Occupational Therapy
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy – Melbourne (Bundoora) (HBOT)
From 2009 this course will only be available for continuing students. Those wishing to study occupational therapy should apply for the Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Occupational Therapy Practice.
Division of Allied Health: (03) 9479 5815
Duration: 4 years
Occupational therapy aims to address people’s occupational needs and the loss of daily living skills, which follows physical, emotional, psychological, and social disorders. Subjects studied in the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy include general and health sciences, professional and clinical studies. It provides graduates with the skills necessary for the delivery of quality occupational therapy services.
The World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) recognises the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and graduates are normally eligible for membership of OT AUSTRALIA, the Australian Association of Occupational Therapists Inc (AAOT).
Course structure
This is a four-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. Clinical placements must be taken in both metropolitan and rural settings and students may apply for an interstate or overseas placement. Fieldwork is often undertaken outside standard teaching periods in second and third year of the course. Students must undertake at least one fieldwork block in a rural setting. All travel and accommodation costs are at students’ expense.
This course incorporates lectures, tutorials, and practica and research projects. The Bachelor of Occupational Therapy has a coordinator for each year of the course.
The first year of the course focuses on the normal structure and function of the human body, psychological and social development processes. Students are introduced to the theories and principles upon which occupational therapy is based and learn to analyse the role of activities in promoting a person’s competence, health, and sense of wellbeing.
In the second and third years, students progressively learn more about disease, disability, and disadvantage. They develop skills in the therapeutic use of activities, the application of individual and group assessment and treatment techniques, and the design and adaptation of equipment and environmental modification. Students also learn how to evaluate research in occupational therapy and the fundamentals of research design.
In the fourth year, students continue to refine their knowledge and skills, largely in elective areas and learn more about administration, management and the health care system.
An integral part of the course is the provision of supervised clinical experiences, with clinical placements 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 | OCT2CPS | Clinical Psychiatry | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT2THC | Occupational Therapy C: Theory, Process and Practice | 25 |
| TE-SEM-1 | PHE1RMH | Research Methods in Health 1 | 5 |
| 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 | OCT3CRA | Critical Review in Occupational Therapy A (Pass) | 5 |
| or | |||
| TE-SEM-2 | OCT3RSB | Research for Occupational Therapists (Honours) | 5 |
| plus | |||
| TE-SEM-1 | Elective1 | Taken outside of School of Occupational Therapy | 15 |
Fourth 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 |
| 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-2 | OCT4PRE | Clinical Practice | 40 |
| plus | |||
| TE-SEM-2 | Electives | Taken within the School of Occupational Therapy (10 cps each elective) | 20 |
Key: 1. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they satisfy any prerequisites when choosing an elective
Electives
Students must complete elective subjects across third and fourth year of the undergraduate program, at 35 credit points. The elective in third year will be selected from outside the School of Occupational Therapy, but from within the University. Note that elective subjects may not be offered every year and/or may have a quota.
Elective subjects from within the School of Occupational Therapy
| 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 Health1 | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4OSC | Occupational Science | 10 |
| TE-SEM-1 | OCT4RCD | Therapeutic Relationships In Chronic Diseases1 | 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 Counselling1 | 10 |
Elective subjects from outside the School of Occupational Therapy
Students are able to select a 15-credit point subject from across the University, with the following conditions:
- the subject is of an equivalent academic level
- there are no timetable clashes with the School of Occupational Therapy subjects
- the elective taken from outside the School is approved by both the fourth-year coordinator and the elective coordinator.
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 third 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.