Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy (OT) is a health profession focused on enabling people of all ages to participate in meaningful daily activities — or 'occupations' — when illness, disability, injury or mental health challenges affect their functioning. On this four-year honours degree you study human anatomy, physiology, psychology, and occupational science alongside practical therapeutic skills. You learn to assess clients, design intervention programmes and use adaptive equipment and environmental modifications to promote independence. A typical week combines lectures, small-group tutorials, anatomy labs and skills practice. A defining feature of the programme is over 1,000 hours of supervised clinical placement across HSE hospitals, disability services, mental health services, paediatric settings and community care, giving you real-world experience before you graduate.

Entry is through the CAO, and points for occupational therapy programmes at TCD, UCC, University of Galway and UL are consistently high, reflecting strong competition for a limited number of places. You will need to meet minimum Leaving Certificate requirements, typically six subjects including English and Irish at Ordinary level or above, and most programmes require or strongly recommend Higher-level Biology or another science subject such as Chemistry or Physics. Higher-level Maths is not always mandatory but is advantageous. If you do not come directly from the Leaving Certificate, you can apply via a QQI Level 5 or Level 6 award in Health Science or a related area through the FET/QQI links scheme, though specific distinctions are usually required. Mature applicants (aged 23 or over on 1 January of entry) may apply through the mature-student CAO route and are typically interviewed; HEAR and DARE access schemes are also available for eligible applicants.

Occupational therapy is a regulated profession in Ireland under CORU, and you must be registered with the Occupational Therapists Registration Board before practising. Demand for qualified occupational therapists in Ireland has been consistently strong, driven by an ageing population, expanded community care under Sláintecare, and growing recognition of mental health needs. Newly qualified OTs generally find employment relatively quickly, and there is ongoing recruitment both within the HSE and in the expanding private and voluntary sector. Starting salaries in the HSE are set by public-sector pay scales and typically range from approximately €35,000 to €43,000 gross per annum, rising considerably with clinical specialist and management grades.