Occupational Therapy with Foundation Year

Occupational therapy is a health profession rooted in the idea that meaningful activity is fundamental to human wellbeing. Occupational therapists help people of all ages to develop, recover, or maintain the skills they need for daily living and working, whether those challenges arise from physical disability, mental illness, developmental conditions, or the effects of ageing or injury. The profession draws on anatomy, psychology, sociology, and the science of human occupation to design interventions that are practical, person-centred, and effective.

At Keele University this four-year full-time degree is accredited and approved by the relevant professional bodies, ensuring that graduates are eligible for registration as occupational therapists. The programme begins with a foundation year providing additional academic preparation for those who need it before progressing to the main degree. Throughout your studies you will combine innovative teaching with hands-on practice-based experience in Keele's cutting-edge facilities, developing the clinical reasoning, therapeutic skills, and professional values that the role demands.

You will learn to assess how meaningful occupation contributes to physical and mental health and wellbeing, and to design and implement interventions that support people in achieving greater independence and quality of life. Placements in a variety of NHS and community settings give you direct experience of the profession's breadth.

Graduates register with the Health and Care Professions Council and go on to work across NHS trusts, social care, mental health services, paediatric settings, schools, housing organisations, and private practice. Occupational therapy is a profession with a wide reach: the same core skills apply whether you are working with a child with a developmental disorder, an adult recovering from a stroke, or an older person living with dementia. Many graduates develop specialisms and go on to advanced clinical practice or leadership roles, while postgraduate study in occupational therapy or rehabilitation science supports those who wish to deepen their expertise.