MSc Occupational Therapy (pre-registration)
Imagine the satisfaction of helping people reach their true potential, take control of their lives and participate fully in the world around them. With an MSc Occupational Therapy from GCU, that’s exactly what you’ll do. Occupational therapists are skilled professionals who help people of all ages to carry out activities made difficult by physical or mental illness, disability or ageing.
Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council and accredited by both the College of Occupational Therapists and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, our programme will broaden your experience and give you new insight into caring for patients.
As a graduate of any discipline, you can get a world-class education in occupational therapy with an internationally recognised curriculum. Train in both theory and practice, and prepare to contribute to the common good while also making a positive impact on your future career.
You’ll benefit from the friendly, open and diverse community at GCU – and gain experience in the inter-professional nature of the field by learning side by side with students in physiotherapy, dietetic, nursing and social work.
Graduate prospects
When you graduate from GCU, you’ll be eligible to apply for registration as an occupational therapist with the UK’s Health and Care Professions Council – and you’ll be ready to make a meaningful difference.
Our shared commitment to social responsibility is evident in our international network of alumni, who work with disadvantaged and marginalised groups around the world in hospitals, community settings, charitable organisations and private practice.
Download the Programme Specification for a detailed breakdown of its structure, what you will learn and other useful information.
Typical entry requirements
We welcome applicants with a first degree in any discipline. All applicants will be considered on their individual merits and academic preparedness for this course, however there are two identified entry routes to the course:Route 1: Direct entry. Prospective applicants should normally be expected to possess:
- A recent (in the last five years) first class or upper second honours degree or equivalent (for graduates of non-UK institutions).
Route 2: Entry via pre-entry module – Research Methods.
It is recognised that applicants bring a range of valuable academic and experiential learning when applying for entry to the course and, at times, applicants may fall short of the above requirements.
Therefore, a second entry route to the course, which may require completion of the pre-entry module, is available for applicants who:
- Have not studied in the last five years
- Have a lower second or third class honours degree (or equivalent)
- Have an unclassified degree with relevant work experience
- For applicants who do not have satisfactory knowledge of the research process and research methods
English language
IELTS score of 7.0 (or equivalent) with no element below 6.5.
Additional Information
Other academic and vocational qualifications
Each application to GCU is considered on an individual basis. If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning scheme.
International pathways
The tuition fees you pay are mostly determined by your fee status. What is my student fee status?
Annual tuition fees 2020/21
Home: £7,000
RUK: £7,000
EU: £7,000
International: £15,500
Annual tuition fees 2021/22
Home: £7,000
RUK: £7,000
EU and International: £15,500
Fees are subject to change and published here for guidance only.
Additional costs for Scottish domiciled students
If you are a Scottish domiciled student, you will not need to pay for PVG checks, occupational health checks and uniforms. However, while on practice education placements, you will need to meet any additional costs for accommodation and travel. You may be able to apply to SAAS for additional expense support to help meet these costs. Check out the SAAS Nursing and Midwifery student placement expenses claim and Allied Health Professions student placement expenses claim forms.
Additional costs for all other students (rest of UK, EU and International)
During this course, you will be required to cover the cost of:
- Uniforms, approximately £15 each. The number of uniforms you require depends on the duration of your course and can range from two to four.
- Occupational health checks and vaccination set fee of £220.
- Membership of Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. New applications cost £59. Updates to the existing scheme record cost £18.
Invoices will be issued by the University for payment of all of the above additional costs in Trimester B (March/April) of the first year of your programme.
- Potential accommodation and additional travel costs during practice education placements
Additional costs
As a student at the University, there are additional fees and costs which may or may not apply to you, but that you should be aware of.
Scholarships
We provide high-quality education for a fair price; as the University for the Common Good, we are committed to offering accessible higher education for talented students by keeping our tuition fees low and providing a generous scholarship package of £2 million per year.
This course features a mix of assessment and exams.
We use a wide variety of interesting and challenging assessment methods to help you to develop personally, whilst simultaneously developing your knowledge and understanding of topics integral to occupational therapy practice.
The learning and teaching methods we use ensure that our programme is both vocationally relevant and academically challenging. Our approach is student-centred, practical, participative and relevant to the needs of employers.
We've moved away from the traditional teacher-centric learning to a more independent learning approach, where you are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills.