Bachelor's Programme in Occupational Therapy Programme description

After completing the Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, the candidate is expected to have achieved the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

• has broad knowledge of quantitative and qualitative laboratory analyses, laboratory techniques and analysis processes used in biomedical laboratory work
• has knowledge of laboratory equipment, advanced analysis instruments, information technology and automation systems
• has broad knowledge of the limitations and sources of errors of laboratory methods and systems to ensure reliable analysis results, including internal quality control programmes and analysis monitoring
• has knowledge of the application of analyses and the importance of test results both in relation to the body's normal functions and disease
• is familiar with scientific methods for research and development in the field of biomedical laboratory sciences
• can update their knowledge by collecting information and through contact with the academic and professional fields
• is familiar with the laboratory medicine’s place in the health services and the distinct nature, history and development of biomedical laboratory sciences

Skills

The candidate

• has insight into practical and theoretical biomedical laboratory sciences issues and can make well-founded choices by applying academic knowledge and results from relevant research and development work
• can apply medical, statistical and laboratory technical knowledge to quality-ensure own work
• can apply academic knowledge to ensure safe blood products and collect blood from donors under supervision
• can reflect upon their own practice, seek and receive supervision
• can acquire new knowledge, take a critical approach to academic literature from different sources and use sources in a correct manner
• masters analysis techniques and knows how to use methods, laboratory equipment and analysis instruments used in medical laboratories
• masters the collection of capillary and venous blood samples from adults in accordance with the applicable regulations, and contributes to safety and predictability for the patient when taking a blood sample
• masters professional forms of communication and can collect, document and disseminate subject matter orally and in writing

General competence

The candidate

• can comply to professional ethical guidelines and reflect upon issues in their professional practice and when encountering patients
• can make plans for and carry out biomedical laboratory tasks and projects that take place over time, alone or as part of a group
• can work independently, systematically and in an accurate manner in accordance with ethical requirements and relevant procedures, acts and regulations
• can document and disseminate knowledge of biomedical laboratory sciences through oral and written presentations in Norwegian
• can participate in interdisciplinary work and cooperate with other professions with the patient’s best interests at heart, respect individual and cultural differences and contribute to ensure equal health services for all groups in society
• can actively contribute to the development in the field of biomedical laboratory sciences and the role of biomedical laboratory scientists in society
• is familiar with innovative thinking and innovation processes, and can contribute to systematic, quality improving and sustainable work processes

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Programplan godkjent av Utdanningsutvalget ved LUI 19.12.2022

The increasing globalisation of the labour market makes international experience and knowledge of languages and cultures more and more important. Internationalisation contributes to raising the quality of education and strengthens the academic community at the same time as it prepares the students to become global citizens.

The study programme boasts a multicultural student environment and focuses on multicultural and global issues. This approach contributes to an increased understanding and improves the students' ability to work in a professional capacity in a multicultural society. The students gain access to specialist terminology by using the English reading list, both in the form of academic literature and international research literature.

The staff’s network, research collaboration and cooperation with colleagues in other countries contribute to internationalisation. The programme is represented in international networks related to the education of biomedical laboratory scientists.

OsloMet has exchange agreements in place with universities and university colleges in Europe. Students can take parts of their study abroad, primarily in connection with the course BIOB3900 Biomedical Laboratory Science – Bachelor`s Thesis (20 credits) in the last part of the sixth semester. Similarly, foreign students can write their bachelor’s thesis as part of the programme at OsloMet.

The course BIOB1060 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Health Care is taught entirely in English. The course BIOB3900 Biomedical Laboratory Science – Bachelor’s Thesis will be taught in English for international students as required. The students can decide whether they wish to write their bachelor’s thesis in English or Norwegian. Students who go on exchanges must write their thesis in English if the exchange stay is in a country outside Scandinavia.

Reference is made to the criteria that apply to student exchanges and the information about stays abroad.

The programme is divided into 12 compulsory courses and incorporates both practical and theoretical teaching at the university and external practical training. Each year of the programme has a scope of 60 credits.

The first year of study is divided into five courses. One of these courses is common to students at the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology, and provides an introduction to living and working in a digitalised world. The four subject-specific courses comprise basic knowledge of human occupation and participation throughout life.

The second year of study comprises four courses focusing on occupational mapping, assessment and intervention in rehabilitation, habilitaton and treatment. Focus will be on how occupational therapists can contribute to bridging the gap between the individual's preconditions and the requirements of the surrounding environment, among other things through occupational rehabilitation, compensation for loss of function, grading and adaptation of activities and the environment.

