Occupational Therapy with Foundation Year

Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information.

Course summary

- Develop your understanding of the role of occupation for health and wellbeing.

- Explore how occupational engagement is shaped environmentally and personally.

- Deliver person-centred occupational therapy inclusively and collaboratively.

- Apply your learning in a range of stimulating practice-based placements.

- Employ creative adaptations of everyday activities to enhance health, wellbeing and quality of life.

Aligned with professional and ethical standards, this course trains you as an occupational therapist who meets the contemporary needs of diverse populations. You’ll support people to take part in what they want, need, and are expected to do – modifying occupation and environment to maximise health and wellbeing. You’ll connect with their lived experiences, collaborating to enhance occupational performance and recommend meaningful activities.

How you learn

Our course is designed around a set of key principles, enabling you to engage with the world and collaborate with others. We’ll challenge you to think in new ways and provide you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

Teaching and learning is enriched by research, meaning you’ll develop research and inquiry skills over the programme. You’ll be supported to develop academically and professionally throughout the course, building your learning, assessment and practice skills.

You’ll also have opportunities to learn with other health and social care students, understanding how to work collaboratively with other professions. We’ll provide you with the knowledge, skills and values to enhance your employability so you’ll be ready for future practice.

Key Themes

The curriculum is designed to scaffold and develop your knowledge, skills and confidence as you progress through the course.

In your first year you’ll build a strong knowledge base of occupational therapy. In your second year you’ll be able to apply your learning to practice-based learning experiences while embracing more complexity and criticality. Then in your final year you’ll advance into practice and prepare to work as a colleague.

Applied learning

Live Projects

You’ll apply the theory you study to practice-based learning experiences. These will help you to develop critical and ethical approaches to your practice, preparing you to become a life-long, competent professional. These experiences are compulsory to achieve the course’s practice-based learning outcomes. They’ll help you build your skills, confidence, creativity, resilience, integrity and curiosity.

You’ll have a range of experiences linked to the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ pillars of practice: professional practice, facilitation of learning, leadership and evidence, research and development. These will prepare you to be a confident practitioner.

Work Placements

You’ll have mandatory placements at all levels of study. They’ll take place in various practice-based learning environments, reflecting the diverse ways occupational therapy services are currently delivered. This might include blended learning experiences, real-world experiences of services delivered face-to-face to service users, and be connected to the aforementioned pillars of practice.

We’ll ensure that the practice-based learning element of your course complies with the requirements of the Professional and Statutory Regulatory Body (PSRB) governing the occupational therapy profession. By the end of your course, you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate that you meet the requirements to register as an occupational therapist.