3869 - Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

The course uses a combination of traditional and scenario-based learning and teaching methods. Students develop expertise in working cooperatively to seek out information and applying their learning to situations relevant to occupational therapy practice. The curriculum incorporates knowledge from the disciplines of occupational science (the study of humans as occupational beings), as well as biomedical, behavioural and social sciences.

Honours

Students who obtain a minimum 75 per cent cumulative grade average during years one and two of the BOccTherapy, and who are ranked in the top 10 per cent of the course for their respective year will be eligible to be admitted into the honours course. No additional period of study is required for the awarding of honours in this degree.

Fieldwork placements

This course requires students to complete a total of 1000 hours of fieldwork education, as required by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT). Participation in fieldwork education is integral to learning and is a requirement of the program in all years.

Fieldwork expenses

Students are responsible for all travel and accommodation expenses during clinical placement. Uniforms and accessories may be required for clinical placements and students will be notified regarding purchase arrangements upon commencement.

Police checks and Working with Children checks

Organisations that host clinical and community placements require students to have current Police and Working with Children checks regarding their suitability to undertake such placements. All enrolled and prospective students are advised that they will be required to obtain Police and Working with Children checks prior to undertaking their course. Working with Children checks are valid for five years and are available free. Police checks must be applied and paid for annually. However, in some community partnered programs there may be a requirement to have a police check renewed every six months.

Health requirements

In order to meet health requirements for working in health care facilities and for the protection of other students, and themselves, students may need to comply with certain precautionary procedures. These may consist of confidential tests for immune status (including blood tests and skin tests), receiving vaccines and having x-rays where the evidence indicates that these are appropriate.

Vaccinations

The faculty recommends that all students accept responsibility for having up-to-date immunisations before commencing this course. Recommended immunisations include diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, tuberculosis and hepatitis B.

Food handling certificate

Students will be required to pay for and undertake the relevant study to gain a food handling certificate level one. The certificate is called 'Safe Food Handling' and information can be found at http://www.chisholm.edu.au. The course usually runs for one day and a TAFE organisation is asked to conduct the course on-campus.

Graduates of occupational therapy will be able to:

• demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attributes appropriate for a competent entry level practitioner:
• develop strategies to enable individuals, groups and communities to participate in everyday occupations that they want and need to do
• appraise barriers to people's participation and devise strategies to overcome these
• articulate the unique professional contribution of occupational therapy
• be client-centred in their approach
• critically appraise the nature and meaning of occupation, the occupational nature of human beings and the theories and basic principles related to enabling occupation and occupational performance
• explain biomedical and social sciences concepts underpinning occupational therapy practice
• be proactive in prevention-oriented and health promotion practice, demonstrating commitment to the health of populations as well as individuals
• describe different research approaches and be skilled at applying the best available evidence to everyday practice.
• practice ethically, respectfully and collaboratively, and assume leadership, supervisory and management roles as appropriate
• create personal strategies to maintain high standards in their professional life, contribute to their professional community and engage in lifelong learning
• recognise the intrinsic value of people irrespective of culture, values, beliefs and socio-economic status.

At the commencement of the course, students study foundation units in occupational science, anatomy, physiology, psychology and occupational therapy practice. This knowledge is then developed and applied to the intervention process used by occupational therapists with individuals, groups and communities.

Students also undertake annual fieldwork placements, and an inter-professional education block each semester. The latter involves working with students in other health science courses (for example, physiotherapy, health science/social work) around structured academic content focused on collaboration and teamwork.

First year

First semester

• HSC1031 Foundations of health
• HSC1301 Human structure and function 1
• OCC1011 Professional issues
• PSY1011 Psychology 1A

Second semester

• HSC1302 Human structure and function 2
• OCC1012 Occupational science
• OCC1022 Foundations of occupational therapy practice
• PSY1022 Psychology 1B

Second year

First semester

• OCC2011 Occupational performance, capabilities and components

Second semester

• HSC1072 Health Promotion
• OCC2020 Enabling occupation 1A: performance challenges
• OCC2022 Skills for evidence-based practice 1

Pass degree

Third year

First semester

• OCC3030 Enabling occupation 1B: performance challenges
• OCC3041 Skills for evidence-based practice 2
• 6-point elective

Second semester

• HSC3032 Community partnerships and capacity building
• OCC3052 Enabling occupation II: performance challenges in population health
• OCC3062 Participatory community practice 1: development

Fourth year

First semester

• OCC4071 Participatory community practice 2: implementation
• OCC4081 Transition to practice 1

Plus one 6-point elective. Students are able to select from units available in the University, or one of the following:

• OCC4111 Introduction to hand therapy theory, principles and practice
• OCC4121 Adaptive and assistive technology*
• OCC4131 Assessment of children: Methods, policy, ethics and issues*

* Only offered in alternate years.

Second semester

• OCC4082 Advanced professional practice
• OCC4092 Transition to practice 2

Honours degree

Third year

First semester

• OCC3030 Enabling occupation 1B: performance challenges
• OCC3041 Skills for evidence-based practice 2
• SWK3230 Social work research

Second semester

• HSC3032 Community partnerships and capacity building
• OCC3052 Enabling occupation II: performance challenges in population health
• OCC3072 Occupational Therapy honours project 1

Fourth year

First semester

• OCC4081 Transition to practice 1
• OCC4091 Occupational therapy honours project 2

Plus one 6-point elective. Students are able to select from units available in the University, or one of the following:

• OCC4111 Introduction to hand therapy theory, principles and practice
• OCC4121 Adaptive and assistive technology*
• OCC4131 Assessment of children: Methods, policy, ethics and issues*

* Only offered in alternate years.

Second semester

• OCC4082 Advanced professional practice
• OCC4092 Transition to practice 2

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (with Honours)

* Where more than one award is listed, or in the case of double degrees, where more than one award is listed for one or both components of the double degree, the actual award/s conferred may depend on units/majors/streams/specialisations studied, the level of academic merit achieved (eg in the case of 'with honours' programs), or other factors relevant to the individual student's program of study.