Master of Occupational Therapy Practice

2026 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2026 course information
Award granted	Master of Occupational Therapy Practice
Course Credit Points	16
Deakin course code	H766
Course version	1
Faculty	Faculty of Health
Course Information	For students who commenced from 2026 onwards
Campus	Offered at Waterfront (Geelong)
Duration	2 years of full-time study or 5 years of part-time study
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	These course maps are for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2026: Full-time Part-time Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Designed for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline, the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice prepares you to enter the profession as a registered occupational therapist in just two years. This industry-aligned course equips you with the practical skills, theoretical knowledge and professional experience needed to support people to live with autonomy, dignity, and choice. You’ll undertake 1000 hours of clinical placement across diverse health, community and social settings, applying person-centred, culturally safe and evidence-informed approaches to real-world practice. Delivered through a blend of online learning and hands-on experiences, this course combines flexibility with professional immersion.

You’ll develop the confidence to work collaboratively with people, families, communities and multidisciplinary teams, while learning to navigate complex systems and respond to emerging social and health challenges. With demand for occupational therapists growing rapidly, and roles expected to increase by 17.2% by 2029 and 32.8% by 2034^*, this course offers a timely and rewarding pathway into a high-demand profession.

Are you ready to empower people to live with autonomy, dignity and choice when and where it matters most?

Throughout the course, you’ll explore occupational therapy across the lifespan, from childhood to older adulthood. You’ll learn to work alongside people to help them to do the everyday things that matter most to them, working creatively to support participation, health, and wellbeing in ways that are meaningful to each individual. A strong focus on cultural safety, inclusive practice and Indigenous health ensures you can work in partnership with individuals and communities with respect and respond to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. You’ll also examine how social, economic and systemic factors shape health outcomes, equipping you to advocate for equitable and accessible services.

You’ll gain hands-on experience in professional practice through:

clinical placements in hospitals, community health, aged care, schools and private practice
collaborative practice working in multidisciplinary teams and learning interprofessional approaches to care
cultural and community engagement embedding Indigenous knowledge, equity and inclusion into professional practice.

You’ll also develop professional skills to support your transition into the workforce, including leadership, reflective practice, clinical reasoning and career preparation strategies.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the knowledge, skills and professional readiness to make a meaningful impact as an occupational therapist. With Australia’s occupational therapy workforce projected to grow rapidly, completing this course positions you to pursue a fulfilling, high-demand career, delivering positive outcomes for individuals, families and communities.

^*2024 Employment Projections - for the ten years to 2034, Jobs and Skills Australia

Indicative student workload

Students are expected to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, on-site professional experience (placement), placement and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information.

This course requires a high level of engagement with learning in all units, and students are expected to undertake self-directed learning and complete assessment tasks in addition to scheduled learning activities.

Professional recognition

Deakin University is currently seeking accreditation of the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice course with the Occupational Therapy Council of Australia Ltd and approval by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.

Students studying in an approved program are required to be registered with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (OTBA) (the University will organise this), and graduates from approved programs are eligible to apply for registration with the OTBA.

The program has also been developed to meet the expectations of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Career opportunities

With roles in occupational therapy expected to grow by 32.8% by 2034, it is one of the top five fastest growing professions in the health care and social assistance sector.^* This strong demand means you’ll graduate into a career with outstanding prospects, equipped with the skills to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

As a graduate of Deakin's Master of Occupational Therapy Practice course, you’ll help people of all ages participate fully in daily life – from supporting children with developmental needs to enabling older adults to live independently, and from assisting people managing mental health challenges to guiding workplaces in creating safe, accessible environments.

You could pursue opportunities across a wide range of practice areas, including:

paediatrics and childhood development
adult and aged care
mental health and trauma-informed care
rehabilitation and neurology
disability and NDIS support
community health and wellbeing
workplace health, safety and injury management
environmental design and home modifications.

Deakin graduates are highly employable, finding roles in hospitals, community health organisations, government departments, schools, research institutes, private practice and workplace wellbeing services. Many go on to work with leading employers such as Western Health, Barwon Health, the Department of Education, the NDIS, TAC and a wide range of private occupational therapy practices and educational support services. Earn more with a Deakin occupational therapy degree – #1 in Victoria for median graduate salary.^{^}

^*2024 Employment Projections - for the ten years to 2034, Jobs and Skills Australia

^{^}Rehabilitation inc. Occupational Therapy (Undergraduate), ComparED (QILT - Graduate Outcomes Survey), 2022-2024

Participation requirements

This course involves compulsory practice education across the course. The requirement of completing a minimum of 1000 hours of practice education during the course is essential for the course to meet national and international accreditation standards.

Reasonable adjustments to participation can be made for students with a health condition or impairment impacting performance. The Disability Resource Centre (DRC) can provide advice and support

Mandatory student checks

Inherent requirements

Applications are accepted from students who possess the skills and prerequisites required to complete the course, gain professional certification and practise safely. The inherent requirements of the course are listed here.