The third year of study comprises three courses about health-promoting and preventive work locally and globally, project development, innovation and management and explorative and critical reflection of professional practice. The work on the bachelor thesis must be connected to a research or development project at OsloMet or at a partner institution.

The courses build on each other with gradual progress both in terms of theoretical and practical knowledge. All the courses conclude with a final assessment. The figure shows how the courses are organised in the programme. Reference is made to the course descriptions for more detailed information about of the content of the individual courses in the programme.

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

INTERACT – Interdisciplinary teaching activity at OsloMet

INTERACT (Interprofessional Interaction with Children and Youths) is an interdisciplinary teaching activity at OsloMet, where students from both the health and social care subjects and the teacher/kindergarten teacher education programmes meet in interdisciplinary groups. The aim is to ensure that the students acquire the skills needed to meet society’s demands for a better coordination of services that affect children and young people. The teaching activity builds on pedagogical principles of interactivity and spiral learning, with extensive use of digital learning and assessment tools to improve the learning outcomes.

The teaching (INTER1100, INTER1200 and INTER1300) is carried out in the first teaching week each spring semester for students in the first, second and third study year, respectively.

See https://www.oslomet.no/forskning/forskningsprosjekter/interactfor a more detailed description of INTERACT.

Participation in INTERACT (INTER1100, INTER1200, and INTER1300) is required and must be approved to be awarded a diploma.

Study progress

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

• ERGOB1000 and ERGOB1110 must be passed before the student can start ERGOBPRA1
• The first year of study must be passed before the student can start the second year
• The second year of study must be passed before the student can start the third year

Students will encounter different forms of assessment during the programme. The forms of assessment are adapted to the learning outcomes in the different courses and are intended to support learning and document that the students’ competence is adequate in relation to the applicable learning outcomes. During the programme, the students will be given advice and guidance and their performance will be assessed. It is important and necessary to assess students’ knowledge and skills often, so that the students receive feedback on whether their performance is in line with the programme's requirements and whether they have achieved the learning outcomes.

The assessment of exams and practical training is 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 coursework requirements for each course are described in the relevant course description. All exams taken and the title of the bachelor’s thesis will be stated on the diploma.

Exam

All courses conclude with an exam. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, and what is assessed is whether the student has achieved the stipulated learning outcomes. The grades used are pass/fail or letter grades from A to F, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade. The grade F means that the student has failed the exam.

Most courses have coursework requirements that must be approved before the student can take the exam. See the course descriptions for more details.

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

For exams where a percentage of the exam papers are assessed 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 together with another internal examiner. The assessments from the first part are summarised to serve as guidelines for the assessments carried out by the two internal examiners.

Grades awarded for written exams can be appealed, cf. Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. 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.

Assessment of external practical training

External practical training is assessed as pass/fail. The assessment is based on the course’s learning outcomes, assessment criteria and the continuous suitability assessment throughout the practical training. To pass the practical training, the student must have met the compulsory attendance requirement. The attendance requirement includes both the time spent at the practical training establishment and any teaching provided as part of the programme. The practical training requires at least 90% attendance. The following also applies for absence:

• less than 10% absence: The student can complete the practical training course as normal.
• between 10–20% absence: The student can make up for the practical training/teaching missed, if this is doable. This must be agreed with the practical training supervisor and the contact lecturer at the university.
• more than 20% absence: The student must normally retake the practical training course. This will result in delayed progress in the programme.

If the student exceeds the maximum limit for absence, the practical course will be registered as failed and count as an attempt.

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 physical or mental health, rights and safety of his/her patients and colleagues 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 biomedical laboratory scientists 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. Regulation to the University and College Act, Chapter 7.

Practical training makes up one third of the programme. Each year of the programme includes a period of practical training, and the forms of practical training will vary for individual students. Practical training is supervised. This means that a supervisor from the practical field follows up the student throughout their practical training in cooperation with the contact lecturer from the university. During the first part of the practical training, the student, in cooperation with the practical training supervisor, will write a cooperation agreement where the learning outcomes for the practical training are specified in relation to how the student is to achieve the learning outcomes in the individual practical training establishment. The cooperation agreement must show how the student is to apply theory in practice, and it must be approved by the practical training supervisor and the contact lecturer at the university. The learning outcome descriptions must be concrete, relevant, realistic and measurable.

During the practical training, the students must learn to plan, carry out and evaluate the professional practice of occupational therapy. The practical training is an important arena for practising and learning occupational therapy through experience, and for strengthening the students’ professional identity. During the practical training, the students work on different assignments related to the learning outcomes as an integrated part of the practical training.

Assessment of practical training takes its point of departure in the learning outcomes in the course, the cooperation agreement and the formative assessment. The formative assessment, i.e. the assessment of the students’ knowledge, skills, general competence and suitability carried out during the period practical training, is summarised halfway through the period and at the end of it.

