Occupational Therapy Programme, 180 credits

Purpose

The purpose of the Occupational Therapy Programme is to prepare students for licensing as occupational therapists. The programme is also intended as a general bachelor’s degree that prepares students to continue their education in the second and third cycles.

Aim

General objectives

Chapter one of the Higher Education Act (SFS 1992:1434 including updates) have adopted the following general objectives for the first cycle:

8 § Undergraduate level education should be primarily based on knowledge students receive from national programmes at upper-secondary school level or equivalent. However, the government may decide on exemptions relating to the fine, applied, and performing arts.

First-cycle programmes and courses will develop students’

• abilities to make independent and critical assessments,
• abilities to independently identify, formulate and solve problems,
• preparedness to meet changes in working life

Within the specific field of education, the students will, in addition to their knowledge and skills, develop the abilities to:

• seek out and evaluate knowledge at a scientific level,
• follow the development of the field,
• exchange knowledge also with people without specialized knowledge in the field

Degree objectives

Qualitative targets for a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy as set out in the Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100 with updates), Appendix 2 – System of Qualifications.

For a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, the student will demonstrate the knowledge and ability required in order to qualify as an occupational therapist. 

Knowledge and understanding
For a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, the student will be able to:

• demonstrate their knowledge of the disciplinary foundation of the field of study, familiarity with current research and development work and knowledge of the relationship between research findings and proven experience and the significance of this relationship to professional practice,
• demonstrate their knowledge of the circumstances in society that have an impact on the health of individuals and groups,
• demonstrate their knowledge of relevant statutes.

Skills and abilities

For a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate their ability to, independently and in collaboration with the individual, implement occupational therapy measures that prevent, improve and compensate for impaired work capacity,
• demonstrate their ability to identify and implement environmentally focused measures at the individual, group and societal level,
• demonstrate their ability to initiate and participate in health promotion,
• demonstrate their ability to apply their expertise in order to manage a variety of situations, phenomena and queries on the basis of the needs of groups and individuals,
• demonstrate their ability to inform and teach a variety of groups,
• demonstrate their ability to describe and discuss measures and treatment results verbally and in writing with those concerned, and to document these in accordance with relevant statutes.
• demonstrate their ability to work as part of a team and with other professions,
• demonstrate their ability to critically appraise, assess and use relevant information and to discuss new information, phenomena and queries with a variety of groups and thus contribute to the development of the profession and the activities in question.

Judgement and attitude
For a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, the student will be able to:

• demonstrate their self-knowledge and ability to empathise,
• demonstrate their ability to make assessments of interventions using a comprehensive view of the person and on the basis of relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects, paying particular attention to human rights,
• demonstrate their ability to adopt a professional attitude towards clients or patients, their relatives and other groups,
• demonstrate their ability to identify their requirements for additional learning and to continually develop their expertise.
  
   

Qualitative targets for a degree of bachelor as set out in the Higher Education Ordinance (SFS 1993:100 with updates, Appendix 2 – System of Qualifications)

Scope

A Degree of Bachelor is achieved once the student has completed course requirements worth 180 credits with a specific specialisation determined independently by each higher education institution, of which at least 90 credits involve a gradual specialisation within the programme’s main field of study.

Knowledge and understanding
For a degree of bachelor, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding within the programme’s main field of study, including knowledge of the field’s disciplinary foundation, knowledge of applicable methods within the field, specialisation in one part of the field and orientation on current research questions.
  
   

Skills and abilities
For a degree of bachelor, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate their ability to search out, gather, evaluate and critically interpret information of relevance to a problem, and to critically discuss phenomena, questions and situations,
• demonstrate their ability to independently identify, formulate and solve problems, and to carry out tasks within given time frames,
• demonstrate their ability to describe and discuss information, problems and solutions verbally and in writing in dialogue with various groups,
• demonstrate such skills as are required to work independently within the field to which the programme pertains.
  
   

Judgement and attitude
For a degree of bachelor, the student will be able to:

• demonstrate their ability to perform assessments within the programme’s main field of study, taking into account relevant academic, societal and ethical aspects,
• demonstrate insight into the role knowledge has in society and into individuals’ responsibility for how it is used,
• demonstrate their ability to identify their requirements for additional learning and to continually develop their expertise.
  
