Master of Occupational Therapy
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.
Due to limited capacity, students will be unable to defer their place in this course.
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Duration
2 years full-time
Intakes
Hawthorn (Winter) - View application and start dates
Study modes
- Full-time,
- Block Mode
2021 Start Dates
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
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, graduate skills 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.
Graduate skills
- capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas
- entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
- effective and ethical in work and community situations.
Professional recognition
Pathways and scholarships
- Credit transfer, recognition of prior learning and scholarships.
Course fees and requirements
- Fees, entry requirements and non-year 12 entry.
Course fees
How do I pay my fees?
FEE-HELP is a loan given to eligible full-fee paying higher education students to help pay part or all of their tuition fees. The Commonwealth Government pays the amount of the loan directly to Swinburne.
HECS-HELP is a loan and discount scheme available to eligible students enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place. A HECS-HELP loan can cover all or part of the student contribution amount.
Entry requirements
- completed their undergraduate degree in the last ten years and obtained a minimum 65% GPA in their last year of study AND completed at least one unit in anatomy and physiology (such as BIO10004 Anatomy and Physiology) or an equivalent anatomy and physiology bridging course
- have completed a postgraduate degree in the last ten years and obtained a minimum 65% GPA in their last year of study AND completed at least one unit in anatomy and physiology in their undergraduate degree (such as BIO10004 Anatomy and Physiology) or an equivalent anatomy and physiology bridging course.
Applicants are required to provide the following documentation with their application:
- Academic transcript
- Personal statement outlining reason for applying
- Curriculum vitae
- One page report on knowledge of work of occupational therapists (sources to be correctly referenced using APA 6th style)
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.
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.