Practical training takes place in an interprofessional context in the municipality and specialist health service and in other arenas where occupational therapists work. The programme's location in the city provides opportunities for close cooperation with university hospitals and city districts. Practical training can also be organised as projects with public, private and voluntary parties where the students work in arenas that promote persons’ occupation and participation.

The practical training establishments that cooperate with the occupational therapist programme at OsloMet are primarily located in Oslo or elsewhere in Eastern Norway. The students must expect some travel in connection with the practical training. The students follow the practical training establishment’s rules for clothing. The various establishments may also have special requirements for tests and vaccinations. Separate attendance requirements apply to practical training, see ‘Assessment of practical training’.

Programme description:

Approved by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences, 25 September 2019.

Most recent amendments adopted by the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, 27 February 2025.

Applies to students starting the programme in 2025 autumn Full-time.

Required coursework is all types of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for being permitted to take the assessment/exam and/or complete practical training. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the relevant course description.

The purpose of coursework requirements is to contribute to the students' progress and academic development, and to stimulate the development of the therapy role.

The programme has coursework requirements in the form of compulsory attendance and different types of written assignments. Completion of certain activities can also be a requirement, see the course descriptions for more information.

Compulsory attendance

The programme emphases on a good social learning environment with student-active learning forms. To develop knowledge, skills, suitability and therapeutic competence, the students are required to attend teaching activities. The minimum attendance requirement for scheduled teaching activities is therefore 80%. Some seminars and lectures are not compulsory; these will be marked in the time schedule.

If a student exceeds the limit for absence, the lecturer must assess whether and how the student can compensate for the absence. Whether or not it is possible to compensate for absence depends on the extent of the student’s absence and which activities he/she has missed. If the absence cannot be compensated, the student’s progress in the programme will be delayed.

The practical training courses require at least 90% attendance. For more information about the requirements that apply to the practical training, see ‘Assessment of external practical training’ below.

Written assignments

Some courses have written assignments as coursework requirements. Written work that is not approved must be reworked before re-submission. If the work is not approved on re-submission, the student cannot take the ordinary exam.

Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

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

Different forms of assessment are used on the programme that are adapted to the learning outcomes of the various courses. The forms of assessment used are intended to support learning and document that the students’ competence is adequate in relation to the applicable learning outcomes. During the programme, the students will be given advice and guidance and their performance will be assessed. It is important and necessary to assess students’ knowledge and skills often, so that the students receive feedback on whether their performance is in line with the programme's requirements and whether they have achieved the learning outcomes.

The assessment of exams and practical training is 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 forms of assessment are described in each course description. All exams taken and the title of the bachelor’s thesis will be stated on the diploma.

Exams

Each course, except the three practical training courses, is concluded in the form of an exam. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, and what is assessed is whether the student has achieved the stipulated learning outcomes. The grades used are pass/fail or letter grades from A to F, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade. The grade F means that the student has failed the exam.

Most courses have coursework requirements that must be approved before the student can take the exam. See the course descriptions for more details.

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

For exams where a percentage of the exam papers are assessed 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 together with another internal examiner. The assessments from the first part are summarised to serve as guidelines for the assessments carried out by the two internal examiners.

Grades awarded for written exams can be appealed, cf. Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. 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.

Assessment of practical training

Practical training is assessed as pass/fail. Assessment of practical training takes its point of departure in the learning outcomes in the course, the cooperation agreement and the formative assessment. The formative assessment, i.e. the assessment of the students’ knowledge, skills, general competence and suitability carried out during the period practical training, is summarised halfway through the period and at the end of it.

To pass the practical training, the student must have met the compulsory attendance requirement. The practical training courses require at least 90% attendance. The attendance requirement includes both the time spent at the practical training establishment and the teaching provided as part of the programme. The following also applies for absence:

• less than 10% absence: The student can complete the practical training course as normal.
• between 10–20% absence: The student can make up for the practical training/teaching missed, if this is doable. This must be agreed with the practical training supervisor and the contact lecturer at the university.
• more than 20% absence: The student must normally retake the practical training course. This will result in delayed progress in the programme.

If the student exceeds the maximum limit for absence, the practical course will be registered as failed and count as an attempt.

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 physical or mental health, rights and safety of his/her patients and colleagues 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. Regulations to the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, Chapter 7. For more information about suitability assessment, see https://student.oslomet.no/skikkethetsvurdering.

Programme Description:

Approved by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences on 21 October 2019.

Most recent amendments adopted by the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences on 26 March 2025

Applies to students starting the programme in 2025.