Overview

    Our Occupational Therapy course will enable you to become a qualified occupational therapist who is able to help create solutions to everyday problems experienced by the people or communities who access your services. Once you have successfully completed the course you will be eligible to apply for registration as an occupational therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

    You will work with people and communities to enable them to carry out everyday activities (getting dressed, working, shopping, studying, playing sport). We will support you to become a confident, compassionate practitioner who can adapt to the changing world we live in and contemplate working in new emerging occupational therapy roles.

    At CCCU we challenge the traditional boundaries of occupational therapy practice; we provide you with the knowledge, understanding, and tools you will need to promote occupational justice for individuals and communities.

    We have a state of the art simulation suite that will provide you with many opportunities to practice your clinical skills throughout your course. These sessions will prepare you for your practice placements and future employment. On your practice placements you will be supervised by occupational therapists in a range of health and social care environments.

    Occupational Therapy accrediations

    Chartered Management Institute
    Chartered Management Institute
    Health & Care Professions Council
    Health & Care Professions Council
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    Top 20 in the UK 

    for Occupational Therapy 

    Complete University Guide Subject League Table 2025

    100%
    of our Occupational Therapy students were in jobs or further study 15 months after completing their studies.
    Graduate Outcomes Survey 2023
    85%
    of our Occupational Therapy students were satisfied with the teaching on their course
    National Student Survey 2024

    Why study Occupational Therapy at CCCU?

    Entry requirements

    Accepted qualifications

    We accept a wide range of general qualifications that attract UCAS Tariff points either on their own or in combination with others. Below are some common examples.

    Entry requirements needed to enroll on the course.
    QualificationGrades
    A LevelsBBC
    BTECDDM
    Access15 Distinctions and 30 Merits
    International Baccalaureate29 Points

    The grades in this table provide an indication of what is required to study this course. If you have qualifications that are not present in the table or want to tell us more about you specific situation then please contact our friendly course enquiry team. 

    Student recruitment is undertaken by means of a Values Based Recruitment approach which is aligned with the values and behaviours expected by the NHS Constitution.

    Eligibility criteria

    Mathematics and English language at GCSE grade C/4 or above are required.

    Offers of a place can only be made after a successful interview, and are subject to a satisfactory reference, health clearance and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

    Health clearance will include vaccinations for NHS placements, and evidence of vaccination status may be required by placement providers or the university.

    Find out more about your health interview here. 

    You are expected to have researched the profession and ideally visited at least one occupational therapy service so that you have some understanding of occupational therapy practice.

    Don’t meet these entry requirements?

    If you do not meet these entry requirements, a foundation year is a great way of beginning your university journey. We recommend you speak to our Course Enquiries team who will advise on a route to study that fits you.

    More information

    Contact us

    Any questions?
    Any questions?
    Contact our Course Enquiries Team

    Module information

    Core/optional modules

    How you’ll learn

    You will learn through a blended teaching approach: a combination of online keynote lectures and face to face discussion based seminars, group work and practical workshops. Most teaching sessions will be recorded for you to be able to revisit and consolidate your learning in your own time.

    For each module you'll have 50 hours of either face-to-face teaching or directed study where you'll complete work in preparation for discussion in the classroom. This allows you to work at your own pace and for us to explore and discuss topics in detail whilst improving the quality of the time spent we spend together.

    You will be allocated a personal academic tutor who you'll meet during the first week of your course. You'll then have regular timetabled contact and additional tutorials throughout the course. You will be supported to explore your existing skills and experience using written narrative and reflection. This will help to identify your development needs and build an action plan.

    To help you settle into University life, we have established a peer mentoring scheme to give you any support you may need in your first year at University.

    All courses are informed by the University’s Learning and Teaching Strategy 2015-2022.

    We are passionate about enabling you to recognise and use the power of occupation to transform lives as a confident, competent and compassionate practitioner.
    Kelly WilkinsonCourse Director, Occupational Therapy

    How you’ll be assessed

    A variety of modes and methods of assessment have been chosen to fit the varied module learning outcomes, module content and students’ differing learning styles. Within the occupational therapy course these include:

    • essays, reports and case studies
    • oral and poster presentations
    • reflective pieces
    • online multiple choice and short answer test
    • open-book timed report writing
    • professional portfolios and compendiums
    • business plan formulation
    • group co-produced work
    • demonstration of practice competencies.

