Occupational Therapy
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy/Bachelor of Psychological Science – Melbourne (Bundoora) (HZOTBB)
From 2009 this course will only be available for continuing students and will be replaced by the Bachelor of Psychological Science/Master of Occupational Therapy Practice. Please see the entry in the Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering for details.
Division of Allied Health: (03) 9479 5815
Duration: 5 years
Broadly, the goal of occupational therapy is to habilitate and rehabilitate people who have difficulties managing their daily activities. Occupational therapy aims to address people’s occupational needs and the loss of daily living skills which follows physical, emotional, psychological and social disorders. Behavioural science provides a comprehensive education in psychology, in which graduates complete an approved three-year sequence of studies accredited by the Australian Psychological Society.
The Bachelor of Behavioural Science is an established foundation for the further education, training and supervised experience required for registration as a professional psychologist with the Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria and for membership of the Australian Psychological Society (APS).
Course structure
This is a five-year, full-time course. Students must successfully complete all subjects outlined in the course structure. Throughout the course students must obtain not less than 1000 hours of supervised clinical experience in a variety of hospital and community settings.
This course incorporates a combination of lectures, tutorials, practical and laboratory sessions. In the first year of the course, students learn about normal human functioning and development, and are introduced to occupational therapy theory and studies in human occupation. In subsequent years, students progressively learn more about impairment, disability and handicaps and their impact on human occupations, as well as learning about research and evaluation. Students are introduced to the methods of research and analysis used in psychology and are taught theories and knowledge in four core content areas: biological psychology; developmental and cognitive psychology; individual differences and abnormal psychology; and social psychology. Students will develop skills in the therapeutic use of occupations, individual and group assessment and therapy techniques. They will also learn to design equipment and adapt environments to promote optimum performance of persons with disabilities.
Integral to the degree is the provision of supervised occupational therapy clinical experiences, enabling students to develop a sound basis for professional practice. Placements are completed in a variety of clinical settings and may take place in Melbourne, regional Victoria and elsewhere.
Victorian state government legislation requires staff and students who work with clients and food preparation in any manner to complete a short course on ‘food hygiene for food handlers’. The School of Occupational Therapy gives all first-year students the opportunity to complete this course in order to meet the requirements of their clinical placements.
First year (no new intake in 2010)
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | HBS1APH | Human Anatomy and Physiology | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT1THA | Introduction to Occupational Therapy 1 | 30 |
| TE-SEM-1 | PSY1PYA | Psychology A | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | HBS1ALU | Anatomy: Lower and Upper Limbs | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | HBS1HBF | Human Body Function | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT1DEV | Human Development for Occupational Therapists | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT1THB | Occupational Therapy B: Studies in Human Occupation | 5 |
| TE-SEM-2 | PSY1PYB | Psychology B | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | STA1OCT | Statistics for Occupational Therapy | 10 |
Second year (continuing students only)
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | HBS2NEU | Neurosciences A | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | HBS2PAG | General Pathology | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT2CON | Occupational Therapy Conditions | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT2THC | Occupational Therapy C: theory, process and practice | 25 |
| TE-SEM-1 | PSY2PYA | Psychology A | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT2INA | Occupational Therapy Intervention A: Psychosocial Practice | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT2INB | Occupational Therapy Intervention B: Physical intervention | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT2INC | Occupational Therapy Intervention C: Paediatrics in Occupational Therapy | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT2PRB | Clinical Practice | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT2THD | Occupational Therapy D: Occupational Living | 10 |
Third year (continuing students only)
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT3AGP | The Ageing Population | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT3IND | Occupational Therapy Intervention D: Neurological Interventions | 25 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT3INE | Occupational Therapy Intervention E: Psychosocial Intervention | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT3PRC | Clinical Practice | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT3INF | Occupational Therapy Intervention F: Integrated Practice | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT3PRD | Clinical Practice | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT3THE | Occupation, Personal and Community Development | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | PSY2PYB | Psychology B | 20 |
Fourth year (continuing students only)
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | PSY3CPA | Counselling and Family Psychology A | 20 |
| TE-SEM-1 | PSY3RSA | Research Project A | 20 |
| TE-SEM-1 | PSY3PYA | Psychology A | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | PSY3RSB | Research Project B | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | PSY3PYB | Psychology B | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT3CRA | Critical Review in Occupational Therapy A (Pass) | 5 |
| or | |||
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT3RSB | Research for Occupational Therapists (Honours) | 5 |
| plus | |||
| TE-SEM-2 | PSY3SCB | Social and Community Psychology B | 20 |
| plus | |||
| TE-SEM-2 | Elective | taken from outside the School of Occupational Therapy | 15 |
Fifth year (continuing students only)
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-ALLYR | OCT4CRB | Critical Review in Occupational Therapy B (Pass) | 40 |
| or | |||
| TE-ALLYR | OCT4RSD | Occupational Therapy Research Project (Honours) | 40 |
| plus | |||
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4APS | Enabling Occupation: Health Promotion and Health Project Management | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4THG | Occupational Therapy G: Adult Learning in Practice | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Electives | taken within the School of Occupational Therapy (10 cps each elective) | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT4PRE | Clinical Practice | 40 |
Electives
Students must complete 35 credit points of elective subjects across the fourth and fifth years of the program. At fourth year, students will choose and elective from outside the School of Occupational Therapy (15 cps) and at fifth year, electives totalling 20 credit points will be chosen from within the School of Occupational Therapy. Note that electives may not be offered every year.
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT3OHS | Introduction to Occupational Health and Safety Principles and Legislation | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4AMH | Advanced Issues in Mental Health | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4AGW | Advanced Group Work | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4AOT | Applied Orthotics in Therapy | 10 |
| TE-SEM-S | OCT4AOT | Applied Orthotics in Therapy | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4CAM | Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Occupational Therapy | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4CGA | Counselling From A Gestalt Approach | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4CHI | Occupational Therapy Practice with Children | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4NEU | Neurological Rehabilitation in Occupational Therapy | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4OCC | Occupational Health | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4OSC | Occupational Science | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4RCD | Therapeutic Relationships In Chronic Diseases | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4RCF | Working With Children and Families | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4RCT | Assisting People In Crisis and Emotional Trauma | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4ULI | Upper Limb Intervention | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4SEN | Sensory Rehabilitation: Assessment and Training | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4NSI | Neuroscience Intervention | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4RLG | Loss and Facilitating Grieving | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4RPD | Living with Pain and Disability | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4SCR | Sexual Counselling | 10 |
Honours degree
An honours program is available to those students who have achieved results of a high standard. Eligibility for honours is determined by a system which weights the results achieved in first, second and third-year subjects (first teaching period). The honours course runs over three teaching periods, commencing in the second teaching period of the fourth year. Students eligible for admission to honours will be informed prior to commencement of the program. The course structure for the honours program is:
| Teaching period | Subject code | Subject title | Credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT3RSB | Research for Occupational Therapists (Honours) | 5 |
| TE-ALLYR | OCT4RSD | Occupational Therapy Research Project (Honours) | 40 |
Grades awarded to students successfully completing honours are H1, H2A, H2B or H3.
The honours program in Behavioural Sciences will be available as an additional sixth year to students who meet the prerequisites.