You will develop your professional practice through work-based learning, with a particular focus on the values and behaviours expected of Assistant Practitioners, which include compassion and commitment. You will study one day a week in the classroom, as well as developing your skills and behaviours within the workplace. The subjects that you will cover include anatomy and physiology, psychology and sociology, leadership and management, risk management as well as undertaking professional practice modules based over a two-year period. You will be assessed via a variety of techniques including presentations, essays and professional discussions.

The course is taught in the University Centre in our Winter Gardens Campus and sessions will occasionally also take place in our new Health and Active Living Skills Centre at Loxton Campus.

All of the modules on this course are compulsory. Successful completion of all of the modules in the first year is worth 120 credits at Level 4 and equivalent to a Certificate of Higher Education. Successful completion of the second year is also worth 120 credits and will lead to the award of the Level 5 Foundation Degree

Year 1

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Developing your Clinical Practice in Occupational Therapy
• Communication for Practice
• Psychology and Sociology of Health
• The Management of Risk for Occupational Therapy

Year 2

• Developing your Clinical Practice in Occupational Therapy
• Methods of Enquiry
• Occupational Case Study
• Principles of Leadership and Management
• The Principles of Professional Assessment in Occupational Therapy
• Professional Development

This course is taught via a combination of lectures, seminars, skills practice, presentations, case studies, group workshops and work-based practice. UCW’s Higher Education academic development team also deliver a series of sessions on degree-level research and academic writing to all first-year students. When not in scheduled lecturers and seminars, students are expected to continue learning through independent self-study. This involves reading relevant literature, working on individual and group projects, and undertaking research in preparation for coursework and exams.

This programme is uses a combination of written, presentation, discussions and work placement diaries (PAD document) to assess you skills and knowledge as you progress through the programme.

Programme specification