Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)
Registered occupational therapists assist people in managing constraints caused by injury or illness, as well as emotional, developmental, environmental, societal, age-related and psychological limitations. They help people of all ages achieve their goals, optimise their lifestyles and actively participate in society irrespective of limitations. This degree is designed to ensure…
Categories
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Registered occupational therapists assist people in managing constraints caused by injury or illness, as well as emotional, developmental, environmental, societal, age-related and psychological limitations. They help people of all ages achieve their goals, optimise their lifestyles and actively participate in society irrespective of limitations.
This degree is designed to ensure you graduate with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to become an innovative and competent occupational therapist. With a strong focus on practical skills, you will complete more than 1,000 hours of field placements in settings such as health, rehabilitation, breadth of community agencies, children’s centres, kindergartens, schools, and aged care facilities, providing valuable hands-on experience that will enable a seamless transition from study to the workforce.
What you’ll need
Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements. Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.
All students enrolled in a program leading to professional registration must be registered with the relevant National Board. The student registration process is undertaken by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) with the University providing notification to AHPRA following enrolment in the program. On successful completion of the program, full AHPRA registration is undertaken.
What you’ll learn
The first year of your degree will focus on core health subjects including anatomy, physiology, and an introduction to occupational therapy practice and evidence.
From second and third year, you will focus on the application of your skills in areas including mental health, occupation rehabilitation, chronic conditions, community focus, primary health care and participatory community practice.
Practical learning is a strong focus, particularly during these later years when you will practice your skills in a variety of settings during extensive field placements. You will attend workshops in industry settings such as Guide Dogs SA, Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, and Independent Living Centres. You will also have the opportunity to visit regional settings on the yearly Country Road Trip.
Throughout your degree you will be exposed to many different hands-on activities such as splint making, dressing adaptation for individuals with self-care impairments, wheelchair measurement tutorials, home modification and assistive technology plans, delivery of groups with children and older adults, adult neurological rehabilitation techniques, and completing skill demonstrations which will allow you to become familiar with occupational therapy scenarios that would arise in real-life.
REQUIREMENTS
Applicants are required to meet one of the following criteria with a competitive result, and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite requirements and essential requirements for admission:
Recent secondary education:
Meet any prerequisite requirements with a minimum grade of C- or equivalent and
Complete secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE, or
Complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 24 points
or
Higher education study
Complete or partly complete a recognized higher education program at a recognized higher education institution
or
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Complete an award from a registered training organisation at Advanced Diploma level or above
or
Work and life experience
Hold completed secondary qualifications equivalent to SACE obtained more than 2 years in the past
English language requirements:
IELTS score of 7.0; TOEFL iBT score of 94 with no band less than 22; TOEFL paper-based test (PBT) score of 600 with TWE of 5.0; Cambridge CAE/CPE score of 186; Pearson’s test of English (Academic) (PTE) score of 65 with no communicative score less than 65; CELUSA score of AE6.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
The University of South Australia is a globally connected and engaged university with industry-informed teaching and research that is inventive and adventurous. Ranked in the world’s top 50 under 50^ and with 100% of assessed research rated at or above world-class*, the University is young, innovative and offers students the chance to gain real-world experience.Focused on life beyond the classroom, the University of South Australia offers a practical approach to teaching and learning. Degrees are designed in partnership with industry, giving students opportunities to gain the latest insights and trends and ensuring they graduate career ready.^Ranked in the World’s Top 50 Under 50 – Ranked #29, 2021 QS Top 50 Universities Aged Under 50 and Ranked #46, 2022 THE Young University Rankings*2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA), 4-digit Fields of Research
