BSc Occupational therapy at University of Essex

In a nutshell, occupational therapy is about therapeutically enabling  people with physical, mental, social and occupational challenges to do everyday activities and to lead fulfilling lives.

There’s no one-size-fits-all definition of what this can entail though, and that’s part of what makes it such a satisfying career.  You could work in a diverse range of settings including: hospitals, clinics, prisons, hospices, care farms, supported accommodation, charitable organisations, government departments, schools… and the list goes on.

Here at Essex, you’ll learn about the relationship between occupational engagement and health and well-being.  This will inform how occupation can be used therapeutically to enable people to lead full and satisfying lives.

When you choose to study with us, you'll gain more than just a qualification.  You'll be part of our learning community, and we've got plenty to offer. 

Why study here?

• Gain hands-on experience in a range of professional settings through practice placements.
• Our close links with practice educators will strengthen your career prospects.
• Small class sizes enable strong working relationships between students and experienced staff.

Our BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy course helps you to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes to enable you to work with clients of all ages who have physical, mental health or learning difficulties.

This three-year programme enables you to take advantage of interprofessional learning (IPL), encouraging professionals to learn with and from one another - 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.

We combine a number of teaching styles such as lectures, seminars, enquiry-based and blended learning, as well as enabling you to undertake practice placements in the workplace. The use of peer support and self-directed learning enables you to take control of the learning experience and manage your development of knowledge and skills.

Successful completion of this course provides you with an opportunity to access a professional qualification in occupational therapy.

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

Specialist facilities

Within our School of Health and Human Sciences, we have a range of specialist clinical laboratories and IT facilities to assist you with the effective learning and acquisition of new skills. For students of our BSc Occupational Therapy, we have a specialist lab at our Colchester Campus which provides you with access to relevant equipment and facilities within supported environments to further develop your skills in helping people in the home.

We also arrange off-site visits to specialist external facilities to assist in your learning, and offer excellent physical and online resources in terms of libraries, computer labs, datasets, archives and other research materials.

Our student-run Occupational Therapy Society is also involved in many internal and external events.