Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Therapy Programme description

The main goal of occupational therapy is to promote health and quality of life through meaningful activity and participation. People who have, or are in danger of having, difficulties performing daily tasks are an important target group. This includes play, work and leisure activities. Occupational therapy also focuses on health-promoting work focusing on the general population.

Occupational therapists work both at the individual and system level in many fields of the municipal and specialist health services, with a focus on health promoting, preventative, rehabilitative and habilitative work and treatment. Occupational therapists also work with different user groups of all ages in various public and private services, for instance nurseries, schools/education, NAV (The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration), rehabilitation institutions, occupational health services and user organisations.

Occupational therapy draws on occupational science, which demonstrates the link between activity, participation and health. The focus is on daily tasks and other activity that is important and meaningful for our health, well-being and development in all phases and stages of life. Activity is seen as an interaction between people, activities and surroundings. All people choose activities based on opportunities, interests, will, habits, roles, values, culture, belief in our own mastery and ability to carry out activities of daily living. Activity is deeply ingrained in the fabric of society and must be seen in relation to individual, local and global factors.

Occupational therapists conduct activity analysis and functional assessments to define opportunities for and limitations to activity. Goals and measures, which are undertaken and evaluated in close cooperation with the users, are then planned. An important part of the work is to facilitate learning. Occupational therapists are therefore required to possess educational competence in counselling and guidance. Relational and cooperation skills, and communication and writing skills are basic conditions for the profession.

The educational aspect of occupational therapy is based on the socio-cultural learning perspective that views knowledge as socially and culturally constructed. Relationships and interactions between people are the basis for learning. This means that knowledge changes and is maintained in a historical, cultural and social context in interactions between individuals. A good programme quality means organising the course of study in such a way that it gives room for interaction, dialogue and common knowledge and skill development in all phases of the programme. The students are therefore presented with different educational approaches. These approaches encourage the development of knowledge, skills and competence through good communication, active participation and interaction with lecturers and fellow students, combined with individual studies.

Central to the practical training periods is the interaction with users and other professionals. In order for the bachelor students of the health and social care subjects to have a common frame of reference for the development of knowledge and attitudes, all Norwegian programmes in the humanities and social sciences field have some common content. The aim is to educate reflected professionals who are capable of planning and organising comprehensive measures in cooperation with users and other service providers through interprofessional cooperation pursuant to the Norwegian Health Personnel Act.

The programme description was established under the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, the national curriculum for occupational therapy and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University. It complies with the recommended guidelines for study programmes issued by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) and European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE).

The study programme has a total scope of 180 credits. Students who complete the bachelor's programme are awarded the degree of Bachelor in Occupational Therapy, which forms the basis for authorisation as an occupational therapist in accordance with the Act relating to Health Personnel.

The target group is everyone who wishes to become an occupational therapist.

The admission requirements are the Higher Education Entrance Qualification or prior learning and work experience.

In connection with admission to the Bachelor Programme in Occupational Therapy, the applicant must submit a transcript of police records, cf. the Regulations for admission to Higher Education, Chapter 6.

The use of clothing that covers the face is not compatible with taking the programme.

The purpose of the occupational therapy programme is to educate user-oriented, independent and thinking occupational therapists who can engage in professional and interprofessional cooperation in a society characterised by diversity and change. The candidate is expected to have acquired core competence that ensures that he/she will practise his/her profession in accordance with society's requirements and need for occupational therapy services.

After completing the programme, the candidate should be capable of

• contributing to promoting health, enabling activity, inclusion and participation through facilitating coping with daily tasks
• working in health promoting, preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative and habilitative activities
• professional reasoning, interacting with users, next of kin and interdisciplinary and interprofessional cooperation
• documenting knowledge of global health and environmental challenges in a changing society
• using activity analysis, occupational analysis and functional assessments with a focus on carrying out activities and the interaction between activity, person and surroundings
• using interventions such as exercise, facilitation, counselling and coordination and demonstrating knowledge of administration and social planning
• conveying, managing, developing and promoting occupational therapy
• working in an evidence-based and innovative manner and developing competence through lifelong learning

 The competence can be defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence.

