Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is a health profession concerned with enabling people to engage in the activities, or occupations, that are meaningful to them. The central insight of the profession is that purposeful activity is both an expression of health and wellbeing and a means of maintaining and restoring it: when illness, injury, disability, or mental health difficulties prevent people from doing the things that matter to them, an occupational therapist works to understand those difficulties and to find practical, creative, and evidence-based ways to help people participate more fully in daily life. The profession works with people across the entire lifespan in a wide range of settings including hospitals, community services, schools, mental health teams, and residential care.

At Glasgow Caledonian University, this four-year full-time programme leads to registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as a qualified occupational therapist. The programme is built around a combination of academic study and extensive clinical placement, developing your understanding of how everyday activities impact health and wellbeing and how you can help people improve their lives. You will study the theory and practice of occupational therapy, including occupational science, human development, anatomy and physiology, mental health, neurology, and the evidence base for different occupational therapy interventions.

Clinical placements are integrated throughout the programme, placing you in real healthcare environments where you develop your skills under the supervision of qualified occupational therapists.

A typical entry tariff of 168 points reflects the professional demands of entry to a regulated healthcare profession.

Graduates register with the HCPC and work in NHS and social care settings, in mental health services, with children and young people, in community rehabilitation, and in specialist settings including forensic care, palliative care, and vocational rehabilitation. The profession offers a clear structure for career development, and many occupational therapists go on to specialised roles and advanced practice, or postgraduate study in related healthcare fields.