How Will an MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) Prepare Me to Become an Occupational Therapist?

A non-verbal child communicates a choice for the first time. Someone recovering from injury prepares a meal on their own. A person returns to the activity they love after months of rebuilding confidence. These moments matter. This is what occupational therapists make possible.

Occupational therapy (OT) is practical, person-centred work. It is a career of purpose and impact. As an OT, you support people of all ages to do the things that matter most to them – the everyday occupations, roles, and routines that shape their lives.

Becoming an occupational therapist takes commitment but, for many, it is a career path that is truly worth pursuing, offering both opportunity and fulfilment.

The MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) at Portobello Institute gives emerging OTs the academic knowledge, practical experience, and clinical preparation needed to enter this rewarding and in-demand regulated healthcare profession.

What Does “Pre-registration” Mean?

The phrase “pre-registration” can sometimes cause confusion. It does not mean you are pre-registering to study the master’s. It means the programme is designed for people who are not yet registered occupational therapists and want to complete the study and placement experience needed before applying for professional registration.

Occupational therapy, like dietetics, physiotherapy, and speech and language therapy, is a regulated healthcare profession. There are specific standards, skills, and competencies you must meet before you can practise as an occupational therapist and use the protected title.

Pre-registration programmes, such as Portobello Institute’s MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration), are intensive qualifying courses that prepare you to apply for registration with the relevant professional body and enter the workforce.

How Does the Master’s Prepare You for Practice?

Over two years of full-time study, delivered either in person or through blended learning, you will explore what it means to think, work, and practise as an occupational therapist.

The master’s is overseen by Programme Development Lead Yvonne Phelan, a CORU-registered practising OT, and delivered by a dedicated team of tutors and lecturers who are all specialists in their fields.

This means your learning is shaped by people who know occupational therapy from the inside. You will be guided by qualified OTs who bring professional experience, sector insight, and real understanding of the pathway ahead into the classroom.

Throughout the programme, you will study the foundations of occupational therapy theory and practice, with a strong focus on the role of occupation in health, wellbeing, and participation.

You will learn about physical and mental health across the lifespan, assessment and intervention planning, rehabilitation, environmental adaptation, assistive technology, ethics, leadership, and interprofessional working, while developing research and critical appraisal skills.

Placement is where much of this learning comes to life. Across four placement blocks, you will complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of occupational therapy practice placement, applying your knowledge in real healthcare settings across physical health, mental health, and social care.

Who Regulates Occupational Therapists?

The way occupational therapists are regulated depends on where you plan to practise. In Ireland, OTs are regulated by CORU. CORU sets the standards for the profession, approves qualifying education programmes, and registers occupational therapists.

The UK pathway is also relevant because Portobello Institute’s MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) is developed with and awarded by Health Sciences University, our specialist UK partner university.

In the UK, occupational therapists are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Like CORU in Ireland, HCPC approves education and training programmes and maintains the professional UK register.

What Happens After the MSc: CORU and HCPC Registration

As the MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) is awarded by a UK university and delivered in Ireland, graduates follow a specific registration process.

The programme is currently awaiting HCPC approval and will only commence once approval has been granted. Portobello Institute has strong experience in this area, having previously secured HCPC approval for its MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-registration) and MSc Speech and Language Therapy (Pre-registration) programmes.

After successfully completing the master’s, graduates will be eligible to apply to CORU through the ‘Qualified Abroad’ registration route in Ireland. They will also be eligible to apply for registration with HCPC if they wish to work as an occupational therapist in the UK.

This opens up a wide range of career opportunities across Ireland and the UK, allowing you to begin your career in the HSE, NHS, private practice, community services, rehabilitation, mental health, and many other healthcare settings.

Could This Be Your Occupational Therapy Pathway?

People come to occupational therapy from many different starting points. You may be finishing a health science degree, already working in healthcare, social care, education, disability services, or community support, or returning to education after time away.

To apply for the MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration), applicants are expected to have a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant science-based subject, including psychology, sociology, public health, human biology, health science, social care, or related disciplines. Significant recent and relevant experience in health or social care may also be considered.

But what if you don't meet these entry requirements? Every journey into occupational therapy is unique. If you need to complete further requirements first, the question isn't whether you can get there, but what steps will help you get there.

Portobello Institute offers pathway options for learners looking to strengthen their academic foundation before progressing to postgraduate health science study.

The BSc (Hons) Applied Health Science may suit those who do not already have a relevant undergraduate qualification, while the Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Health Science benefits graduates from other disciplines who need additional scientific preparation before applying for a health science master’s.

Explore What's Possible

Whether you are ready for the MSc now or need to take an earlier step first, Portobello Institute can help you understand the pathway that fits your background.

Complete your application to study MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-registration) or speak to a Career Pathway Consultant for more guidance.