Professional Development in Occupational Therapy - MSc

2023/24 Part-time Postgraduate course

Award:

Master of Science

Faculty:

Faculty of Life and Health Sciences

School:

School of Health Sciences

eLearning:

This course is taught online so you can study where you want, when you want.

Start dates:

September 2023

January 2024

Overview

This online course will enable occupational therapy graduates to enhance their professional development and global employability.

Summary

This course, for qualified occupational therapists, will enhance your knowledge so you can confidently step forward in your career and continue to provide healthcare to the highest standards. Taught exclusively online, you can study from anywhere in the world, at any time, so you can fit your learning around your current professional and personal life.

The course modules are varied giving you a wide knowledge base and helping to spark interest for future development. They include Entrepreneurial Leadership for those interested in managing new ventures within the health and social care sector, Professional Development in Practice to develop your leadership skills in preparation for supervision/mentoring roles and Global Healthcare Perspectives tackling the role of occupational therapy in disaster management and reviewing international standards of practice. You will also learn strategies to motivate and empower patients to self manage their conditions as well as developing research skills to inform your future professional practice.

Learning with an international outlook, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with and gain peer support from occupational therapy and physiotherapy colleagues from outside your normal place of work. By adding to your expertise, the course will help you to gain accreditation for CPD purposes and enhance your employability. This course is for you if you want to improve your confidence and enhance the quality of your practice in health and social care services.

We’d love to hear from you!

We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.

Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:

  • Course specific information
  • Fees and Finance
  • Admissions

For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.

For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.

We look forward to hearing from you.

About this course

About

All students have to successfully complete the following 7 compulsory modules for the award of MSc in Professional Development in Occupational Therapy.

Modules (All Credit Level 7)
1. Long Term Conditions (30 Credit Points)
2. Professional Development in Practice (15 Credit Points)
3. Research Evidence in Health Science (15 Credit Points)
4. Global Healthcare Perspectives (30 Credit Points)
5. Entrepreneurial Leadership (15 Credit Points)

6. Research Project Preparation (15 Credit Points)

7. Research Project/Dissertation (60 Credit Points)

The PgDip Professional Development in Occupational Therapy(120 Credits) is an optional exit route after completion of modules 1 to 6.

The PgCert Professional Development in Occupational Therapy (60 Credits) is an optional exit route after completion of modules 1, 2 & 3 or completion of modules 1 & 4.

Global Healthcare Perspectives

This online module explores the diversity of healthcare systems worldwide and the need for capacity building in many countries worldwide. Issues such as the clinical/practice role of occupational therapy and physiotherapy in disasters and catastrophic emergencies, professional body and international standards and quality assurance are explored.

Professional licensure requirements and professional body accreditation are discussed from a global perspective.

Long Term Conditions

This module will enable the student to increase their knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiology process of various long term conditions. Strategies to motivate and empower patients to manage their condition will be explored alongside the role of family and carers. Best practice will be discussed and justified by critical evaluation of literature.

Entrepreneurial Leadership

The module seeks to build the student's awareness of "entrepreneurial leadership" and to provide a framework for engaging with and assessing the viability of an innovative project/new venture or the development of an existing one within the health and social care sector. It aims to give the student insights to the opportunities and challenges associated with establishing and managing the development of a new or existing venture, allowing them to audit their personal, entrepreneurial potential.

Professional Development in Practice

This module provides the opportunity for students to engage in professional development to enhance their working knowledge and application of effective learning, teaching and supervisory methods. This will develop their leadership skills in preparation for taking on a supervisory/mentoring role with students and junior staff in the future.

Research Project Preparation

The aim of the module is to develop research design skills to enable students to produce a working research proposal for the Masters project.

Research Evidence in Health Science

This 15 credit point, online module runs twice per academic year and offers health professionals an opportunity to develop their understanding of a range of research methodologies commonly used within healthcare. They will use this understanding of clinical research methods to develop skills in critically appraising and synthesising literature in order to inform and advance the quality of care and service delivery. For those students proceeding to the Masters award, the module will complement the 'Preparation for Project' module and provide a foundation for the Masters project.

Research Project

The aim of this project module is to engage the student in an independent piece of research activity under the guidance of a supervisor from the School of Health Sciences. It is expected that this research will add to the student's knowledge and perhaps inform future teaching, clinical practice or further research. The research activity will be allied to that carried out in the Centre for Health and Rehabilitation Technologies (CHaRT) within the Institute for Nursing and Health Research (INHR).

Attendance

Full time or part time options are available. Students can enrol on the programme on a Full time (over 1 year; 3 semesters) or Part time basis (over 3 years; 6 semesters). Students engage on a weekly basis in online learning, completing tasks and collaborating with peers.

Start dates

  • September 2023
  • January 2024

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

This course uses online delivery to enable learning and wider participation for graduates worldwide. You will actively engage in learning using a varied suite of digital, interactive learning tools which will promote student engagement, communication and collaboration within an international and peer supported learning community.

Teaching, learning and assessment

The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.

Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:

Attendance and Independent Study

As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.

Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.

The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.

Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.

Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.

Assessment

Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes.  You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.

Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.

Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.

Calculation of the Final Award

The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).

Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.

All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study. In Master’s degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.

Figures correct for academic year 2022-2023.

Academic profile

The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.

Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).

We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.

The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise.  The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff.  This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.

Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.

Figures correct for academic year 2022-2023.