   

Besides the objectives above, the students will after completing the programme, have obtained the higher institution’s local objectives as well as the local objectives of the programme, 

Local objectives for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

 Having completed the programme, the student will

• have the ability to critically appraise situations within healthcare in order to motivate and evaluate choice of actions as a working professional 
• demonstrate knowledge about and understanding of factors which affect health from a local and global perspective
• have the ability to evaluate and apply knowledge in evidence-based medicine and quality improvement in healthcare
• be able to work for a sustainable and health promoting development of current and future generations
• have obtained inter-professional skills that enables working in teams with other professions
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the importance of equality and equal opportunities in society

Local objectives for the Occupational Therapy Programme

Having completed the programme, the student will:

• Be able to practice occupational therapy with knowledge of the interaction between person, activity and environment at the individual, group and societal level, with a focus on health and participation in everyday activity,
• using a problem-based approach, demonstrate their preparedness to act in order to take on challenges in both existing and new contexts for occupational therapy in a changing society,
• be able to practice occupational therapy that promotes an equal and sustainable welfare state.

Content

The Occupational Therapy Programme encompasses six semesters of full-time study totalling 180 credits. Occupational therapy is the programme’s main field of study and encompasses 115 credits. Other fields of study are medical science (42.5 credits), teaching (7.5 credits), psychology (7.5 credits) and sociology (7.5 credits). The different fields of study are integrated in the courses.

The following courses are included in the programme:

Occupational Therapy, Occupation and Health, 30 credits (semester 1)

Arbetsterapi, aktivitet och hälsa, 30 högskolepoäng (termin 1)

Body Structure and Function Related to Occupation and Environment, 30 credits (semester 2)

Kroppsstruktur och funktion i relation till aktivitet och miljö, 30 högskolepoäng (termin 2)

Occupational Therapy for Diseases and Health Problems I, 30 credits (semester 3)

Arbetsterapi vid sjukdomar och hälsoproblem I, 30 högskolepoäng (termin 3)

Occupational Therapy for Diseases and Health Problems II, 18 credits (semester 4)

Arbetsterapi vid sjukdomar och hälsoproblem II, 18 högskolepoäng (termin 4)

Accessibility and Participation in Occupation, 12 credits (semester 4)

Tillgänglighet och delaktighet i aktivitet, 12 högskolepoäng (termin 4)

Occupational Therapy - Health Promotion and Welfare, 24 credits (semester 5)

Hälsofrämjande arbetsterapi i ett välfärdsperspektiv, 24 högskolepoäng (termin 5)

Degree Project in Occupational Therapy, 15 credits (semester 5 and 6)

Självständigt arbete (examensarbete) inom arbetsterapi, 15 högskolepoäng (termin 5 och 6)

Professional Development, Teamwork and Leadership in Occupational Therapy, 21 credits (semester 6)

Professionell utveckling, teamarbete och ledarskap inom arbetsterapi, 21 högskolepoäng (termin 6)

Specialisations

The specialised study in the main field and in pertinent fields is indicated by the intended learning outcomes in the syllabus for each of the programme’s courses. 

Teaching and working methods

Student centred and problem based learning make up the foundation of the teaching at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The student takes responsibility for, studies and researches current content of the courses and study programme. The methods of the course work challenge the students to independently formulate questions for learning, to seek out knowledge and assess and evaluate achieved knowledge in dialogue with others. Students work together in groups based on reality based situations to develop their own learning, contribute to co-students’ learning and to practice cooperation. The teacher’s role is to support the students in this way of learning. The programmes consist of subject integrated themes, theoretical and practical modules integrated throughout the study programme. The study programmes at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences cooperate in certain integration modules where inter-professional learning takes place through the participation of students from several professions learning with, about and from each other. The course methods and integration modules stimulate and support the student’s development of professional and inter-professional competencies as well as prepare the student for teamwork and cooperation in the future profession.

Entry requirements

For admission to the Occupational Therapy programme, besides general entry requirements, the following is required:

Science Studies 2
and
Social Studies 1b or 1a1and 1a2
and
Mathematics 2a/2b/2c or Mathematics B

Threshold requirements

Each course’s content builds on that of others and they must be completed in order. 

