Occupational Therapy Research and PhD programmes

There are a range of research specialisms in Occupational Therapy that span the breadth of UK and international practice, from neurorehabilitation, to assessment and professional decision-making, components of driving skills, physical and cognitive developmental changes and supportive interventions, to psychoanalytic and narrative approaches to research that develops understanding of client and professional perspectives. Our research is designed to educate health and social care professionals, and to evaluate and contribute to the evidence base.

Research opportunities for students

Research students are welcomed to Brunel as valued members of our thriving, research-intensive community. Browse PhD opportunities below and find out about the funding available for students.

Research in Occupational Therapy

Browse research projects

Meet our experts

Occupational Therapy Research Archive

Browse our collection of research outputs including PhD theses

Independent assessment of our research quality (REF 2021)

View REF 2021 details for Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy (UoA 03)

Helping policymakers stub out smoking

REF 2021

Research groups and centres

Arts Health and Social Change

This Research Group is dedicated to fostering art-based initiatives that drive social change towards inclusivity and equality in healthcare.

Brunel Partners Academic Centre for Health Sciences

Focusing on allied health, nursing, social care and medicine, the centre supports ambitious plans to educate the health and care workforce, supporting the delivery of radically transformed integrated physical and mental health and care provision.

Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifecourse

Inequalities in health and wellbeing in the UK and internationally; welfare, health and wellbeing; ageing studies; health economics.

Health Behaviour Change

Development and evaluation of theory- and evidence-based health behaviour change interventions, across communicable and non-communicable diseases; evidence synthesis of behaviour change interventions.

Institute of Health, Medicine and Environments

Our challenge-led work in health and wellbeing focuses on understanding the relationships between biological, social, natural, and built environments and health and wellbeing outcomes.

Kidspace: Key skills and participation in childhood

Research on key skills and participation in childhood

Physical Activity in Health and Disease

The centre conducts interdisciplinary research to improve human health and performance through regular physical activity and exercise, and by limiting sedentary behaviour.

Smart Technology Advancements in Health and Rehabilitation

Data science/wearable technology and Rehabilitation; Haptic feedback, multi-sensory interfacing and Robotics in Health; Immersion and Engagement in Virtual Rehabilitation; TeleHealth/TeleRehab; Data: using AI and Machine learning to improve health.

Parenting across cultures in contemporary England

Ongoing

Writing in the digital age: Keyboard versus pen in adolescents

Completed

Developmental coordination disorder

Completed

An assessment and outcome measure for children's wheelchair basketball

Completed

Virtual parent coaching programme

Completed

Handwriting difficulties in children

Completed

Knowledge translation in children's occupational therapy

Completed

Hidden curriculum of Occupational Therapy practice education

Ongoing

Virtual reality for NHS staff wellbeing

Completed

Addressing educational inequities through co-production of inclusive learning

Completed

Improving motor function in children with cerebral palsy

Ongoing

Rehabilitation using virtual gaming

Completed

Rehabilitation via home based gaming

Completed

Pause

Courses

Ageing Studies PhD

Health Sciences Integrated PhD

Human Performance, Exercise and Rehabilitation PhD

Occupational Therapy PhD

Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences PhD

Welfare, Health and Wellbeing PhD

View all courses

 

Fully-funded studentships

Our funded studentships become available at different times of the year. Please keep checking our page regularly to see the latest funded opportunities. We also advertise all our funded studentships as soon as they become available on the @BrunelResearch twitter account.

View all studentships