Welcome to UCC Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy’s Practice Education page. Here you will find information, useful links and the resources you will need as a practice educator facilitating a student placement.
Practice education is at the core of the programme offered in UCC facilitating the translation of theory into practice for our students. Students complete 1,000 hours of practice education to integrate theory into practice, apply knowledge in real world settings and develop the necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours expected of a quality Occupational Therapist. The 1000 hours must include 250 hours in a physical setting and 250 hours in a psychosocial setting. ‘Role-emerging’ placements (where there may not always be a qualified Occupational Therapist on site) are permitted in year 3 and year 4 to a maximum of 350 hours. Students are expected to gain experience in diverse and varied settings across healthcare, social care, education and justice.
Every year registered occupational therapy students participate in a practice education module highlighting how central practice education is to the programme. See Table 1 below for an overview of the placement calendar. Specific dates for each placement are updated annually and can be found in the individual module handbook.
| Academic Year |
Length of Placement |
Dates |
| Year 1 |
2 weeks (70 hours) |
Semester 2: April/May |
| Year 2 |
8 weeks (280 hours) |
Semester 2: March-May |
| Year 3 |
10 weeks (350 hours) |
Semester 2: Jan-March |
| Year 4 |
10 weeks (350 hours) |
Semester 1: Sept-Dec |
As a practice education department, we use the National HSCP Quality Framework for Sustainable Practice Education to govern the quality of work, evaluate our work and as a support tool to build placement capacity and diversity. Please find link to this document: HSE-HSCP-Quality-Framework-Report.
People
Module Co-ordinator
Ms. Jean Harrington is the occupational therapy Practice Education Coordinator (PEC) and module coordinator for the practice education modules. The PEC is responsible for the overall coordination of occupational therapy placements for the programme, allocation of student placements, and the integration of theory to practice across the entire programme.
Contact: E-mail: jeanharrington@ucc.ie; Mobile: 087 279 3722
Practice Tutors
Practice Tutors (PT) arrange, and coordinate practice education offers, provide support to students and practice educators, and are involved in teaching and supervision of a group of students while on placement. They are involved in several phases of students’ participation in their practice education modules and play an active role before, during, and after the placement periods. Contact:
| Tutor Name |
Contact |
Area Covered |
| Ms. Miriam O’Tuathaigh |
E-mail: Miriam.OTuathaigh@hse.ie; Mobile: 086 787 2215 |
Cork Acute Services |
| Mr. John Hastings |
E-mail: J.Hastings@ucc.ie; Mobile: 087 915 7038 |
Cork (paediatrics)/West Cork/Kerry (all areas) Erasmus Coordinator (Denmark and Malta) |
| Ms. Shelley Mack |
E-mail: shelley.mack@hse.ie; Mobile: 086 787 1133 |
Cork Mental Health |
| Ms. Anne Marie Norris |
E-mail: AnneMarie.Norris@hse.ie; Mobile: 087 648 4569 |
Waterford Acute and Community Services |
| Ms. Caroline Booth |
E-mail: Caroline.Booth@hse.ie; Mobile: 087 191 3978 |
Southeast services – Kilkenny, Tipperary, Carlow |
| Vacancy |
|
Cork Adult Primary Care services |
Additionally, the executive assistant for the programme is Mr. Garry O’Sullivan, E-mail: garryosullivan@ucc.ie; 021 490 1569.
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Training
Training opportunities for the academic year 2025-2026 - Practice Education Training Update 2025-2026
Resources
Year 1 Practice Education
Year 1 Module Handbook -
Year 1 Assessment Form (including learning objectives) - OT1006 CBFE 25-26
Year 1 Activity Analysis Form - Activity Analysis Form 3 Template 2024-2025
Year 1 Hours Log - OT1006 Hours Log Template 2025-2026
Year 2 Practice Education
Year 2 Module Handbook -
Year 2 Assessment Form - OT2007 CBFE 25-26
Year 2 Learning Objectives - Learning Objectives Revised 2025
Year 2 Activity Analysis Form -Activity Analysis Form 3 Template 2024-2025
Year 2 Hours Log - OT2007 Hours Log Template 2025-2026
Year 3 Practice Education
Year 3 Module Handbook -
Year 3 Assessment Form - OT3007 CBFE 25-26
Year 3 Learning Objectives - Learning Objectives Revised 2025
Year 3 Activity Analysis Form -Activity Analysis Form 4 Template
Year 3 Hours Log - OT3007 Hours Log Template 2025-2026
Year 4 Practice Education
Year 4 Module Handbook -
Year 4 Assessment Form - OT4003 CBFE 25-26
Year 4 Learning Objectives - Learning Objectives Revised 2025
Year 4 Activity Analysis Form -Activity Analysis Form 5 2024-2025
Year 4 Hours Log - OT4003 Hours Log Template 2025-2026
General
Site profile - Site Profile Blank Template 2025
Student Declaration - Student Declaration Final
Reflective Templates - Reflective Templates
Supervision contract and record form - Student Supervison Contract Form & Record
Underperforming Student Pathway
- Underperforming Student Form 2025
- Procedure 'Underperforming Student' Form 2025
- Underperforming Student Pathway Map 2025
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Policies and Protocols
Policy on Eligibility to Act as Practice Educator - Policy on Eligibility to Act as Practice Educator
Policy on Reason Accommodations Placement (UCC) - Reasonable Accommodations Policy | University College Cork
Policy on Fitness to Practice (UCC) - Fitness to Practise | University College Cork
Protocol – Absence from placement - Protocol Absence from placement
Protocol – Adverse event while on placement - Protocol Adverse Event
Protocol on establishing a New Placement Site - Protocol - new placement site