MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-reg)

The course is a two-year full-time masters degree that will be delivered through a combination of on-campus learning at our Egham campus in Surrey and placement opportunities.

Teaching and learning are mostly through lectures, seminars, hands-on practical skills, placement-specific workshops, study groups, essay consultations, oral presentations, and guided independent study. Assessment of knowledge and understanding is typically by coursework assignments, examined essays, case study-based assignments, online tests and exercises, practice-based skills examinations, oral presentations, and the dissertation or long essay. In addition, students may be involved in workshops and may produce various forms of creative or editorial work. 

In the first year, the week will be divided into approximately two days on campus and two and a half days on placement. Additionally, students will have self-directed study time integrated into all modules and placements.

Year one teaching will consist of two 30-credit modules focusing on human sciences and occupational science, 'Occupational Therapy with a Global Context' and 'Human Sciences and Occupational Performance' as well as two 15-credit modules linked to practice placements 1 and 2. These will focus on developing core occupational therapy practice skills.

The second year will include two 15-credit modules focused on advanced clinical, research, and leadership skills required for occupational therapy practice across various settings, these are 'Research in practice (focused on PP4 preparation & research methods)' and 'Collaborative approach in practice (module focused on PP3)'. Additionally, students will complete two 30-credit modules: 'Contemporary Practice in Occupational Therapy' and 'Research project in Occupational Therapy & Global Health', a research project aligned with occupational therapy and global health needs.

Practice Placements:

Students on the occupational therapy course are required to complete a minimum of 1000 hours over four practice placements in two years, in line with the requirements of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT, 2016). Each learning placement is linked to a 15-credit module: Occupation in Practice 1, Occupation in Practice 2, Collaborative Approach in Practice, and Research in Practice.
The primary responsibility for the assessment of students is held by the practice educator, who has undergone formal preparation and education, including regular updates, before the placement. The Occupational Therapy Placement Lead will support the practice educator and student to ensure robust and consistent arrangements for the assessment of practice learning. Practice-based learning placements are graded as pass/fail, and students can be reassessed a maximum of two times on non-consecutive placements.

Teaching and learning approaches:

The curriculum design is based on a spiral approach that combines constructivist and critical pedagogy. Students will gain in-depth knowledge through active engagement in enquiry-based learning, independent research, and finding solutions to complex problems. The curriculum's goal is to encourage students to critically examine local and global health issues, individual circumstances, and systemic barriers that limit participation, within an occupational science framework. By understanding theory and practice, students will develop an appreciation of multiple perspectives and a sense of critical consciousness and professional identity. The curriculum will help students develop practical skills and self-reflection, leading to professional transformation. Students enrolled in this course are expected to engage in theoretical and practice-based learning, demonstrating high levels of personal motivation, emotional resilience, and academic performance. The course aims to prepare graduates to work as occupational therapists who can promote individual well-being and a sense of belonging while addressing global health needs.

Teaching and learning on your course are closely informed by the active research of staff, particularly in the areas of occupational therapy, global health, long-term conditions, disease prevention, etc.  In general terms, the course provides an opportunity for you to develop and demonstrate the learning outcomes detailed herein. Teaching and learning are mostly through lectures, seminars, hands-on practical skills, placement-specific workshops, study groups, essay consultations, oral presentations, and guided independent study. Assessment of knowledge and understanding is typically by coursework assignments, examined essays, case study-based assignments, online tests and exercises, practice-based skills examinations, oral presentations, and the dissertation or long essay. In addition, students may be involved in workshops and may produce various forms of creative or editorial work.  The learning and assessment tasks are designed in alignment with HCPC standards of proficiencies (2023), HCPC standards of conduct, performance & ethics (2023) and RCOT’s Learning and development standards of pre-registration education to ensure that students can demonstrate professional behaviour, conduct, performance, and ethics during the course and meet the registration requirements as an occupational therapist. Students will be offered a formative opportunity for all module assessments including academic and practice-based learning modules to maximise performance in their summative assessments.

