BSc (Hons) occupational therapy – UCC
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INTRODUCTION
This programme is designed to introduce you to the fundamental principles, theories and practises of occupational therapy. As a vital healthcare profession occupational therapists help individuals of all ages engage in meaningful activities (occupations) that promote health, well-being and independence.
Incorporating the level 5 Occupational Therapy Assistant (Health Service Skills) course with the BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy degree, this innovative programme gives learners the opportunity to start their degree programme in the Further Education sector leading to direct access to the University College Cork (UCC) once progression entry requirements are met.
Year 1: Cork Education and Training Board – Cork College of FET – Morrison’s Island Campus.
Years 2 – 5: University College Cork (UCC).
Students will be required to undergo Garda Vetting and to adhere to UCC’s Fitness to Practice | University College Cork.
Note: Applications are now open and the closing date for applications is the 11th of May 2025.
PROVIDER LOCATIONS AND STRUCTURE
Students will spend the first year of this programme at the College of Further Education, Morrison’s Island Campus, in Cork City.
- Year 1 – Cork College of Further Education, Morrison’s Island Campus
- Years 2-5 – University College Cork.
COURSE CONTENT
Year 1 Level 5 Embedded Award – Further Education 5M3782
Occupational Therapy Assistant Theory - 5N3766
Discuss the roles and responsibilities of an occupational therapy assistant and of an occupational therapist within the health service. Discuss the impact of impairment and disability. Practice therapeutic handling in a range of occupational therapy processes. Demonstrate the ability to plan and provide enhanced quality care and support.
Occupational Therapy Assistant Practice - 5N3765
Explain key terms used in occupational therapy, including self-care, leisure, work, functional mobility, cognition, perception, splint and orthosis. Discuss the impact of cognitive and perceptual impairment on an individual’s ability to engage in self-care, work and leisure. Discuss the group approach in occupational therapy practice. Analyse the role of the occupational therapist in optimising functional mobility and transfers. Discuss a variety of assistive devices, their use, application, maintenance and storage. Discuss the rationale of good patient position. Examine the technique of therapeutic splinting. Practise care of the upper limb to included proper positioning prior to therapy.
Infection Prevention & Control - 5N3734
Learn how to prevent the spread of infection in the healthcare setting including hand hygiene and standard precautions. Practical instruction in all aspects of practice including cleaning following blood borne spillage and terminal cleaning.
Care Support - 5N0758
Explore roles, responsibilities and entitlements of a care worker. Demonstrate an ability to plan and provide enhanced quality of care.
Rehabilitation Support - 5N3775
Examine the role of important anatomical systems in rehabilitation support. Explore the effects of illness or disability on an individual’s body image or sexuality. Practice giving assistance to meet the needs of the individual with pressures sores etc. Apply the knowledge and philosophy underpinning rehabilitation in the care of the individual with neurological injuries or limb absence.
Anatomy and Physiology - 5N0749
Learn the structure of the various systems within the human body e.g. digestive, system, respiratory system, nervous system, skeletal system etc. and how they work. Develop an understanding of the interrelationships that exit between these systems.
Communications - 5N0690
Acquire writing skills, learn to speak fluently and coherently in a professional setting, develop interpersonal skills and have an understanding of the impact of ICT on society.
Work Experience - 5N1356
Planning, preparation and reflection on work placement. Job finding strategies, CV and personal statement preparation, interview skills. Practise employability skills with a view to future planning.
ACCREDITATION, EMBEDDED AND STEP BACK AWARDS
This tertiary degree is a comprehensive 5 year programme. The programme is designed to support academic success. However, if a student has to leave the programme before completing the final year, tertiary degrees include embedded awards. Embedded awards formally recognise learning achieved during time in the programme. For this degree, the embedded award is:
After successfully completing Year 1: NFQ level 5 5M3782 QQI Certificate in Health Service Skills
The final NFQ level 8 Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) is awarded by UCC.
PLANNED INTAKE (NUMBER OF PLACES)
10 places.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Places are awarded on the course following an extensive application process, the final stage of which is subject to personal statement and successful interview. Both the College of Further Education and the Higher Education Institution will be represented on the interview panel. Students will be invited to write their personal statement prior to the interview, as part of the interview process.
The minimum entry requirements for the tertiary Occupational Therapy degree will align with UCC’s standards:
Leaving Certificate (or equivalent):
- Leaving Certificate with six subjects
- Minimum grade H4 in a lab science subject. Recognised Lab Science subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physics with Chemistry, or Agricultural Science
- Minimum grade H5 in another subject.
- Minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects including English and Maths.
Mature Students:
- Must be 22 years old by January 1st of the application year.
- These applicants do not have to meet the minimum entry requirements listed here and are considered on an individual basis (previous education, work experience, and demonstration of competence to undertake the programme).
QQI Level 5 Holders:
- Must have achieved the full award with an overall Merit grade.
- Must have attained a minimum of a Merit in Anatomy & Physiology (5N0749).
Applicants from the United Kingdom and overseas would need to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to the minimum entry requirements above in a General Certificate in Education (GCE), such as the GCE A Level.
English Language Requirements
Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must satisfy the university of their competency in the English language, as follows:
- Irish Leaving Certificate English: Ordinary Level Grade D3
- GCE A-Level English Language: Grade D
All applicants whose first language is not English and who have not been educated through the medium of English must demonstrate CEFR proficiency at B2 for access.
