Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is one of the health professions most clearly centred on what matters to people as individuals. It starts from the observation that being able to do the things we need and want to do, whether that is cooking a meal, returning to work, managing personal care, or engaging in hobbies, is fundamental to health and wellbeing. Occupational therapists work with people across the lifespan who are living with physical, mental health, neurological, or developmental conditions, helping them to find ways to engage in the occupations that are meaningful to them.

They take a whole-person approach, considering not just the condition but the person's environment, relationships, and goals.

At the University of Gloucestershire, this three-year full-time degree prepares you for registration as an occupational therapist and equips you to work across a wide range of settings. You will study the theoretical foundations of the profession alongside the clinical skills needed to assess, plan, and implement therapeutic interventions. Practice placements are a central component of the programme, giving you supervised clinical experience in real healthcare and community settings throughout the course and allowing you to develop the professional competence and reflective practice that the role demands.

You will engage with conditions ranging from stroke and physical disability to mental health and learning difficulties, building a broad and flexible professional skill set.

Occupational therapy graduates are eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council, which is required to practise in the UK. Employment opportunities span the NHS, social care, community health services, schools, prisons, charities, and private healthcare. Occupational therapists work in hospitals and rehabilitation units, in people's homes, in mental health services, and in workplace health.

The profession is projected to remain in significant demand as the population ages and the importance of early intervention and community-based support continues to grow. Postgraduate study offers routes into specialist clinical areas, research, or leadership and management within health and social care.