Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is a healthcare profession concerned with enabling people to participate in the activities that are meaningful and necessary in their daily lives, despite the challenges posed by physical, mental health, developmental, or social conditions. Occupational therapists work with children and adults across a wide range of settings, from acute hospitals and rehabilitation units to community services, schools, and people's own homes, helping them to develop, recover, or maintain the skills needed for everyday living. The profession is founded on the belief that occupation, purposeful and meaningful activity, is central to health and wellbeing.

At Leeds Beckett University, this three-year full-time programme develops your problem-solving and practical skills through a combination of academic teaching, group work, and 1,000 hours of placement experience in a variety of health and social care settings. The programme also incorporates a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study or complete a placement in another country and to encounter occupational therapy practice in a different cultural and healthcare context. The extensive placement hours are fundamental to occupational therapy education: the profession cannot be learned without sustained experience of working with real people in real practice environments under professional supervision.

You will study the theory and practice of occupational therapy, human anatomy and physiology, the psychological and social dimensions of health and disability, and the legal and ethical frameworks that govern professional practice.

Graduates who meet the required standards are eligible to register with the Health and Care Professions Council as occupational therapists. Career pathways include physical rehabilitation, mental health, paediatrics, older adults, community services, and specialist practice areas. Occupational therapy is a growing profession with a shortage of qualified practitioners in many areas, giving graduates good employment prospects.

Many continue to postgraduate study for specialist qualifications.