 Knowledge

The candidate

• has broad knowledge about the role and function of occupational therapy in health promotion, prevention, habilitation, rehabilitation, treatment and advisory activities
• has knowledge about the fields of biology, medicine, psychology, pedagogy, the humanities, social sciences and technology as they relate to the professional practice of occupational therapy
• has broad knowledge about occupational science, with emphasis on fundamental concepts and theories about human activity and participation at individual, group and system level, and is capable of using activity both for health promotion and for therapeutic purposes
• has broad knowledge about the interaction between people, activity and surroundings throughout life
• is familiar with research and development work in occupational therapy and other related fields
• has knowledge about the history and development of occupational therapy and its place in society
• has knowledge about the welfare state, its professions and the importance of interprofessional cooperation
• has knowledge about local and global health and environmental challenges, the multicultural society and the special possibilities and challenges that big cities represent
• has knowledge about the administrative levels in the health and social care sector, legislation, health, social and professional policy guidelines and priorities, and is familiar with arenas where health and professional policies are debated.

Skills

The candidate is capable of

• giving grounds for and documenting individuals and groups' right to activity and to participate in society
• contributing to planning for the purpose of creating accessibility, adapting surroundings and promoting universal design at system level
• applying activity and occupational analysis, functional assessments and risk analysis to make activity possible and promote health at individual, group and society level
• using mapping tools, analysing results and making methodical use of activity to promote user activity and participation
• using treatment and intervention methods such as Activities of Daily Living (ADL), functional ability, independent living skills and work training, play, creative forms of expression, adaptation of activities and environment, designing and providing technical aids
• cooperating in a therapeutic relationship and working in accordance with the principles of client-centred practice
• planning, leading and carrying out interventions in groups
• initiating and taking responsibility for coordination of different services to ensure that the user receives a complete range of services and contributing in cooperation and interaction with other professionals in an interprofessional cooperation
• establishing partnerships with institutions, enterprises and user groups to improve the conditions for activity
• engaging in and contributing to discussions and debates relating to the importance of human activity and participation
• taking responsibility for the occupational therapy service, including management of resources and materials, documentation of own work, quality assurance and improvement of the services provided

 Competence

The candidate is capable of

• meeting people with empathy and respect, practising in an ethically satisfactory manner, and complying with national and international legislation and guidelines for professional practice in the health and social services at both system and individual level
• working in an evidence-based manner, reflecting critically on his/her own practice and identifying learning and competence needs to ensure lifelong learning
• relating to a diverse society and respecting individual and cultural differences
• planning and implementing relevant projects and complex tasks that take place over time and contributing to the development of theory and/or practice, alone or as part of an interprofessional group
• applying resource-oriented, empowering and problem-solving work models
• communicating important subject matter orally and in writing by means of expedient and varied forms of expression in different contexts and to different groups
• demonstrating insight into creative processes and mastering simple tools used in innovation and entrepreneurship
• taking an active role in quality assurance, improvement, development and promotion of services provided and professional practice

The programme is organised as 12 courses, see the table below. Eleven of the courses are profession-specific, while one (IPH3000) is common to several programmes at the Faculty of Health Sciences. The courses build on each other to facilitate progress with increasing requirements for knowledge about and understanding of the occupational therapy discipline and related knowledge. All courses conclude in an exam or a final assessment.

The first year is divided into four courses covering basic knowledge about the human being in relation to activity and participation.

The second year also consists of four courses, all focusing on activity in mapping and intervention in health-promoting, preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative and habilitative work.

The third year includes a course in international public health and three courses dealing with summarised, explorative and critically reflective practice.

The academic year is 40 weeks and the expected workload is 40 hours per week. This includes scheduled activities, students own activity and exams.

Study progress

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

• The student must have passed all courses in the first year of the programme in order to start the second year of the programme.
• The student must pass all courses in the second year of the programme in order to start the third year of the programme.

