UCO was founded as the BSO in 1915 by John Martin Littlejohn, an Osteopath himself, but was not incorporated until 1917 due to the First World War. Littlejohn died in 1947 and the school's direction was shaped by several people including Clem Middleton and Margot Gore. The school received charity status in 1963. In 1984 HRH Princess Anne, The Princess Royal became the institution's Patron and is currently the Chancellor. The UCO is dedicated to educating osteopaths, treating patients and pursuing osteopathic research. The University College of Osteopathy has a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes available to full or part-time students. The UCO also offers an Access to Higher Education Diploma programme. This is a one-year further education course leading to a nationally recognised award. It is designed specifically for students over the age of 18 who wish to become osteopaths or to study a related healthcare discipline at degree level with little or no academic qualifications beyond GCSE level. There is also an Introduction to Osteopathic Sciences course, which is designed for potential M.Ost students who have proven academic achievement but who lack a solid grounding in the sciences. The UCO also offers postgraduate programmes. Examples include a Professional Doctorate in Osteopathy, an MSc in Osteopathy and a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods. It also provides an ongoing programme of continuous professional development courses.
Clinics
UCO students gain experience of contact with patients from the beginning of their studies. In the last two years of their M.Ost degree course, they gain practical experience by treating members of the public at the UCO's clinical centre under the supervision of tutors who are fully qualified, practising osteopaths. The UCO's clinical centre is at 98-118 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 0BQ. It is currently Europe's largest osteopathic clinical centre, offering over 40,000 patient appointments per year. It houses the UCO's general clinic, as well as special clinics for expectant mothers, children, people with sports injuries and people with HIV/AIDS. The UCO also has a portfolio of award-winning community outreach osteopathy clinics, which further the UCO's mission to make osteopathy available to groups of the community who might not otherwise be able to access it. These give students an even wider experience of patient contact, and provide osteopathic care to groups including older people in their home settings, homeless people, people with HIV/AIDS and children with social, emotional and behavioural problems.