Students will need to hold a current Essential First Aid Certificate within four weeks of the start of this course and attend a pre-approved Manual Handling course before the end of the first Trimester in their first year of study. Information on manual handling requirements and suggested course providers will be provided by the school before commencing your professional practice education experience.

Mandatory checks

Students will be responsible for all costs associated with completing and maintaining mandatory checks.

Working with Children Check

In accordance with the Worker Screening Act 2020, all students are required to undertake a Working with Children Check at the commencement of the course. Students who fail to obtain a Working with Children Check prior to the commencement of practice education will not be able to undertake practice education impeding their progression in the course. Learn more about the Working with Children Check.

Police record check

In accordance with the Department of Health policy, all students are required to undertake a Police Record Check prior to practice education in each calendar year of the course. Students who fail to obtain a Police Record Check prior to the commencement of practice education will not be able to undertake practice education, impeding their progression in the course. Learn more about the National Police Record Check.

Immunisation Status

Students are required to declare their immunisation status to satisfy the requirements of health and community organisations where they will be undertaking their practice education. An organisation may refuse to accept a student for practice education if the student’s immunisation status does not align with their requirements, impeding the student’s progression in the course.

NDIS Worker Screening Check

All students are required to undertake a NDIS Worker Screening Check at the commencement of the course. This is an assessment of whether a person poses risk to NDIS participants. Students who fail to obtain a NDIS Worker Screening Check may not be able to undertake practice education, impeding their progression in the course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Critically apply evidence-based and evidence-informed knowledge about occupation and its dynamic interrelationship with people, the environment and health, to design and deliver strengths-based, person- and community-centred occupational therapy.
Communication	Communicate sensitively, professionally, and respectfully to advocate for and with clients, preferred supports, and communities using strengths-based, culturally safe language and a diverse range of communication strategies.
Digital literacy	Access and critically evaluate information from digital and other technologies to support evidence-based and evidence-informed occupational therapy practice.
Critical thinking	Critically analyse and synthesise, information to inform, justify and advance occupational therapy practice.
Problem solving	Apply advanced critical thinking, professional reasoning, decision making, reflection and innovation to improve occupational therapy practice outcomes.
Self-management	Demonstrate autonomy in upholding professional standards and maintain currency of knowledge through identification and implementation of self-reflective practices, and ongoing professional development.
Teamwork	Collaborate respectfully and professionally within teams, contributing occupational therapy expertise to achieve shared goals and demonstrate initiative and leadership within teams.
Global citizenship	Demonstrate culturally responsive and ethical occupational therapy practice through the integration of diverse worldviews and perspectives of local and global cultures, with a particular emphasis on working in respectful, reciprocal partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.

Course rules

To complete the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice you must pass 16 credit points. This includes:

DAI001 Academic Integrity Module (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
16 credit points of core units

Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.

Failure of a fieldwork component in the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice may lead to exclusion from the course.

Course structure

Core units

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points)

HSH725

Research Literacy

HSO730

Humans as Occupational Beings

HSO731

Enabling Participation in Occupation A

HSO732

Occupational Professional Practice Education A (2 credit points)

HSO733

Occupational Participation in the Community

HSO734

Enabling Participation in Occupation B

HSO735

Occupational Professional Practice Education B (2 credit points)

HSO736

Changing Systems to Enhance Occupational Participation

HSO737

Enabling Participation in Occupation: Advanced Practice

HSO738

Occupational Professional Practice Education C (3 credit points)

HSO739

Transition to Practice

IND734

Australian Aboriginal Holistic Health and Healing

Work experience

This course includes practice-based learning (placement). Students will undertake a minimum of 1000 hours of practice education over the duration of the course. Placement provides students with an opportunity to practice skills, gain experience and apply their learning, under the supervision of a qualified occupational therapist. Attendance and demonstration of competency within placement is a mandatory requirement for successful progression in and completion of this course.

Pre-placement seminars and activities are considered part of the placement experience and attendance at these is also mandatory.

Students will be allocated to placements by the University. Students should be aware of the requirement for travel to placement sites. Travel time up to 2 hours each way is considered acceptable. It is also likely that students will have to attend at least one rural placement during the course.

Note

Students will be responsible for all costs associated with completing and maintaining the following which are required within four weeks of commencing the course:

Essential first aid certificate (approximately $200-400)
Manual handling course (approximately $200-400)

Students will be responsible for all costs associated with completing and maintaining the following mandatory checks which are required prior to commencing professional practice education experience:

Working with Children Check, (approximately $130)
An NDIS worker screen, (approximately $130)
A National Police Record Check (approximately $100)
Immunisation Status

Fees and charges

Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.

Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.

For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.

Estimate your fees

Further information

Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.

Contact Student Central