Degree Programme in Occupational Therapy: PTOIMS17

Descriptions

PROGRAMME
Occupational therapist

DEGREE
Bachelor of Health Care, EQF and NQF level 6

EXTENT OF THE STUDY PROGRAMME
3.5 years

STUDY OBJECTIVES
After graduation, an occupational therapist works as an expert in health, social and rehabilitation sector duties either as a member of a multidisciplinary team under another party or as an entrepreneur. The objective of an occupational therapist’s work is that the client can participate in their important everyday functions, work, play and leisure time regardless of their illness and disability. In therapy, a client has an opportunity to develop their skills with the help of tasks related to everyday life (housekeeping, participating in hobbies or playing), pleasant manual skills (woodwork, crocheting and needlework tasks, crafts, etc.) or creative activities (drawing, music, drama, etc.). To facilitate the performance, the environment can be modified and tools and other technology utilised.

A central part of the special expertise of an occupational therapist is the meaningful occupation as the promoter of a client’s health and well-being, the therapeutic use of occupation, and client-centred cooperation. Central competences include: activeity analysis and synthesis, therapeutic relationship, client-centred occupational therapy process, assessment, evaluation and adaptation of occupational environments, and professional consultation and counselling. Occupational therapy is based on a comprehensive evaluation of the client’s occupational performance and environment. An occupational therapist bases the assessment and therapy on evidence-based methods. The accumulation and fast change of information requires good information seeking skills, as well as skills to evaluate the validity and applicability of information. Information seeking and research skill studies provide the student with extensive cognitive abilities and skills to work in professional expert duties, and the skills to follow the development of the field and keep up to date. These are based on the innovation competencies specified by Turku University of Applied Sciences for individual, community and network levels, a central component of the studies.

STRUCTURE OF STUDIES AND STUDY CONTENTS
Occupational therapist (Bachelor’s degree) studies are based on the legislation concerning universities of applied sciences and professional work, the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the National Qualifications Framework (NQF, www.minedu.fi/OP M) and the degree regulations and strategy of Turku University of Applied Sciences, whose pedagogic approach is innovation pedagogy. The studies have been structured on the grounds of what working life expects from a graduated occupational therapist. National (Arene, Ministry of Education and Culture) and international (ENOTHE, WFOT) skill descriptions, among other things, have been utilised in their preparation.

The total extent of the occupational therapist studies is 210 credits, the completion of which requires about 3.5 years of full-time studying. The premise of the learning is professional growth and general and professional competence goals, based on which the studies form four annual themes (Figure 1.): 1. Human occupational performance expert, 2. and 3. Human occupational performance supporter, and 4. Developer and developing expert of occupational therapy. Each annual theme consists of modules (10–15 credits) and their study units (5 credits), and they are divided into basic studies (37 credits), professional studies (72 credits), practical training promoting professional skills (56 credits), elective studies (15 credits) and a thesis (15 credits).



In the first annual theme, the student delves into the service systems of social and health care and rehabilitation. At the beginning of occupational therapy studies, the central study modules include the analysis and synthesis of activity, and the assessment of occupational performance in the tasks of taking care of oneself, work, leisure time and play. The student learns to see that occupation is very significant as a promoter of a customer’s health and well-being. In addition, the student will acquire the language skills required in the act (352/2003, section 8).

In the second and third annual theme, the student will develop their skills in the promotion of the occupation, health and well-being of people of different ages. In addition to everyday tasks, the student will learn to assess the abilities and skills of client of different ages. In therapy method studies, it is important to learn to support the client’s possibilities of developing their skills in everyday tasks. To facilitate the performance, the client’s environment can be modified and tools and technology utilised.

In the fourth annual theme, the student will demonstrate their ability to work as an occupational therapist in different practical contexts and their knowledge of the basics of developing occupational therapy.

In all annual themes, the therapy skills acquired by the student are based on evidence. The student combines the practice and the theory in different learning situations, especially practical training.