Progress requirements also apply between the two practical training periods in the second year. Half of the class takes the course ERGOPRA1 before ERGOPRA2, while the other half takes ERGOPRA2 before ERGOPRA1.

For students taking ERGOPRA1 before ERGOPRA2, the following applies:

• The student must have passed the course ERGOPRA1 before starting ERGOPRA2.

For students taking ERGOPRA2 before ERGOPRA1, the following applies:

• The student must have passed the course ERGOPRA2 before starting ERGOPRA1.

Normal study progress requires students to be make great personal efforts in the form of group work and individual work.

Skills training/user-oriented skills training

The students will acquire skills through practical training based on theoretical grounds. Students will master the therapeutic use of activity, which is essential to the profession. Part of the skills training will take place with users/patients. The students will be taught and supervised during the skills training to encourage reflection on and discussions about activity, skills and theory. This forms an important basis for the future professional to be able to evaluate their own occupation.

Seminars

Seminars are often a complex teaching method which can consist of lectures, discussions, group work, assignments and practical exercises. This method demands that the students are prepared for class and participate actively with their own work and in discussions.

Lectures

The field is constantly developing, and resource lectures are primarily used to introduce new subject matter. Lectures are intended to highlight connections and main elements in important topics and to communicate relevant issues. Within certain topics, traditional lectures are replaced with digital film clips or recordings of lectures.

Group work

Various forms of group work are used throughout the programme. Through exchange of ideas, presentations, discussions, writing assignments and other forms of collaboration, students will stimulate each other's learning by communicating discipline knowledge and experience, expressing their own opinions and together reflecting on their own attitudes, actions and understanding of the field.

Written assignments

Writing assignments is a good way of practising how to communicate in written form, an important part of the occupational therapists work. Written work requires the ability to combine and structure knowledge for a deeper understanding. Several assignments require the students to formulate their own questions and provides the opportunity for students to familiarise themselves with scientific work methods. The assignments will vary in scope and type. Whether the assignments should be written individually, in groups or under supervision will vary. Individual assignments promote independence, while group products require cooperation. Some assignments are included in the exam portfolio and must be submitted before the student can take the exam; see Assessment.

Practical training is an important part of the programme and corresponds to 45 credits. The students will undergo a practical training placement for the purpose of developing new knowledge, skills and competence through direct contact with users. Based on theory and experience gained earlier in the study programme, the students will immerse themselves in theoretical and practical knowledge that is important in the professional field. The students will also learn about occupational therapy methods and gain experience from working with occupations and activity issues in various user groups in and outside of an institution.

There will be a short practical training period in the first semester to introduce the occupational therapy profession early on in the programme (course ERGO1000). Longer placements will take place in the second and third year in order for students to develop action competence in situations that are authentic for the profession in a participatory and committed manner. The students are supervised by an occupational therapist.

The occupational therapy programme emphasises a global and international perspective. Development of the teaching and research takes place through international cooperation.

The programme has exchange agreements with partner institutions abroad. The students can go on an exchange stay in the sixth semester. The duration of the stay will be from twelve weeks to six months. The exchange is linked to theoretical studies, practical training and the bachelor's thesis. Reference is made to the criteria that apply to student exchanges and stays abroad.

The course IPH3000 International Public Health is taught exclusively in English, and all the course literature is in English, while the students can choose whether to take the exam in English or in Norwegian.

Students with a particular interest in internationalisation can undertake different activities during the programme with an international and multicultural angle, leading to the qualification "Certificate of International Learning" (CIL).

Required coursework is all types of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for a student to be assessed/permitted to take the exam. If coursework requirements have not been met during the practical training, it may be registered as failed and count as one attempt at passing the course. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the relevant course description. The programme has coursework requirements in the form of compulsory attendance, written assignments and a multipe choice test. 