The application period will close May 11th 2025, with interviews scheduled to take place in late May.
Applications will be shortlisted, and candidates will be contacted for an interview. In the event of oversubscription, applicants will be selected for interview through a lottery or random selection process to ensure fairness.
ONWARD PATHWAYS
Occupational therapists are employed as therapists, researchers, managers and educators in Ireland and internationally.
Occupational therapy is a people profession and is all about helping people live life to the fullest. People can be prevented from living life to the fullest for lots of reasons, including ill-health, disability or other obstacles in their environment. Occupational therapists are experts in analysing everyday activities or “occupations” and helping people do the activities that they need or want to do in their day-to-day life.
Occupational therapists work in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, health centres, care homes, schools, prisons and in the community in people’s homes and workplaces.
Our course is fully accredited by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland, meaning that your degree qualification is recognised internationally.
DURATION
September to May in Year 1.
FEES
No fees apply for Year 1.
CERTIFICATION
QQI Level 5 Certificate in Health Service Skills 5M3782 in year 1.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING/WORKSHOPS
People Moving and Handling Certification (requirement for work experience)
This workshop teaches safe and effective techniques used in the safe moving and handling of people in a variety of settings. This training is mandatory for person’s involved in manual handling and people handling tasks. It is required by legislation under The Safety Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulation 2007 Part two chapter four. The training involves the theory module which is completed online (HSELanD.ie) and the practical module which is classroom based. The certificate obtained is valid for three years.
HSE Safeguarding Adults at risk of abuse Certificate (requirement for work experience)
Its primary focus is to inform learners on the guiding practice and procedures to keep vulnerable adults safe in the community and residential settings. The content includes leaners being informed of their safeguarding responsibilities, the different types of abuse and neglect and how to recognise them and how to report concerns in line with HSE guidelines. All learners receive a certificate on completion at the end of the course.
First Aid Workshop (online)
This First Aid Workshop will introduce the learner to the principles of First Aid. The workshop includes identifying the role of the First Aider. Learners will understand how to respond to various injuries and illnesses including choking, fainting, burns, heart attacks, strokes, panic attacks, sprains and strains. A Certificate of Completion from Morrison’s Island Campus is issued on successful completion. The purpose of this workshop is to give the learner a basic understanding of how to deal with First Aid Emergencies. It is not intended as a substitute for a full First Aid Response Course.
AMRIC Hand Hygiene (HSELand)
Effective hand Hygiene is the single most effective thing that you can do to protect the people you care for and yourself from healthcare acquired infections. HCAI’s. But knowing is not enough – it’s important to apply what you have learnt and believe that it can be done. By the end of this course, you should know:
- Why hand hygiene is important.
- When to practice hand hygiene.
- How to perform hand hygiene in line with the WHO 5 Moments.
- How to take care of your hands.
AMRIC Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (HSELand)
This course on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will enable and empower you to make an assessment on the selection of PPE for a task and to put on and remove PPE correctly. By the end of the course, you will be able to: Identify why you need to wear PPE and where you need to wear it.
- Recognise the appropriate PPE to wear to protect the body, face and eyes, and hands in different situations.
- Put on and remove all PPE in acute and non-acute setting.
- Dispose of used PPE safely.
- Reflect on your own actions and behaviours in relation to PPE and infection prevention and control.
AMRIC Infection Prevention and Control (HSELand)
Practical programme which includes specific measures for prevention of infection in all healthcare facilities, how to identify hazards and carry out a well-informed risk assessment. How to control the sources and prevent onward transmission of infection.
Children First E-Learning programme TUSLA
The Children First E-Learning programme has been written to support people of all backgrounds and experience in recognising concerns about children and reporting such concerns if they arise. The programmes include topics such as recognising and reporting child abuse, the role of mandated persons; the responsibilities of organisations working with children to safeguard children and the role of designated liaison person. When you have completed the programme, you will receive a certificate of completion directly to your email address from TUSLA.
WORK PLACEMENT / EXPERIENCE
Students will undertake four weeks (min 150 hours) of work placement in a hospital or healthcare setting. Garda vetting is an integral part of the application procedure for this course.The college follows the National Advisory Committee’s (NIAC) Immunisation Guidelines for Ireland which states that healthcare students should, as a minimum, receive or have received completed courses of:
– Hepatitis B (minimum 2 doses)
– Influenza
– Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR 2 doses)
– Varicella (Chicken Pox) (1 or in some cases 2 doses).
Some placements may have additional vaccination requirements e.g. Covid 19.
Students are encouraged to source their own Work Placement but you will be supported by the Work Placement team should you need assistance to do this.
EDUCATION PROGRESSION
To progress to UCC successful learners must achieve the full QQI Level 5 Occupational Therapy Assistant (Health Service Skills 5M3782) award, with a minimum of five distinctions (a distinction in Work Experience will not be counted as one of the required distinctions). At least one of these distinctions must be from:
- Occupational Therapy Theory 5N3766 or
- Occupational Therapy Practice 5N3765 or
- Anatomy and Physiology 5N0749 or
- Rehabilitation Support 5N3775.
A minimum of a Merit grade is required in Anatomy & Physiology 5N0749.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Email: ot@morrisonsislandcampus.ie
Tel: (021) 4223 844