Global Utilities

Faculty of Health Sciences

Single Degrees

Bachelor of Prosthetics and Orthotics – Melbourne (Bundoora) (HBPO)

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Duration: Three and a half years, full-time equivalent

Prosthetics and orthotics is the clinical discipline related to the provision of prostheses (artificial limbs) to people with amputations, and orthoses (supportive devices) to people with musculoskeletal weaknesses or neurological disorders. The role of the prosthetist/orthotist is a clinical one, with responsibilities including patient assessment, prescription and supply of prostheses and orthoses, caseload management liaison with other members of the multidisciplinary health team and supervision of manufacturing tasks related to prosthetic and orthotic fabrication. The prosthetist/orthotist combines knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, pathology and materials with physical skills such as patient assessment, casting, measuring and alignment to provide prosthetic and orthotic treatment specific to each individual patient.

This is a three and a half year, full-time course, though provision is made for part-time study.

Course structure

First year
Teaching period
Unit code
Unit title
Credit points
TE-SEM-1 HBS1APH Human Anatomy and Physiology 15
TE-SEM-1 HBS1BMT Materials 10
TE-SEM-1 PHE1PHC Introduction to Public Health C 10
TE-SEM-1 POR1CEA Clinical Education A 5
TE-SEM-1 POR1CPI Introduction to P&O Clinical Practice 5
TE-SEM-1 POR1PTI Introduction to Prosthetics 15
TE-SEM-2 HBS1ALB Anatomy: Upper Limb, Lower Limb and Foot 10
TE-SEM-2 POR1SUL Theory of Spine and Upper Limb Orthotics 15
TE-SEM-2 HBS1BHM Biomechanics of Human Movement 10
TE-SEM-2 HBS1HBF Human Body Function 10
TE-SEM-2 PHE1PHD Introduction to Public Health D 5
TE-SEM-2 POR1OAI Introduction to Applied Orthotics 10
Second year
Teaching period
Unit code
Unit title
Credit points
TE-SEM-1 HBS2NEU Neurosciences A 5
TE-SEM-1 HBS2PAG General Pathology 5
TE-SEM-1 PHE1RMH Research Methods in Health 1 5
TE-SEM-1 POR2CPB Patient Evaluation 15
TE-SEM-1 POR2OAA Applied Lower Limb Orthotics A 15
TE-SEM-1 POR2OTA Theory of Lower Limb Orthotics A 15
TE-SEM-2 POR2CEB Clinical Education B 15
TE-SEM-2 POR2OMF Orthotic Management of Fractures 15
TE-SEM-2 POR2TTA Applied Transtibial Prosthetics 15
TE-SEM-2 POR2TTT Theory of Transtibial Prosthetics 15
Third year
Teaching period
Unit code
Unit title
Credit points
TE-SEM-1 PHE2RMH Research Methods in Health 2 5
TE-SEM-1 POR3BCD Establishing Bases for Clinical Decisions 10
TE-SEM-1 POR3TFA Applied Transfemoral Prosthetics 15
TE-SEM-1 POR3TFT Theory of Transfemoral Prosthetics 15
TE-SEM-1 Elective (s) 15
TE-SEM-2 POR3ISP P&O Independent Study Project 15
TE-SEM-2 POR3OAB Applied Lower Limb Orthotics B 15
TE-SEM-2 POR3OTB Theory of Lower Limb Orthotics B 15
TE-SEM-2 HLT3IPA Interdisciplinary Professional Practice 15
Fourth year (pass degree)
Teaching period
Unit code
Unit title
Credit points
TE-SEM-1 POR4CED Clinical Education D 60

Honours

A fourth year of study at honours level provides students who have appropriate academic ability with the opportunity to continue their studies at a higher level and to develop their theoretical knowledge and research skills. The units listed below must be completed in the honours year.

Teaching period
Unit code
Unit title
Credit points
TE-SEM-1 POR4HLR Honours Literature Review 30
TE-SEM-1 POR4CEH Clinical Education H 30
TE-SEM-2 POR4HRP Honours Research Project 60

A full description of units, including the unit name, unit code, credit points, campus/location, unit coordinator, class requirements, assessment, prerequisites and readings, appears at the end of this chapter. For the most recent descriptions of units students should access the Unit Database at http://www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_publi.

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Page maintained by: Handbook Web Editor
Last Updated: 14 June, 2006

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