Program Overview

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) is a four-year degree program incorporating theoretical knowledge into the practical assessment and management of clients in various healthcare settings. You will undertake foundational courses in the first year before moving progressively onto Occupational Therapy specific content and ultimately toward the 1000 hours of clinical practicum, primarily in years three and four.

Program Summary

You will study:

• Human anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology
• Therapy provision to different populations (e.g., across the lifespan, chronic conditions)
• Practical skills and techniques required for therapy service delivery
• Developmental psychology and mental health
• Leading to 1000 hours of professional work experience

Core Curriculum

• CORE I: Foundations of Wisdom
• CORE II: Elective
  • Electives in philosophy and/or theology
  • Professional embedded electives that integrate studies in a profession with philosophy and/or theology
  • An option to undertake a pilgrimage embedded in the study of the philosophy and theology of pilgrimage, e.g., World Youth Day
  • An option to undertake a course that integrates philosophy & theology with community service and charity work
  • An option to undertake an elective in philosophy, theology, and the liberal arts contained within an international experience

Entry Requirements

NSW

• Academic requirements for this program are outlined below. In addition, to be eligible for admission, all applicants need to satisfy the Minimum University Admission Requirements outlined. These include those relating to minimum age and English Language Proficiency.
• Applicants with recent Secondary Education:
  • Prescribed ATAR/Selection Rank*
  • Equivalent International Baccalaureate (IB) score
• Applicants with Higher Education:
  • Successful completion of at least 8 subjects at an undergraduate level or higher*
• Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) study:
  • VET qualifications are not accepted for entry
• Applicants with Work and Life Experience:
  • Work and Life Experience is not accepted for entry
  • STAT is not accepted for entry

WA

• Academic requirements for this program are outlined below. In addition, to be eligible for admission, all applicants need to satisfy the Minimum University Admission Requirements outlined. These include those relating to minimum age and English Language Proficiency.
• Applicants with recent Secondary Education:
  • Prescribed ATAR/Selection Rank*
  • Equivalent International Baccalaureate (IB) score
• Applicants with Higher Education:
  • Successful completion of at least 8 subjects at an undergraduate level or higher*
• Applicants with Vocational Education and Training (VET) study:
  • VET qualifications are not accepted for entry
• Applicants with Work and Life Experience:
  • Work and Life Experience is not accepted for entry
  • STAT is not accepted for entry

Entry Pathways

An alternative pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants is applicable for this Award and is under development.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) graduates will be able to:

1. Collaboratively apply effective, culturally safe verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills with clients, families, carers, and service providers
2. Practice professional and ethical behavior, demonstrating respect and sensitivity to clients with diverse social, cultural, and spiritual beliefs
3. Reflects on limitations in knowledge, skills, and abilities in order to plan and implement lifelong learning strategies
4. Apply an ethically informed, evidence-based approach to occupational therapy practice by accessing, critically appraising, and implementing best available evidence
5. Demonstrate a broad range of knowledge and skills to practice safe, effective entry-level occupational therapy across a range of settings
6. Autonomously conduct effective assessment and critically analyze findings to formulate and prioritize occupational therapy practice
7. Develop and communicate occupational therapy-based health promotion and collaborative management strategies to empower clients to participate in healthcare decisions and behaviors
8. Contribute to healthcare delivery through culturally safe, effective inter-professional communication, advocacy, and practice
9. Apply coherent and advanced knowledge in an area developed through research and critical analysis of the relevant literature; and
10. Develop advanced knowledge, critical thinking, and technical skills to develop, conduct and report on project or research work independently and/or in collaboration with others.

Practical Component

The program has an embedded 1000 hours of practical, professional work experience. This will be undertaken across a range of settings and is carefully selected by our dedicated practicum team within the School of Health Sciences.

The following courses are specific to clinical placement experiences:

• OCTY2002 Participation in Diverse Communities
• OCTY3004 Professional Practice A
• OCTY4001 Professional Practice B
• OCTY4003 Professional Practice C

Career Opportunities

Graduates of this program can follow diverse career paths in the private and public health sectors; career opportunities range from working in public and private health and rehabilitation facilities, disability service providers, aged care, and occupational health and workplaces.

Real-World Experience

You will learn from academics who are industry leaders, and through our practicum placements and internship programs, you will gain real professional experience and make valuable contacts with potential employers.

Professional Accreditation

The Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) is accredited by the Occupational Therapy Council Australia.

This program is also an approved program of study for the purposes of registration as an occupational therapist in Australia by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (OTBA) under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law.

The Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) program has also been endorsed as meeting the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Minimum Standards for Entry Level Education for the current stage of development of the program.

Honours

This is an embedded Honours program for all students with an Industry or Research streams available. Further information can be found in the or by contacting the School of Health Sciences.

Scholarships

Scholarships provide financial support to students while they are completing their studies. There are various scholarships available to prospective and current students, across all study levels and campuses.

These can be funded by Notre Dame, industry, individuals, and non-profit organizations, to provide financial assistance to students to support costs associated with study. This could include buying food, paying rent, transport, and household bills, raising children as single parents, being a single-income household, becoming unemployed, or caring for a sick loved one.

Please visit the Scholarships Finder to see which scholarships are available to Undergraduate students.

Fees and Costs

This Program has the following loan scheme(s) available for eligible students:

• Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP): A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) is a place at a university where the Australian Government pays part of your fees. This part is a subsidy, not a loan, and you don’t have to pay it back. However, this subsidy does not cover the entire cost of your study. Students must pay the rest, which is called the ‘student contribution amount’.
• International Full-Fee Paying: Tuition costs depend on an international student’s study load and discipline. Fees are payable each semester at least four weeks prior to the commencement of your program.

For indicative fees and information on how to pay, including Government loan schemes and our online calculator, visit our Fees, costs, and scholarships page.