Modules

Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

In this section

Year one

Global Healthcare Perspectives

Year: 1

This online module explores the diversity of healthcare systems worldwide and the need for capacity building in many countries worldwide. Issues such as the clinical/practice role of occupational therapy and physiotherapy in disasters and catastrophic emergencies, professional body and international standards and quality assurance are explored.

Professional licensure requirements and professional body accreditation are discussed from a global perspective.

Long Term Conditions

Year: 1

This module will enable the student to increase their knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiology process of various long term conditions. Strategies to motivate and empower patients to manage their condition will be explored alongside the role of family and carers. Best practice will be discussed and justified by critical evaluation of literature.

Year two

Entrepreneurial Leadership

Year: 2

The module seeks to build the student's awareness of "entrepreneurial leadership" and to provide a framework for engaging with and assessing the viability of an innovative project/new venture or the development of an existing one within the health and social care sector. It aims to give the student insights to the opportunities and challenges associated with establishing and managing the development of a new or existing venture, allowing them to audit their personal, entrepreneurial potential.

Professional Development in Practice

Year: 2

This module provides the opportunity for students to engage in professional development to enhance their working knowledge and application of effective learning, teaching and supervisory methods. This will develop their leadership skills in preparation for taking on a supervisory/mentoring role with students and junior staff in the future.

Research Project Preparation

Year: 2

The aim of the module is to develop research design skills to enable students to produce a working research proposal for the Masters project.

Research Evidence in Health Science

Year: 2

This 15 credit point, online module runs twice per academic year and offers health professionals an opportunity to develop their understanding of a range of research methodologies commonly used within healthcare. They will use this understanding of clinical research methods to develop skills in critically appraising and synthesising literature in order to inform and advance the quality of care and service delivery. For those students proceeding to the Masters award, the module will complement the 'Preparation for Project' module and provide a foundation for the Masters project.

Year three

Research Project

Year: 3

The aim of this project module is to engage the student in an independent piece of research activity under the guidance of a supervisor from the School of Health Sciences. It is expected that this research will add to the student's knowledge and perhaps inform future teaching, clinical practice or further research. The research activity will be allied to that carried out in the Centre for Health and Rehabilitation Technologies (CHaRT) within the Institute for Nursing and Health Research (INHR).

Standard entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must:

(a) have gained a second class honours degree or better in Occupational Therapy from a University of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard.

(b) be eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council

(c) provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent) and for non-native English speakers, IELTS 7.0 (with no contributing band at less than 6.5) or, as an alternative to (a) and/or (b)

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 7.0 with no band score less than 6.5.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Careers & opportunities

Career options

Completion of this course will equip you with the necessary knowledge, skills, confidence and expertise to live, work and study in international contexts, thereby increasing your employability.

Work placement / study abroad

There are no practice placements attached to this course.

Apply

Start dates

  • September 2023
  • January 2024

Fees and funding

The price of your overall programme will be determined by the number of credit points that you initiate in the relevant academic year.

For modules commenced in the academic year 2023/24, the following fees apply:

Fees
Credit PointsNI/ROI/GB CostInternational Cost*
5 £186.65 £440
10 £373.30 £880
15 £559.95 £1,320
20 £746.60 £1,760
30 £1,119.90 £2,640
60 £2,239.80 £5,280
120 £4,479.60 £10,560
180 £6,719.40 £15,840

NB: A standard full-time PGCert is equivalent to 60 credit points per year. A standard full-time PGDip is equivalent to 120 credit points per year.

*International student access to courses is subject to meeting visa requirements. More information can be found in the Visas and Immigration section.

Additional mandatory costs

It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.

Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.

There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.

See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.

Contact

We’d love to hear from you!

We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.

Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:

  • Course specific information
  • Fees and Finance
  • Admissions

For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.

For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.

We look forward to hearing from you.


For more information visit

Disclaimer

  1. Although reasonable steps are taken to provide the programmes and services described, the University cannot guarantee the provision of any course or facility and the University may make variations to the contents or methods of delivery of courses, discontinue, merge or combine courses and introduce new courses if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Such circumstances include (but are not limited to) industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key staff, changes in legislation or government policy including changes, if any, resulting from the UK departing the European Union, withdrawal or reduction of funding or other circumstances beyond the University’s reasonable control.
  1. If the University discontinues any courses, it will use its best endeavours to provide a suitable alternative course. In addition, courses may change during the course of study and in such circumstances the University will normally undertake a consultation process prior to any such changes being introduced and seek to ensure that no student is unreasonably prejudiced as a consequence of any such change.
  1. The University does not accept responsibility (other than through the negligence of the University, its staff or agents), for the consequences of any modification or cancellation of any course, or part of a course, offered by the University but will take into consideration the effects on individual students and seek to minimise the impact of such effects where reasonably practicable.
  1. The University cannot accept any liability for disruption to its provision of educational or other services caused by circumstances beyond its control, but the University will take all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant disruption to such services.

Testimonials

"The course is fit for purpose"- it is enjoyable"

"Learning helpful and able to apply knowledge"

“The team is very supportive”

“Provided with a wide range of learning materials. Found this helpful when working full time whilst studying – good pacing to allow engagement with the learning material”

“Good opportunities to engage with one another within and outside of the taught sessions through the discussion topics and the discussion board works well"

“Assessments have been varied enabling development of a range of skills such as development of a portfolio and coaching skills

“Feedback has been good and has helped the transition back into study. Also helped to build skills and enhance performance in future modules”

“The programme is appropriately constructed to meet the needs of occupational therapists. The curriculum is contemporary and underpinned by research”

"The programme helps graduates to become more rounded health professionals who are equipped for a range of career directions"