The theoretical studies are supported by a strong connection to practical working life in, for example, practical training, thesis and working life-driven projects connected to study modules, service operations, and the university of applied sciences’ working life-driven research, development and innovation projects (RDI). In addition, innovative teaching and learning methods are used in the teaching.

CHOOSING A MAIN SUBJECT OR FIELD OF SPECIALIZATION, QUALIFICATIONS
Only a certified professional, who has completed the degree of an occupational therapist, may work as an occupational therapist. The National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) grants rights to vocational practice for healthcare professionals on the basis of an application.

THESIS
In the Bachelor’s thesis, students demonstrate their capacity for independent work and their ability to use research-based information with a critical perspective. The theses are realised as working life-driven and partly multidisciplinary commissions, mainly in pairs. Representatives of working life and RDI projects recruit students for their own development tasks. The majority of the thesis is made at the end stage of the studies.

EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK
The premise for the assessment is the competences described in the competence map. Modules, study units and their goals have been derived from the goals of different skill areas. The skills acquired by the students are evaluated in the study units.

The most important goals of the assessment are the guidance and support of the student’s learning and the promotion of professional growth. The assessment guides and develops skills and is directed at both the learning process and the skills. Personal goals concretise the identification of the strengths and development areas of one’s own skills. In addition to written and oral exams, different learning tasks and other learning assessment methods, such as self and peer assessment, are used as assessment methods. In accordance with the degree regulations, the assessment is primarily numeric (1–5). The teacher of the study unit is in charge of the study unit’s assessment.

Study unit assessment criteria have been recorded in the study unit’s implementation plan (SoleOPS system), and the general assessment instructions of Turku University of Applied Sciences were utilised in their preparation. The assessment criteria separately depict professional knowledge and information seeking, professional skills and responsibility, entrepreneurship and leadership, and the student skill stages have been taken into account in their level descriptions.

In occupational therapy studies, the operations are developed by gathering student feedback on the implementation of study units during a feedback day at the end of an academic year and at the end of the studies. When starting a study unit, the student has a chance to affect the implementation in the presentation of the implementation plan. Turku University of Applied Sciences implements an annual student satisfaction survey (student barometer). At the end of the studies, the student fills in an OPALA questionnaire prepared by the Ministry of Education and Culture, and provides feedback covering the entire duration of the studies.

INTERNATIONALIZATION
In the occupational therapist studies, the student completes many different studies supporting internationalisation (15 credits); e.g. by applying to become an exchange student or completing studies through the International Semester.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
The employment situation in the social services and health care sector is good. The employment rate of occupational therapists is 98.5%. Eastern Finland and the Lapland area have a shortage of occupational therapists: it is not always possible to find qualified applicants for permanent duties, and there is a constant shortage of substitutes. The need for occupational therapists is growing. (The Finnish Union of Occupational therapists 2014)

An occupational therapist is a rehabilitation expert with a higher education. As an occupational therapist, you will work as an expert in health, social and rehabilitation sector duties either under another party or as an entrepreneur. When employed by another party, you will work either independently or as a member of a multidisciplinary team. The education also provides the abilities to work in the development tasks of the sector. More than half of all occupational therapists work in the municipalsector, primarily in specialised healthcare and basic healthcare. One thirdwork in private companies, organisations and foundations.

POSSIBLE JOBTITLES AFTER GRADUATION
The most common titles for an occupational therapist are occupational therapist, occupational therapist (Bachelor’s degree) or specialised occupational therapist (about 80%). There are a variety of titles for those working in supervisor and management duties. In addition, occupational therapists work under the titles of instructors, rehabilitation instructors, project employees, experts, researchers, teachers and different coordinators. (Miettunen Riitta 2012. Näkymiä suomalaiseen toimintaterapiaan. Bachelor’s degree. University of Lapland. Faculty of Social Sciences. Rehabilitation science.)

POSTGRADUATE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES
A Bachelor's degree provides a chance for further education in the form of a Master’s degree or a higher education degree in a university. Deepen your knowledge in Turku University of Applied Sciences.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Futher information is given by study counsellors.