The following entry requirements apply in order to move forward in the programme. 

Semester 2 

Entry to the course Body Structure and Function Related to Occupation and Environment, 30 credits (semester 2) requires a pass in the tutorial group work from the course Occupational Therapy, Occupation and Health, (semester 1).

Semester 3 

Entry to the course Occupational Therapy for Diseases and Health Problems I, 30 credits (semester 3) requires a pass in the course Occupational Therapy, Occupation and Health (semester 1) and a pass in the tutorial group work from the course Body Structure and Function Related to Occupation and Environment, 30 credits (semester 2).

Semester 4 

Entry to the course Occupational Therapy for Diseases and Health Problems II, 18 credits and Accessibility and Participation in Occupation, 12 credits (semester 4) requires a pass in the course Body Structure and Function Related to Occupation and Environment (semester 2) and passes in the tutorial group work and placement from the course Occupational Therapy for Diseases and Health Problems I (semester 3). In addition, the entry requirements to the preceding courses as per above must be met.

Semester 5

Entry to the courses Occupational Therapy - Health Promotion and Welfare, 24 credits and Degree Project in Occupational Therapy, 15 credits requires a pass in the course Occupational Therapy for Diseases and Health Problems I (semester 3), a pass in the course Occupational Therapy for Diseases and Health Problems II (semester 4) and a pass in the course Accessibility and Participation in Occupation (semester 4). In addition, the entry requirements to the preceding courses as per above must be met.

Semester 6 

Entry to the course Professional Development, Teamwork and Leadership in Occupational Therapy, 21 credits requires a pass in the tutorial group work from the course Occupational Therapy - Health Promotion and Welfare (semester 5). In addition, the entry requirements to the preceding courses as per above must be met.

Degree thesis

For a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy and a Degree of Bachelor of Science, the student will have completed within the scope of the course requirements a degree project worth at least 15 credits within the programme’s main field of study.

Degree requirements

A Degree of Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy is achieved once the student has completed course requirements worth 180 credits. The academic level (Degree of Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy) is achieved once 180 credits are completed, of which at least 90 credits involving a gradual specialisation within the main field of study, occupational therapy.

Degree in Swedish

Efter fullbordat program om 180 högskolepoäng utfärdas på begäran av studenten ett examensbevis med benämningen arbetsterapeutexamen och medicine kandidatexamen i arbetsterapi.

Degree in English

Degree of Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy and Degree of Bachelor of Medical Science in Occupational Therapy.

Specific information

• the study venue is primarily Norrköping
• placements can take place outside of the study venue and may result in increased costs for the student
• the language of instruction is primarily Swedish, but some elements may be conducted in English 
• the literature is in English and Swedish

Internationalisation

It is possible to conduct all or part of a course at a foreign university in the semesters listed.  Thanks to partnerships with higher education institutions outside of Sweden, there may be foreign students and/or teachers on the programme.

Common rules

Directions regarding deferment, leave from studies, returning to study, transferring of credits etc are referred to the Linkoping University regulations and to the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Board regulations.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

Transition rules

Entry into force and transitional provisions

1. This programme syllabus enters into force on 29 August 2016 and applies to students who are admitted to the programme from 1 July 2016. From spring semester 2019, the programme syllabus also applies to students admitted prior to 1 July 2016.
2. Courses in accordance with the programme syllabus that was adopted on 01/11/2006, revised 01/09/2010, 26/04/2012, 07/06/2012, 07/03/2014 (Reg. no. LiU 1240 06-41) are being gradually phased out from spring semester 2016. This means that a course in semester 1 is taught for the final time in spring semester 2016, a course in semester 2 is taught for the final time in autumn semester 2016 and so forth. A course in semester 6 is thus taught for the final time in autumn semester 2018.
3. Students who were admitted to the programme prior to 1 July 2016 are entitled to sit retakes under the previous programme syllabus on three occasions within/in connection to the two semesters subsequent to that in which each course is taught for the final time. 
4. The programme coordinator makes decisions concerning individual study plans and examination formats for students who were admitted under and have adhered to the previous programme syllabus and have, due to approved leave from studies or some other reason, not completed their studies by the end of autumn semester 2018.