Common First Year

I am interested in Occupational Therapy and am excited to hear that I can get a Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Master of Occupational Therapy Practice degree in four years at La Trobe.

Caroline is very interested in studying Occupational Therapy and, whilst she knows she can obtain a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy in four years at other universities, she is really excited to discover that La Trobe now offers a combined Bachelor and Master degree program. At La Trobe, she can obtain both a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree and Master of Occupational Therapy Practice degree in the same four year period, qualifying her to practise as an Occupational Therapist.

I really want to do Physiotherapy but am not sure I will achieve the ENTER to get into the course.

Ava is undertaking Year 12 and is very keen to get into the new Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Physiotherapy Practice double degree program.  However she knows the ENTER required for this course could be high. At the time of making her course selection through VTAC, she lists the Physiotherapy course as her first preference and then lists the Bachelor of Health Sciences (single degree) at La Trobe, knowing that the ENTER of this course is likely to be more achievable for her. VCE results come out and Ava doesn’t receive an offer from Physiotherapy as the cut-off is too high, but she does receive an offer for the Bachelor of Health Sciences.  Ava undertakes the first year of the Bachelor of Health Sciences and achieves an excellent grade point average.  She applies for an internal transfer for entry into the Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Physiotherapy Practice program and is accepted.  Ava commences in the 2nd year of the Physiotherapy double degree program, receiving full credit for her first year of study, and is pleased she can now fulfil her ambitions of one day working in this field.

I’m interested in Health Information Management, Podiatry and Speech Pathology – I just don’t know which one to choose.

Charlie is interested in a number of health-related courses and, at the end of Year 12, is still unsure which course he is most passionate about doing.  He achieves an excellent ENTER result and gets into his first choice of course: the new Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Speech Pathology double degree program.  Charlie undertakes the first year of the course which has a common first year with two other courses he was considering.  The great thing about the common first year is that he learns more about the other health professions and decides at the end of first year that Health Information Management is where he sees himself heading, finding the prospect of working in senior management within the health system very appealing.  He applies for an internal transfer into the Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Health Information Management. His application is successful and he moves straight into the second year of the Health Information Management course.

I’ve been working as a teacher for a number of years and see the health profession as a great opportunity for a new career.

Tzung has been employed as a science teacher for four years and enjoys working with people but is ready for a career change.  He sees that there are options to study two year graduate entry programs in a variety of health related disciplines at La Trobe University.  Following La Trobe University’s Open Day where he makes enquiries about the many health-related courses on offer, Tzung settles on the Master of Orthoptics and submits his application.  He is successful and within two years is a qualified Orthoptist working in a hospital investigating and diagnosing eye disorders.

I’ve graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, but would like to undertake some further study in the health field

Jenna has just completed a Bachelor of Arts and would like to broaden her career options. She sees herself in a vocation where she is helping people and decides to apply for two graduate entry Master’s programs: the Master of Social Work and the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice.  Receiving offers for both programs she accepts the Social Work offer and at the end of two years is a qualified Social Worker, enjoying working with people in a community health setting