As a qualified occupational therapist you will have the specialised knowledge to improve your clients’ lives – at home and at work - and to promote good health and wellbeing in workplaces. Study a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at Deakin and get rewarding, real-world training commencing in your first year.
Occupational therapists work collaboratively with people who might have limitations, including those caused by injury, health conditions, delayed development or the effects of ageing. Occupational therapy (OT) interventions are designed to enhance participation in everyday life and may include activities or assistive devices, or modification of home or work environments to facilitate active engagement in work, home, social and leisure activities.
This course draws upon Deakin’s core strengths in health education to ensure you receive a relevant, practical OT education that meets contemporary workforce needs.
Throughout the course, you will get a chance to consolidate your skills through a series of supervised placements which commence in year 1. You will undertake seven different placement opportunities throughout your degree, during 1000 hours of practical work experience in a diverse range of OT practices including: childhood development (including schools and hospitals); acute and rehabilitation hospital settings; community health settings; aged care and more.
You will also benefit from our on-campus clinical skills laboratory which simulates real life settings and enables you to gain the knowledge required to meet the needs of your future clients. Our purpose-built OT lab will give you access to hands-on facilities with a range of assistive technologies and rehabilitation areas in which to practice.
Our occupational therapy staff have extensive experience in a diverse range of OT specialisations. In addition to being world leaders in their fields of research, many of our staff continue to practice their expertise in the real-world.
You can travel around the world with your OT qualification. Deakin’s Bachelor of Occupational Therapy is accredited by OT Australia and World Federation of Occupational Therapists, which allows graduates to practise professionally in Australia and overseas. Our OT graduates have found roles with organisations like Alfred Health, Barwon Health, Karingal and the Department of Education, as well as in various special schools and in private OT practice.
Selected students will have the opportunity to complete an honours year as part of this course.
Professional recognition
You can travel around the world with your occupational therapy qualification from Deakin. Deakin’s Bachelor of Occupational Therapy is accredited by OT Australia and World Federation of Occupational Therapists allows graduates of the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy to practise professionally in Australia and overseas.
All information regarding professional recognition is accurate at the date of publication. Enquiries regarding accreditation and professional membership should be directed to the School of Health and Social Development in order to ascertain the current status of accreditation at any future point in time beyond publication. Representations about accreditation apply only to the course, and the relevant professional body retains discretion as to who they admit as members of their association. Deakin University cannot exercise any control over membership of an external body.
Department of Human Services policy and Working with Children Check
In accordance with Department of Human Services policy* all students are required to obtain a Police Records Check (PRC) each year prior to undertaking field placements and a Working with Children Check (WWC) at the commencement of the course.
** Department of Justice 2007, Working with Children Act 2005, Victoria, Australia retrieved April 2012.
Course rules
The Bachelor of Occupational Therapy comprises 32 credit points, including 29 credit points of core units, 1 selective unit and 2 credit points of elective units.
To be awarded H455 Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) a person must
achieve at least a distinction average upon completion of level 3 studies;
successfully complete HSO302 Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Practice 1
complete the four honours units at level 4 (listed under course structure H455 below).
Failure of a fieldwork component in the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy will normally lead to exclusion. Students will be required to complete at least one fieldwork component in a regional area of Victoria or adjacent areas.
Course structure
Core units
Course structure applies to students who commenced in 2013 onwards. Students who commenced prior to 2013 should refer to previous online handbooks or consult your course enrolment officer.
Elective units may be chosen from any faculty in the University provided that prerequisites are met. A maximum of two elective units may be studied at level 1.