    Your future career

    Upon successful completion of the degree you will be eligible to apply for registration as an occupational therapist in the United Kingdom with the Health and Care Professions Council, our regulatory body. The experience you gain on our course will help to ensure that you are fit for practice in evolving and dynamic health care services within the public, charitable or private sectors.

    You can choose to work locally, nationally or, as a graduate from a degree approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, you will also be able to apply to work internationally. During your career you may want to take on more responsibility such as supporting students on placement, becoming a team leader, private practitioner or setting up your own business. You can continue to develop knowledge and practice through undertaking a Masters degree in a more specialised or advanced area of practice, undertake research as a clinical academic or through a PhD scholarship or move into management or academia.

    The vast majority of our students seek and successfully gain employment in traditional health and care services. However, increasingly our students are demonstrating a broader career path. In recent years we have seen our Graduates pursue PhD level study, embark on the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme, and internships at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. The knowledge, skills and understanding you gain by completing our BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy programme are transferable into many contexts and therefore enable you to pursue a career that you find personally and professionally fulfilling.

    Fees

    The 2025/26 annual tuition fees for this course are:

      UK Overseas
    Full-time £9,535 £15,500

    Tuition fees for all courses are payable on an annual basis, except where stated. The fees represented here are for study with Canterbury Christ Church University. If you are looking to study at a partner institution, please visit their website for fees information.

    Please read the 2025/26 Tuition Fee Statement for further information regarding tuition fees and year on year fee increases.

    Home (UK) Fees

    The Government has announced that it will increase the tuition fee cap by 3.1%, in line with inflation, for the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to parliamentary approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 our undergraduate home tuition fees are expected to be £9,535.

    Overseas/International Fees

    Undergraduate / PGCE tuition fees for international students are not set by the UK Government.

    Extra funding for health students

    NHS Learning Support Fund

    Students on a nursing, midwifery and many allied health courses will be eligible to apply for an NHS Learning Support Fund of at least £5,000 a year to help with living costs. Eligible students may also be awarded additional funding up to £3,000 a year. This money will not need to be repaid.

    In addition to this, health students can apply and may be eligible for other University awards. Please visit our scholarships, bursaries and financial support page to find out what's available.

    CCCU Advantage Package

    For courses that qualify, the CCCU Advantage Package currently includes:

    • Uniforms
    • Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check
    • Occupational Health costs, including immunisation

    Uniform (appropriate to the course) and a placement badge are provided free of charge at the start of the course. If you wish to replace any item of uniform or secure additional items of uniform during the course (e.g. because it has been damaged or no longer fits) then you must order and pay for this directly with the supplier. There are certain exceptions to this, for example if you become pregnant and require a maternity uniform. You will need to purchase suitable footwear for practice. NHS Trusts require shoes (not trainers) that meet health and safety requirements. Advice will be given by the lecturers on what to purchase after you have enrolled on your course. Please see our uniform page for more details.

    We reserve the right to withdraw this package in the event of a student not successfully completing the enrolment process.

    Industry links

    We work closely and collaboratively with most of the major acute, community and mental health NHS Trusts and local authority Social Services in Kent and Medway and a number of Trusts and local authorities in Surrey, Sussex and parts of London. We also work with a range of other private, voluntary and not for profit service providers in these geographical locations.

    Professional accreditation

    The degree is currently approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) and approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

    To be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council you must demonstrate good health and good character throughout your studies. You will be required annually to sign a 'declaration of ongoing fitness to practise'.

    The Faculty of Health and Wellbeing has a Fitness to Practise policy and procedures which may be instigated should you demonstrate behaviour or conduct that falls short of that expected by the University, the HCPC and RCOT.

    On completion of the programme and in preparation for your registration, the Programme Director must be satisfied that you meet the HCPC fitness to practise criteria. You will also need to declare you are of good character and health.

    Regulated by the Office for Students

    The Office for Students (OfS) regulates Canterbury Christ Church University. The OfS is the independent regulator of higher education in England. It aims to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers. Further details about its work are available on the OfS website.

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    Duration:

    3 years

    UCAS code:

    B920

    Location(s):

    Canterbury
    Apply via UCAS

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