Compulsory attendance

A minimum attendance requirement of 80% applies to all parts of the programme where the students cannot achieve the learning outcomes on their own. Therefore, compulsory attendance requirements may apply to lectures, introductions to courses and topics, group work, supervision, skills training, seminars and presentations of different types of work. Other activities may also be subject to compulsory attendance requirements. Please see the course descriptions for more information on compulsory course activities.

The minimum attendance requirement for practical training courses is 90%. Students are themselves responsible for ensuring that they meet the attendance requirements.

If a student exceeds the maximum limit for absence, the programme will consider whether it is possible to compensate for absence by meeting alternative requirements, for example individual written assignments. Whether or not it is possible to compensate for absence depends on the extent of the student¿s absence and which activities they have missed. Absence from compulsory teaching that cannot be compensated will normally cause a delay in the student's advancement in the program.

Written assignments

The coursework requirements for the course ERGOPRA2 are written assignments. Written work that is not approved must be improved before re-submission. If the coursework requirements are not met during the placement, it will normally be registered as failed and count as one (1) attempt at passing the course. Failure to submit compulsory written work by the deadline counts as one attempt at having the required coursework approved.

More detailed requirements for written work, deadlines etc. are set out in the course description and teaching plan.

Multiple choice test

In the course ERGO1100 Anatomy and Physiology, students must perform an individual multiple choice test.

If the test is not approved, the student must re-take the test. The student is entitled to two attempts before the ordinary exam and an additional third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam.   

Non-approved coursework requirements may delay the student's advancement in the program.

The assessment arrangements are intended to assess the students regularly throughout the programme in order to promote learning, while also providing information to the programme and the student about study progress and the results achieved.

The assessments are carried out in accordance with the applicable rules set out in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet, and the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet.

The programme has an external programme supervisor who contributes to quality assurance. The external programme supervisor is charged with evaluating the programme's structure and coherence, including the relationship between the learning outcomes as described in the programme description, the work and teaching methods and assessment arrangements. The external programme supervisor should normally supervise all the courses in the programme over the course of a three-year period and provide feedback and advice that the academic environment can use in its further work on the quality of education.

Assessment of practical training

The student´s presentation in the practical training courses ERGOPRA1, ERGOPRA2 and ERGOPRA3 will be assessed as pass/fail. Detailed provisions on the criteria for passing are specified under each course in the programme description and in the teaching plan for the course.

Examination

All courses conclude in an exam or a final assessment. All courses have required coursework that must be approved before the student can take the exam/undergo final assessment. See the course descriptions for more detailed provisions.

Resit and rescheduled exams are carried out in the same manner as the ordinary exam unless otherwise specified in the course description.

All detailed information about the exam will be provided in the guidelines for the individual exams well before the exam date.

For courses where a percentage of the exam papers are randomly selected for assessment by an external examiner, the external examiner's assessment shall benefit all the students. In such cases, one external and one internal examiner will first grade the selected papers. The internal examiner then continues grading the rest of the papers individually or together with another internal examiner. The assessments from the first part are summarised to serve as guidelines for the internal examiners.

The grade given for a written exam can be appealed, cf. Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and Section 7-3 (2) of the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet. It is not possible to appeal the grades awarded for oral and practical exams. For a group exam, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidates who submitted the appeal. This means that all members of the group do not have to participate in the appeal.

Suitability

Diplomas for the completed programme will only be awarded to graduates who are suited to practise the profession. A student who represents a potential threat to the life, physical or mental health, rights and security of his/her patients, clients and users is not suited for the profession.

Suitability assessments are made on a continuous basis throughout the study programme, and will be included in the overall assessment of the students' professional and personal suitability for work as health personnel. Students who demonstrate little ability to master the occupational therapy profession must be informed of this at the earliest possible stage of the programme. They will be given supervision and advice on how to improve, or be advised to leave the programme. Special suitability assessments are used in special cases, cf. the Regulations concerning Suitability Assessment in Higher Education.

Information regarding the programme description

Adopted by the Board of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences on 10 May 2011.

Most recent amendments adopted by the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences on 11 February 2019.

Applies for the academic year 2019-20.