A Degree in Occupational Therapy: How Do Traditional and Non-Traditional Entry Routes Compare?

Abstract

There are different entry qualification routes to an honours degree course in occupational therapy. These differences, coupled with the considerable age-range of applicants, mean that students commence their courses from widely different starting points, which may have a bearing on their academic career. This study examined some chosen starting points briefly and, by retrospective analysis of 47 student progress files, looked at how students fared over their university careers. In particular, it examined whether certain pre-entry factors were associated with good degree results. A secondary focus was the relevance of A-level biology as an entrance criterion. The results indicated that students coming into occupational therapy via both traditional and non-traditional routes did equally well and that A-level biology was not associated with degree performance.