2:2

UK 2:2 entry grade. Some understanding of research methodology, taken within dissertation, final year project or as its own module will be required.

We invite students from a wide range of scientific, social science and humanities backgrounds to apply and be considered. You will need to have completed an undergraduate degree in one of these fields to be eligible. Other eligible backgrounds will be evaluated individually on a case-by-case basis.

Please note in order to meet RCOT standards of accreditation (standard 2.6), the university can only consider requests for recognition of prior learning in a maximum of one third of the total pre-registration course.

Applicants will be subject to an interview* and upon enrolment, applicants will be required to go through occupational health checks. DBS and Occupational Health checks are mandatory admissions requirements for this course in alignment with Health and Care Professions Council standards of education and training for occupational therapists.

*Applicants will be invited for a virtual or face-to-face interview on campus. Interview invitations and details of the interviews will be sent by email. Applicants will take part in value-based interviews either in 1:1 or group format with academic staff from the course team, occupational therapy clinicians and Insight group members. The Insight group member will be a service user or client who has access to health or social care services and may have used Occupational Therapy services to help with their physical/ mental health conditions. We will be specifically looking at the applicant’s motivation, communication and interpersonal skills, teamworking skills, research project skills and any experience of working with people with health conditions etc.

International & EU requirements

English language requirements

• IELTS 7.0 and no sub-score below 6.5.
• Pearson Test of English: 69 overall. No other sub-score lower than 61.
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE IV
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C/210.
• TOEFL iBT: 97 overall, with Reading 25 Listening 25 Speaking 25 Writing 25.
• Duolingo: 130 overall, with no sub-score below 125.

This is a pre-reg masters leading to a professional qualification to practice Occupational Therapy and not a traditional MSc studies in Occupational Therapy. Upon successful completion of your course, you will be eligible to apply to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Once registered, you will be able to practice as an occupational therapist in the UK and may apply for additional professional registration with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT). If you are an international student or want to practice in another country, you may need to complete additional country-specific registration requirements.

This is a unique course that is focused on disaster management, sustainability, and global health. This course will equip you with clinical, professional, research and other transferrable skills to work in different sectors and age groups. You will have a variety of career development opportunities in health and social care within client-facing roles.

Occupational therapy qualifications provide a versatile foundation for a variety of rewarding careers, each offering the opportunity to make a significant impact on the lives of individuals and communities. Here are some potential career options:

• Clinical Practice: You may work in NHS acute care, rehabilitation units, community, intermediate care, and outpatient clinics in different settings as a hospital-based OT, Neuro OT, Ortho OT, paediatric OT, Geriatric OT, Mental Health OT, Hand therapy OT, etc. You may also work with local authorities as a Social services OT and with GP practice.
• Private Roles: You may work as an OT consultant/ case manager with independent and/ or charity organisations. You may work with companies that design assistive technology, adaptive equipment, or therapeutic tools, providing input on functionality and user experience. You may work with professional organisations, government agencies, or advocacy groups to influence healthcare policies, promote the OT profession, and ensure access to services.
• Education and Research: You may work in higher education and research areas.
• Independent practice: Start your own OT clinic, offering specialised services tailored to specific populations or conditions. You may establish a consulting business focused on areas such as accessibility, workplace ergonomics, or disability management.
• Non-Profit Sector: Work with non-profit organisations that serve specific populations, such as veterans, people with disabilities, or refugees, providing OT services and support.

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £9,250

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £22,300

Other essential costs***: Please be aware that there will be additional costs such as travel and accommodation for placements.

How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries.

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2025/26. Students studying on the standard part-time course structure over two years are charged 50% of the full-time applicable fee for each study year.

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually. Be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. The annual increase for continuing students who start their degree in 2025/26 will be 5%.  For further information, see the  fees and funding , and terms and conditions.

There is an NHS Learning Support Fund available for this programme. Find out more here.