Example occupational therapy dissertation topic 4:

An investigating the dominant factors that influence mature male students to decide upon a career in occupational therapy.

Aware of the historic gender bias towards females within occupational therapy – an observations reinforced by the present gender divide notable upon the Occupational Therapy course at Sheffield Hallam University – this dissertation seeks to interview those male students who have enrolled (and/or graduated) from the course over the last five years. For the purposes of this study, ‘mature’ relates to those who will be 25 or older at the time of graduation. Though this is envisaged as primarily a qualitative study, in which the individual reasons for choosing such a course and career will be recorded from interviews, it would also be possible to undertake this study using quantitative research techniques. Offering an insight into the mind-set of the minority of men who forge a career in occupational therapy this would be an ideal dissertation at either undergraduate or master’s levels.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Boyd, S. and Hewlett, N. (2001). The gender imbalance among speech and language therapists and students. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 36(S1), pp. 167-172.
• Hocking, C. (2009). The challenge of occupation: Describing the things people do. Journal of Occupational Science, 16(3), pp. 140-150.
• Lockwood, P. (2006). “Someone like me can be successful”: Do college students need same-gender role models?. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 30(1), pp. 36-46.