.

Occupational Therapy is taught by registered experienced staff with a variety of different backgrounds. We have expertise in the areas of dementia, psychoanalytic thinking ion occupational therapy, acute care, hand therapy, neurological conditions and green care. Specialist guest lecturers additionally lend external expertise to our academic staff. Full details of our staff can be found on our HSC Staff Profiles.

We are delighted to be the first department in the University to have obtained the Athena Swan Silver Award for gender equality. This award recognises initiatives we have in place such as our mentorship system, our additional promotion of flexible work and study options, and our work to recognise the barriers to opportunity for BAME and LGBT members of our community.

Specialist facilities

The School of Health and Social Care is located at two sites; in the Kimmy Eldridge building at our Colchester campus and in the Gateway Building at our Southend campus. This course is based at our Colchester Campus only.

We have purpose-built Simulation Wards and Community Living Spaces at our Colchester Campus to meet the needs of a growing and lively School. View our image gallery and find out more about our Occupational Therapy facilities.

Your future

Successful completion of our MSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy programme leads to eligibility to apply for registration as an occupational therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), which then allows you to practise as an occupational therapist in the UK, and become a professional member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

If you are an international student interested in working outside of the UK we would advise that you check registration procedures with the relevant professional body in that country.

If you are an international student and you have already qualified in your home country as an Occupational Therapist, you may not need to complete this course to work as an Occupational Therapist in the UK. We recommend you contact the HCPC to explore your eligibility to work as a qualified Occupational Therapist in the UK.

“Studying to be an occupational therapist was, in some ways, the most difficult but easiest decision I ever made! At 42 years of age, with a well-paid job and young children, giving up our family security seemed rather risky. Nevertheless, I knew I needed to work with people and do something purposeful, that made a difference."
Susan McGill, MSc Occupational Therapy

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

A 2:2 honours degree in any subject, or international equivalent.

AND

Successful performance at interview
A personal statement, at least 500 words in length
One satisfactory reference (either an academic reference or a work-based reference)

We will also consider applicants with a lower level degree on a case by case basis where the applicant has significant work experience in relevant field (please provide your CV in your application).

Disclosure and Barring Service Checks (DBS)

You must also have a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (including child and adult barred list check) and a Occupational Health Check - both of these are organised by the University.

For this course, you will be required to register for the DBS Update Service (information relating to this service can be found here). You will need to register for this within 30 days of your DBS certificate being issued. The Update Service costs £13 per year, which the University will reimburse. You will need to keep the subscription to this Service active for the duration of your course.

If you do not register for the Update Service within 30 days, or your registration lapses, and you later attend a placement where this is a requirement, you will have to pay for a new DBS check, which will enable you to sign up to the Update Service. Please contact dbs@essex.ac.uk if you have any questions relating to this.”

A satisfactory Overseas Criminal Record Check/Local Police Certificate is also required, in addition to a DBS check, where you have lived outside of the UK in the last 5 years for 6 months or more. Where it is not possible to obtain an Overseas Check a relevant professional reference may be accepted

Interviews

Interviews will be via Zoom, details of which will be provided in advance.

Interviews and offers are made on a first-come-first-served basis until the available number of places are filled. After this, offers will be made for a place on the waiting list.

References

Don't worry if you cannot provide your reference when you make your application, as if we make you an offer you will be able to provide this at a later stage. Your reference should be recent and verifiable, on an official headed document, signed and dated by the referee. If a referee wishes to provide an email reference, it must be sent from the referee’s professional email account.

Continuing Professional Development

If you are already a registered speech and language therapist, please see Continuing Professional Development on our Health and Human Sciences web pages.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Graduate Admissions team at pgquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum component score of 6.5

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Structure

Course structure

Please note that our MSc Occupational Therapy (pre-registration) programme is an intensive two year course based at our Colchester campus.

Postgraduate study is the chance to take your education to the next level. These carefully selected modules will give you the chance to explore, question, and create powerful ideas. Picked to give you an extensive and in-depth education, they'll equip you with the specialist knowledge, vital transferrable skills, and the confidence to make a genuine difference to the world around you.

We're reactive, we're pioneering, we never stand still, so modules might change from year to year in response to new developments and innovation. Those listed below show how a typical course might look, but more detail on course structure, including details of all optional modules, is available on our Programme Specification.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Interprofessional Collaboration and Development

(15 CREDITS)

Complex medical issues can be best addressed when interprofessional teams work together. The aim of this module is to develop your understanding of collaborative working practices by exploring current policy drivers, barriers and opportunities for team working, with the aim of improving patient care.

View Interprofessional Collaboration and Development on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Using Evidence in Health Care Practice

(15 CREDITS)

You will have the opportunity to build on your existing knowledge of research by exploring a variety of methodologies. This will prepare you for your second year of study when you will conduct your own original research project in an area of interest that is relevant to health care practice.

