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During this programme, you will:  

• Develop the clinical reasoning and practical skills to assess and support individuals in diverse healthcare and community settings. 

• Learn to design and implement evidence-based occupational therapy interventions that promote health and well-being. 

• Gain leadership and teamwork skills to collaborate effectively with healthcare professionals and advocate for occupational justice. 

• Complete 1,000 hours of clinical placement, applying your knowledge in real-world settings and preparing for professional practice. 

Key information:  

• Completed full-time over two years. 

• Delivered on campus and through practice-based learning.  

• Modules will be taught over two years during the autumn, spring and summer semesters. 

• Second year includes a research project tailored to your practice and career goals. 

• You will graduate with a Level 9 Master’s qualification, preparing you for a professional career in occupational therapy. 

You will learn through a blend of: 

• Lectures, workshops, and experiential learning 

• Reflective practice and supervised research 

• Practice placements 

• Regular feedback from faculty and peers through group work and assessments 

Year 1 

Autumn Semester 

• will introduce you to the relevant principles of human movement and function. 

• will equip you with evidence-based interventions to support individuals with physical, cognitive, and psychosocial challenges. 

• will examine the relationship between occupation, health, and well-being, highlighting the role of meaningful activity in therapy. 

• will develop your professional and ethical skills for working in healthcare settings. 

• will explore how occupational roles and abilities change from infancy to old age. 

Spring Semester  

• will allow you to apply theoretical knowledge in your first supervised clinical placemen in a healthcare setting. 

• will introduce key models of occupational therapy and their application in different practice settings. 

• will examine the social determinants of health and how they impact occupational engagement. 

• will develop your critical thinking on contemporary issues in occupational therapy, including ethics and professional responsibilities. 

• will introduce you to key research methodologies to support evidence-based practice. 

Summer Semester 

• will expand your clinical experience in your second placement in a healthcare setting. 

• will see you work closely with your supervisor to finalise your ethics application, recruiting and data collection. 

• will explore lifestyle diseases and the science behind lifestyle redesign. 

Year 2 

Autumn Semester 

• will cover the application of therapeutic occupations and the use of appropriate resources. 

• will see you work closely with your supervisor to continue data collection, analysis and begin to write up your research. 

• will support your understanding of ethical and political reasoning from an occupational therapy perspective. 

• will build your professional competencies during your placement in Ireland.   

Spring Semester  

• will introduce you to leadership and service development strategies in healthcare settings. 

• will develop your advanced clinical reasoning and ability to work with complex client needs alongside other health professionals. 

• will see you work closely with your supervisor and research team to finalise your research project for dissemination. 

• will allow you to practice your professional skills in a healthcare setting during your placement in Ireland or abroad.   

Books and journal articles needed for the course will be available online through the UL Glucksman Library.  

For more information on each module, you can search the faculty, school and module code on UL’s  

• Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree ( Level 8) with at least a second-class honours, grade 2 (2:2) or a postgraduate degree (NFQ Level 9 National Qualifications Authority of Ireland) in any discipline.
  • Students in their final undergraduate year can apply, but must show they meet all entry requirements by the end of June in the year the programme starts.
• If you meet this requirement, the HPAT (Health Professions Admission Test-Ireland) with the written component will be used as the only way to select students for this programme.
  • Visit for information on registration fees, registration deadlines and exam dates.
  • For international candidates, the International Student Admissions Test; ISAT will be used to select candidates. Applicants must have sat the exam by 31st January in year of which they wish to apply. 

• If English is not your first language and you have not studied in an English-speaking country, you must have an IELTS – composite score 7.5 and not less than 7 in any one component. 

• Successful applicants must have Garda clearance (student vetting form), police clearance from overseas (if applicable), health screening, CPR certification and vaccinations before placements (any costs will be covered by the student). 

Checklist of documents:  

• Academic transcripts and certificates
  • UL graduates only need to provide their student ID
• Copy of your birth certificate or passport
• HPAT/ ISAT transcript (when available)
• English translation of your qualifications and transcripts 

English Language: 

• English Language Competency certificate
• For details on accepted language qualifications, see entry requirements above. 

Guidelines on Completing your Application   

• To make sure we can review your application quickly, please:
  • Upload all documents. Your application can’t be reviewed until we have all the documents on the checklist. 
• Title the documents you are uploading. For example, "Personal Statement", "Undergraduate Transcript", "Postgraduate Transcript", "English Language Certificate" etc. 
• If you are waiting to graduate, submit your application with the documents you have to date, you don’t need to have finished final exams before applying. 

EU - €13,300 per annum*

Non-EU €26,700 per annum*

* Year 2 fees are subject to change 

Annual fees are billed by semester. Once registered, students may be eligible to apply for a monthly payment plan.  

Further information on fees and payment of fees is available from the Student Fees Office website. All fee related queries should be directed to the Student Fees Office (Phone: +353 61 213 007 or email student.fees.office@ul.ie).  

 
Funding 

Find further information on funding and scholarships. 

The MSc Occupational Therapy can lead graduates to the following sectors and careers:     

• Occupational therapy roles in acute and community healthcare settings in Ireland and other parts of the world.
• Rehabilitation and disability services
• Paediatric and occupational therapy with older people
• Private practice and consultancy in occupational therapy
• Research, education, and policy development in occupational therapy 

Dylan Williams graduated with an MSc in Occupational Therapy in 2025.  

I chose the MSc in Occupational Therapy at the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ after discovering my passion for promoting health and wellbeing during my undergraduate studies in Health Science. The programme’s reputation and strong clinical focus made it the ideal next step. 

The accelerated nature of the course was challenging, but the support from lecturers and collaborative group work helped manage the workload. The highlight for me was the four clinical placements, which offered invaluable hands-on experience across diverse settings and helped shape my career direction. 

Since graduating, I’ve begun working as a staff grade Occupational Therapist in the community, supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities. The course gave me a solid foundation in clinical reasoning, confidence in practice, and a strong professional network. 

My advice to future students: keep an open mind, embrace every opportunity, and trust the process. This programme truly prepared me for a rewarding career in Occupational Therapy. 

Still Curious?  

The team regularly host and take part in webinars to support future students. If you would like to learn more or ask questions at an online information session, click below.     

Online Information Sessions