Your PAth to Occupational Therapy

This page is for students currently studying for a degree who wish to do Occupational Therapy after their degree.

Courses in Ireland

Study Abroad

Making the application

Useful links  

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Courses in Ireland

The first step is to take an accredited course at third level.  The Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI), on behalf of World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), is responsible for the approval and accreditation of new education programmes and monitoring existing programmes in Ireland. 

The only postgraduate course is:

University of Limerick - MSc Occupational Therapy: 2 years. 
An undergraduate degree, 2.2 honours or higher, with preference given to applicants with related subjects such as health, psychology, sociology, anatomy or human biology.  Relevant work experience in health and social care will also be considered. NB Candidates will have completed at least 2 visits to a range of occupational therapy areas prior to interview.
Official confirmation of undergraduate degree results must be available at the time of applying. 
Deadline for application is the first Friday in December.
Always check course requirements with the university as the above is subject to change.

BSc. courses are available at:
•  NUI, Galway
•  Trinity College Dublin
•  University College Cork

It may be possible to apply to the above universities to do a second BSc.
If you are applying for a second degree, you must apply through the CAO before February 1st.

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Study Abroad

It is also possible to do a BSc in the UK or Northern Ireland after completing your Science degree through the UCAS application system.

To use your qualification gained abroad in Ireland it must first be assessed by the Department of Health and Children through the National Validation Project HR Directorate (tel. 091 775094).

The Health Professionals Council regulate this industry in the UK and have a list of approved courses for registration on their website.  More information can be found on the College of Occupational Therapists website in their  handbook of courses.

There are accelerated / short postgraduate courses in the UK – apply directly to the appropriate university. The following 2-year accelerated courses enable graduates of other disciplines to obtain a qualification in Occupational Therapy (this list may not be exhaustive – please check appropriate websites). Some of these courses begin in January.

Glasgow Caledonian University: MSc Occupational Therapy

Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh: PGDip/MSc Occupational Therapy

University of Brighton: PGDip/MSc Occupational Therapy (Health through Occupation)

University of Derby: BSc Occupational Therapy - accelerated route available to appropriate graduates

University of Cumbria: MSc Occupational Therapy – Accelerated Route

Leeds Metropolitan University: MSc Occupational Therapy

Brunel University: MSc Occupational Therapy

London South Bank University: PGDip/MSc Occupational Therapy

University of Northumbria, Newcastle: MSc Occupational Therapy 

University of Teeside, Middlesbrough: PgDip/MSc Occupational Therapy

University of Wales, Bangor: PGDip Occupational Therapy

University of East Anglia, Norwich: MSc Occupational Therapy

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Getting help with the application

Details were correct at time of writing - September 2009. The Career Development Centre offers advice and information in good faith and based on the best information available to it. The Service does not accept any responsibility for any decisions made by individuals based on such advice or information. The Career Development Centre does not take responsibility for the contents of any sites linked to from its pages.
Please check with individual universities before applying for courses.

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