View Using Evidence in Health Care Practice on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

Foundations for Occupational Therapy

(15 CREDITS)

Within this module students will be introduced to the foundations for occupational therapy, studying informing theories and sciences of occupation, and learning core skills for professional practice. Theory and practice will be brought together in enquiry-based learning, developing your understanding of professional practice. Students will attend the EXPLORE practice placement as consolidation of the module.

View Foundations for Occupational Therapy on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Occupational performance and process

(15 CREDITS)

This module focuses on the performance of occupation, investigating how the occupational therapy process is adapted in response to professional reasoning about the experiences of people using health and social care services.

View Occupational performance and process on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: CORE

Practice Placement Two: INITIATE

(15 CREDITS)

This placement requires active participation in practice; initiating elements of the occupational therapy process and sharing your professional reasoning at each stage. Your reasoning will involve thinking critically about the different aspects of practice and the knowledge and evidence which informs your practice. You will use reflection to develop awareness of yourself as a practitioner and identify areas for further learning. You will initiate interactions with other team members and those involved in this setting, based on the understanding of the contexts for practice. You will demonstrate your learning as you progress through the placement and summarise your achievements using a continuing professional development activity which has been agreed and negotiated with your educator.

View Practice Placement Two: INITIATE on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: CORE

Advancing Professional Practice in Occupational Therapy

(15 CREDITS)

This module focuses on the informed and skilled use of occupation as a therapeutic medium to transform lives of individuals, groups and communities.

View Advancing Professional Practice in Occupational Therapy on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 01: CORE

Research Activity

(30 CREDITS)

The aim of this module is to further advance your research and problem solving skills enabling you to carry out your own research in your future practice. This will involve the critical appraisal of research from a variety of sources to inform your own practice.

View Research Activity on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE

Mastering Occupation

(15 CREDITS)

This module focuses on the theories which inform occupational therapy, aiming for a deep critical investigation of their relevance for, and application to, contemporary practice. This module has been designed to enable students to integrate their subject knowledge with an understanding of sustainable development, acquiring the skills and competencies essential for addressing the urgent sustainability challenges of the 21st century.

View Mastering Occupation on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 03: CORE

The thinking therapist

(15 CREDITS)

This module focuses on a thinking therapist, who can evaluate and synthesise diverse experiences and sources of information, to lead innovations in occupational therapy and sustain continuing professional development.

View The thinking therapist on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Practice Placement Four: MANAGE

(15 CREDITS)

This final ten week placement will require you to manage your own learning under supervision, fully engaging with the practice setting and its broader context. You will be required to demonstrate evidence of competent practice and readiness for transition from student to therapist. This placement requires demonstration of a highly professional level of skills and the use of critical evaluation and reflection to continually develop practice from a robust evidence base. You will be required to share your knowledge and skills.

View Practice Placement Four: MANAGE on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: CORE

Practice Placement Three: LEAD

(15 CREDITS)

This eight week placement will offer the opportunity for leadership, where you will demonstrate your practice based on decisions about how you work, using the best evidence, knowledge and understanding of the setting. This placement requires the development of innovative and creative ideas for practice based on sound theories. You will identify an issue arising from the context, generate and evaluate solutions and apply one as a practice innovation. You will also have the opportunity to discover quality monitoring processes and the implications of these in practice.

View Practice Placement Three: LEAD on our Module Directory

Teaching

Occupational Therapy students generally have 20 hours of teaching time per week, split across four days. You may be timetabled within the Autumn term to attend mandatory training in addition to the four days. On placement, Occupational Therapy students will be expected to commit to 5 days per week, Monday- Friday and within office hours (e.g. between 8am-6pm).

Teaching staff include clinically qualified lecturers in adult and mental health nursing, physiotherapy and pharmacy, as well as health psychologists, medical sociologists, social policy, informatics and management specialists
The multidisciplinary nature of our School and its rapid growth has fostered a dynamic and innovative learning environment
Half of your study time is spent on the University campus and half working in clinical settings – for example, a ward, a health centre, in clients' homes

Assessment

You are assessed through coursework, presentations, essays, case studies/portfolios, reflective accounts, OSCEs, examinations and direct observation of practice by the mentor in clinical settings
You also conduct a research dissertation

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,250 per year

For more information about fees and funding for our pre-registration postgraduate courses, please visit our department pages.

International fee

£23,500 per year

For more information about fees and funding for our pre-registration postgraduate courses, please visit our department pages.

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Masters fees and funding information

Research (e.g. PhD) fees and funding information

What's next

We hold Open Days for all our applicants throughout the year. Our Colchester Campus events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex, and give you the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

If the dates of our organised events aren’t suitable for you, feel free to get in touch by emailing tours@essex.ac.uk and we’ll arrange an individual campus tour for you.

You can apply for this postgraduate course online. Before you apply, please check our information about necessary documents that we'll ask you to provide as part of your application. If we are able to offer you a place, you will be contacted via email.

A sunny day with banners flying on Colchester Campus Square 4.

Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

Find out more

View from Square 2 outside the Rab Butler Building looking towards Square 3

If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tour allows you to explore the Colchester Campus from the comfort of your home. Check out our accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

Find out more

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.