Advanced Occupational Therapy MSc

Course Content

• Course Details

  The development of this advanced professional thinking throughout our Master’s occupational therapy course will be transferable across other skills, thereby empowering practitioners to advance their own professional practice, and contributing to the quality of service provision within contemporary occupational therapy settings.

  The typical structure of the programme:

  • Occupation for Occupational Therapists
  • Embedding Evidence to Enhance Practice
  • Research Methods Philosophy and Design
  • Implementing Innovative Change in Practice
  • Professional Project
  • Contemporary Communities of Practice
  • Leading People in Health and Social Care Organisations (optional module)
  • Comparative Health Systems (optional module)
  • Educating and influencing others in health care (optional module).

  List of modules:

  Please note the modules shown here relate to the academic year 24/25. The modules relating to the academic year 25/26 will be available from June 2025.

  • Stage 1
    • Educating and Influencing Others in Health Care (20 Credits)
      Module code: NURM079

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to provide practitioners with the tools, insights and perspectives to drive innovation within contemporary health and/or social care settings. The module uses active blended learning to promote students? understanding of education and change theory, including how this can be applied to influence practice transformation.
    • Research Methods - Philosophy and Study Design (20 Credits)
      Module code: NURM106

      Status: Designate
      This module is designed to introduce students to a range of research methodologies relevant to health and social care contexts. Students will have the opportunity to explore both qualitative and quantitative methods and to consider how a variety of approaches may impact on the interpretation of research findings for practice.
    • Leading People in Health and Social Care Organisations (20 Credits)
      Module code: NURM108

      Status: Compulsory
      Every health and social care organisation is made up of individuals whose behaviour, individually or collectively will impact on its ability to succeed and develop. This module considers a range of theories, tools and techniques with consideration of contemporary political and social influences, to help students understand and lead people working within health and social care organisations.
    • Occupation for Occupational Therapists (20 Credits)
      Module code: OTHM003

      Status: Compulsory
      The fundamental philosophy of occupational therapy is the use of occupation as a therapeutic tool. This module will enable students to explore, debate and evaluate their understanding and application of the concepts of occupation within a professional and practice contexts.
    • Professional Project (60 Credits)
      Module code: OTHM010

      Status: Compulsory
      The purpose of this module is for the student to acquire appropriate evidence, to critically reflect on the evidence, apply knowledge, concepts, and research techniques to a professional question or problem and make recommendations to improve professional practice. Students are required to identify an area of current practice and to identify potential developments using recognised techniques from health and social care (i.e. audit or evaluation, primary research or systematic review). Where relevant, this project can be tailored to address service/employer priorities. This module develops project specific skills relevant to the method of inquiry selected. The module will develop the student's ability to work independently and to reflect on the subject specific professional practice.
    • Embedding Evidence to Enhance Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: OTHM022

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is to enable practitioners to evaluate the evidence base, knowledge and drivers of their professional practice. Students will evaluate the context of evidence based practice and practice based evidence the scope of their professional development. This development of this advanced professional thinking will be transferable across other skills there by empowering practitioners to advance their own professional practice; contributing to the quality of service provision within contemporary setting.
    • Contemporary Communities of Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: OTHM023

      Status: Compulsory
      This module will enable students to critically evaluate global demographic and social drivers relevant to contemporary communities of practice. Students will explore the value of co-production as part of Person centred practice and evaluate the contribution of their profession to meet the needs of the groups in diverse settings. It aims to equip the student for engagement in the strategic response of the profession to contemporary health and social needs. With a further aim to become skilled in co-produced analysis and evaluation of community needs.
    • Leading Innovative Change in Practice (20 Credits)
      Module code: OTHM027

      Status: Designate
      The purpose of this module is enable students to critically appraise current approaches and research applicable to clinical practice. It will encourage you to reflect on your practice and critically review the effectiveness of outcomes in relation to empowering and enabling the individuals and communities that you are working with.This module will enable you to analyse the changing practice environments and to examine the reasons for and consequences of change. Problem solving and strategic planning to meet and manage change will be fundamental principles underpinning the teaching and learning within this module. Throughout the module you will be encouraged to apply your learning to practice.

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• FAQs

  How will I learn on the Advanced Occupational Therapy Masters?

  The Advanced Occupational Therapy MSc at the University of Northampton has an intake in September each year and takes approximately 12 months to complete full-time.

  Part-time route can be studied up to 4.5 years and therefore tailored to your needs and other commitments.

  You will attend lectures, seminars and workshops, with a period of supported independent study whilst you complete your Professional Project. You will have the support of an allocated supervisor throughout the duration of the course.

  What are the modules on the MSc Advanced Occupational Therapy programme?

  An MSc is 180 credits at level 7. This includes 5 compulsory 20 credit modules, one optional 20 credit module and a professional project of 60 credits.

  • OTHM003 – Occupation for occupational therapists
  • OTHM022 – Embedding evidence to enhance practice
  • OTHM009 – Implementing innovative change in practice
  • OTHM023 – Contemporary communities of practice
  • NURM106– Research methods philosophy and design
  • OTHM010 – Professional Project

  Optional Modules:

  • NURM107 – Comparative Health Systems
  • NURM079 – Educating and influencing others in health care
  • NURM108– Leading people in health and social care organisations

  I am interested in studying the Advanced Occupational Therapy Masters part-time and how can I fit this around working?

  You would complete 1-2 module per term and should complete the course within approximately 2.5 years. The requirement to attend lectures takes into considerations that students are in working practice.

  How will I be assessed?

  A range of assessment strategies are used on our advanced occupational therapy postgraduate course to develop your critical thinking and the way you apply theory to your practice setting. Typical assessment methods include essays, case studies, critical reflections and presentations.

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