Undergraduate - Course3869 - Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

This course uses a combination of traditional and scenario-based learning methods and teaching techniques. 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 the biomedical, behavioural and social sciences.

Students also complete fieldwork education in various practice settings during each year of the course. This provides opportunities for students to apply knowledge and skills, and appreciate the relevance of ongoing learning in the context of supervised health service delivery.

At the commencement of the course, students study foundation units in occupational science, anatomy, physiology, psychology, interprofessional education, health science and occupational therapy practice. This knowledge is then developed and applied to the assessment and intervention processes used by occupational therapists when working with individuals, familes, groups and communities.

Students also undertake annual fieldwork placements, and an inter-professional education block each semester during the course. The latter involves working with students enrolled in other health science courses (for example, physiotherapy, radiography and medical imaging, nutrition and dietetics) around structured academic content focused on mutual understanding, collaboration and teamwork.

Units undertaken in the first and second years are common to all students. There are some differences in the units undertaken at third and fourth years depending on whether the student is undertaking the pass or honours level of the degree.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes. For more information refer to http://opvclt.monash.edu.au/curriculum-by-design/aligning-course-outcomes-with-aqf-bologna.html.

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to:

• demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attributes appropriate for a competent entry level occupational therapy 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
• demonstrate a client-centred approach to occupational therapy practice
• 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
• demonstrate a proactive approach 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
• demonstrate occupational therapy practice that is ethical, respectful and collaborative, and assume leadership, supervisory and management roles as appropriate
• create personal strategies to maintain high standards in professional life and contribute to the professional occupational therapy community and engage in lifelong learning
• recognise the intrinsic value of people irrespective of culture, values, beliefs and socio-economic status

Applicants applying for credit must clearly demonstrate that the content of their previous studies is at least equivalent to the Monash Bachelor of Occupational Therapy course components for which they are seeking credit.

Special requirements

Students must refer to the information available on the special requirements outlined below. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they have the correct documentation.

Police checks

Students must have a current Police check regarding their suitability to undertake placements. Information available at http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/police-checks.html.

Working with Children checks

Students must have a current Working with Children check regarding their suitability to undertake placements. Information available at http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/wwc-check.html.

Immunisation and infection procedures

Students must comply with procedures to minimise the risk of cross-infection of communicable diseases, and obtain documentary evidence of relevant vaccinations prior to clinical placements. Information available at http://www.med.monash.edu.au/current/immunisation.

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.

Safe 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 during Semester One of the first year of study..

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. This course requires students to undertake off-campus fieldwork education placements. A mix of metropolitan and rural health services are utilised for fieldwork education. In practice settings, students will have an opportunity to apply theory to practice under the supervision of qualified occupational therapy staff. Attendance is mandatory for the practice education component. All students will undertake one rural fieldwork education placement sometime during the second, third or fourth year of their bachelor's course. Students should take these matters into consideration when considering casual employment.

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.

This course consists of core and elective units, and for those students in the honours stream, a research project.

First year

Semester one

• BMA1901 Human structure and function 1
• IPE1011 Foundations of health
• OCC1011 Professional issues
• OCC1021 Psychology for occupational therapy

Semester two

• BMA1902 Human structure and function 2
• OCC1012 Occupational science
• OCC1022 Foundations of occupational therapy practice
• OCC1032 Development across the lifespan

Second year

Semester one

• OCC2011 Occupational performance, capabilities and components

Semester two

• OCC2020 Enabling occupation 1A: Performance challenges
• OCC2022 Skills for evidence-based practice 1
• one 6-point elective

Third year

Semester one

• OCC3030 Enabling occupation 1B: Performance challenges
• OCC3041 Skills for evidence-based practice 2
• IPE1010 Health promotion in primary clinical care

Semester two

All students must complete:

• OCC3052 Enabling occupation II: Performance challenges in population health

In addition:

• students not in the honours stream complete OCC3062 Participatory community practice 1: Development
• students in the honours stream complete OCC3072 Occupational therapy honours project 1

Fourth year

Semester one

All students must complete:

• OCC4081 Transition to practice 1

Plus one 6-point elective selected from any unit 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
• OCC4141 Occupational therapy for young children with a disability and their families
• OCC4142 Occupational therapy for school aged children with disabilities

In addition:

• students not in the honours stream complete OCC4071 Participatory community practice 2: Implementation
• students in the honours stream complete OCC4091 Occupational therapy honours project 2

Semester two

• OCC4082 Advanced professional practice
• OCC4092 Transition to practice 2

Students may exit this course with a Bachelor of Human Sciences after successfully completing at least 144 points of study.

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (with Honours)

Where more than one award is listed the actual award conferred may depend on units/majors/streams/specialisations studied, the level of academic merit achieved, or other factors relevant to the individual student's program of study.