Master of Occupational Therapy
Blended learning – on-campus and digital learning
Design, technology, and business entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship are embedded in the curriculum content, which has been designed collaboratively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health professionals.
Students complete three professional work placements in community- or hospital-focused agencies that offer short-and long-term therapy, a well as an innovative project-based placement in the Design Factory Melbourne. Working in teams, students gain industry experience by developing innovative solutions to problems provided by industry partners and consumers.
Every international student application is considered for a scholarship
Whether you’re living in Australia or overseas, you’re automatically considered for a scholarship of up to 30% off your course fees. Please check our updated entry requirements.
Due to limited capacity, students will be unable to defer their place in this course.
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Duration
2 Year/s
Intakes
Hawthorn (Winter) - View application and start dates
CRICOS code
089748J
Fees
A$39230 (annual for 2022)*
The indicative course fees shown in Course Search apply to international students for the relevant year only. They are based on a standard study load per year. However, please note that fees are assessed according to a student's study load in each semester, and variation to study load will result in an adjustment to tuition fees. All fees are subject to annual review and may be adjusted.
Course information in detail
- Course detail, course structure and units of study.
Course description
Occupational therapists work in hospital, rehabilitation, residential care, mental health, community health, forensic mental health, school, paediatric and occupational rehabilitation settings. Occupational therapists assist people who have difficulty participating in everyday life. Everyday life activities include participation in the paid work force, leisure activities, and/or self-care activities. Clients may have neurological, musculoskeletal or mental health problems and may be living at home or in a supported living setting.
Problem-based learning
International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.
Course structure
- 11 Core units of study (137.5 credit points)
- 3 Professional placement units of study (62.5 credit points)
The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Master of Occupational Therapy is 100 credit points (normally eight units)
Professional placements
It is a mandated requirement of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and the Occupational Therapy Council (Australia and New Zealand) Ltd that all students will undertake 1000 hours of professional practice training including 800 hours of work placements and at least 240 hours of other professional practice activities in other units. Work placements are organised into three full-time blocks (20 weeks total). Swinburne will organise the student placement program.
Placements will be undertaken in agencies which: provide short-term or long-term therapy, are community or hospital focused, with clients across the lifespan. Clients will experience occupational performance problems as a result of mental health, neurological or musculoskeletal impairments. Every client will be experiencing some limitation in what they need, want or expect to be able to do. It is intended that students be offered a variety of placement experiences during their enrolment.
Units of study
Careers and graduate outcomes
- Career opportunities, course aims and objectives and professional recognition.
Career opportunities
Aims and objectives
Specifically students will:
- construct an occupational performance profile(s) for an individual, group or community using key theoretical perspectives and apply these in a range of contexts
- critique published studies in order to inform best practice in areas of musculoskeletal, neurological and mental health occupational therapy across the lifespan
- choose relevant studies, produce an evidence review report related to a musculoskeletal, neurological and/or mental health assessment or intervention
- select and appraise relevant concepts and skills to develop comprehensive intervention plans for clients (individual, community or group)
- select and present (in oral presentation) high level communication skills (i.e. communication skills which are targeted to a particular audience e.g. family member, court report)
- plan, produce and evaluate a design or device solution to a problem of occupational participation identified by an external partner in the disability sector
- evaluate self and peer team work skills, capacity for self-direction and active learning ability.
Professional recognition
Pathways and scholarships
- Scholarships.
Course fees and requirements
- Fees, entry requirements and English language requirements.
Course fees
Entry requirements
A prerequisite for many courses, the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) can now be done on campus in Hawthorn at Room 132, Building TD. Book now or call +61 3 9214 3584 for more information.
- a bachelor degree (or higher award); or
- a Postgraduate degree
AND - completed at least one anatomy and physiology undergraduate unit (such as BIO10004 Anatomy and Physiology); or
- an equivalent anatomy and physiology bridging course.
Special requirements
Immunisation
Students must provide an up to date record of all immunisations they have received over their lifetime, translated in English at the time of course commencement. For information on required vaccinations, please visit the Australian Government website.
At course commencement, the Faculty Immunisation form will require completion and signed by an Australian medical practitioner to ensure you are immunised according to the Vaccination for Healthcare Workers standards. Further information will be provided upon course commencement.
Additional immunisations may be required in response to any changes in Government policy or the specific requirements of the organisation you attend for your placements. Any required immunisations or serology tests would be at your own cost.
Police check
A Police check from your country of residence will be required at the time of course commencement.
Overseas
If you have lived overseas for more than 12 months in the past ten years, you are required to provide a police check from each country you resided in (including an English translation) and/or a statutory declaration stating that you have never been convicted of any crime in another country.
Australia
You will be required to have an annual National Police Record Check to attend placements. Further information about how to apply will be provided at course commencement.
Students enrolled in this course may be required to apply for and receive an acceptable NDIS Worker Screening Check prior to commencing placement with an NDIS provider. The relevant fee is the responsibility of the student.
Working with Children Check – all applicants must maintain a current Working with Children Check throughout the duration of the program.
Professional placements
Placements can occur at any time during the course, including during the school holidays, Christmas and Easter holidays. Students need to be available to attend placements at all times during the course. It is advised that holidays are not booked prior to allocation of placements as alternative placements may not be available, therefore impeding progress in the course.
Detailed information will be provided to all students at the commencement of the course.
Once enrolled in the course, all students (with the exception of Master of Dietetics students) are registered with the Australian Heath Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
Additional costs
Uniform and equipment will be required to be purchased for use in class and placement.
Some placements will be undertaken in regional locations, students are responsible for costs incurred for travel and accommodation.
English language requirements
Satisfactory completion of one of the following:
- IELTS (Academic Module): Overall 7.0 with no individual band below 7.0;
- Swinburne English Language Centre: EAP5 Advanced level with overall 75% and all skills 70% or above; Or
- equivalent measures available at: Entry Requirements for International Students
How to apply
Find out more
Tel: +61 3 9214 8444 (outside Australia)