University of Sydney Handbooks - 2011 Archive

Download full 2011 archive Page archived at: Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:21:47 +1000

Occupational Therapy

Courses of study

The discipline of Occupational Therapy offers the following undergraduate program:

  • The Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) pass and honours degree is offered on a full-time basis over four years. These courses prepare students to practise as an occupational therapist.

A graduate professional-entry qualification is also offered:

  • The Master of Occupational Therapy degree is an alternative professional-entry pathway suitable for students with relevant undergraduate qualifications. See Chapter 14 for further information.

A range of postgraduate study options have also been developed:

  • The Graduate Certificate and Master of Health Sciences, with an Occupational Therapy major, have been designed to provide specific professional development for occupational therapists who wish to extend their knowledge, skills and attitudes as practitioners, teachers and learners. See Chapter 9 for further information.

Research programs include:

  • PhD
  • Master of Applied Science.

For further information on the research degrees offered by the faculty, see Chapter 19.

Professional information

Occupational therapy prioritises enabling people€™s participation in life as fully as they would like.

Occupational therapists help to overcome barriers and create opportunities for people of all ages who may have been constrained by injury, illness or other circumstances. Often, it is the environment that €˜disables€™ people, including the built environment, social attitudes and assumptions, or public policies and institutional practice. At other times, an activity may be too complex or demanding. New abilities, adapted techniques or assistive devices may be required. Occupational therapists help a diverse range of clients in many different settings to optimise participation and meaning in their daily lives.

Further information

T: +61 2 9351 9161
sydney.edu.au/health_sciences

Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)

Occupational therapy involves understanding and promoting human occupations (self-care, school/work, play/leisure) by improving the match between people's capabilities, the tasks they need and want to do and the resources available for performing those tasks and roles. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages who have experienced developmental difficulties, illness or injury that prevent them from doing what they need and want to do every day.

Study in occupational therapy includes: theories of what people do in daily life and why; knowledge of the development of human capabilities (eg cognitive, motor, psychosocial) and the ways in which injury and illness typically disrupt them; activity and environmental analysis; and theories and techniques for promoting participation in daily life.

Occupational therapists work with people of all ages whose lives have been disrupted by developmental deficits, the ageing process, physical injury, illness or psychological or social disability. Occupational therapists work in healthcare and community settings, schools, work environments and in private practice. Some occupational therapists are researchers; some are educators.

Admission requirements

There are no specific admission requirements to the Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) course. However, prospective students may benefit from undertaking biology at HSC level.

Honours

For information specific to the occupational therapy honours program students are advised to contact the honours course coordinator. Entry is based on academic performance in Years 1 and 2 of the pass course. The occupational therapy honours program includes the first five semesters of the pass program followed by three semesters when the student is specifically enrolled in the honours program. In order for honours students to have adequate time to pursue their research studies, a number of modifications including internal exemptions, timetabling flexibility and Professional Practice IV flexibility are offered. Students undertake Professional Practice IV at a suitable time in relation to their research studies and in consultation with their supervisor and the Professional Practice IV unit coordinator.

Course outline

The course outlines for the Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) at both pass and honours levels are presented in Tables 4.1, 4.1.1 and 4.2. Units of study are described in Chapter 7.

Table 4.1: Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) Pass

Unit of study Credit points A: Assumed knowledge P: Prerequisites C: Corequisites N: Prohibition Session
Course code SH111: Pass course; full-time, 4 years

Year 4 (last offered in 2011)

Semester 1
Professional electives
Students choose up to three professional (total 18 credit points) electives of 6 credit points each and at least 6 credit points of Faculty electives. Availability of OCCP professional electives may vary from year to year.
OCCP4079
OT in Learning & Co-ord Difficulties
6   

Department permission required for enrolment
Semester 1
OCCP4080
Upper Limb and Hand Rehabilitation
6    P OCCP1095 Components of Occupatioanal Performance 1B, OCCP2044 Components of Occupational Performance 2B


Weekly attendance is mandatory
Semester 1
OCCP4081
Enabling Participation and Safety in Age
6    P OCCP3061 Professional Practice 3A

Note: Department permission required for enrolment

Semester 1
OCCP4082
OT in Occ Health, Safety & Rehab
6    P OCCP3064 Human Occupations III
Semester 1
OCCP4083
Mental Health Interventions
6    A OCCP1091 Components of Occ Performance IA, OCCP2044 Components of Occ Performance IIB, OCCP3066 Components of Occ Performance III
Semester 1
OCCP4084
Child & Adolescent Mental Health in OT
6    A Knowledge of typical child development
P OCCP1083 Occupations and roles across the lifespan 1 OR OCCP2088 Occupational Performance: Child and Family
Semester 1
OCCP4085
People with Intellectual Disability
6      Semester 1
OCCP4086
Professional Elective - General
6   

Department permission required for enrolment
Semester 1
plus Faculty elective [6]
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
OCCP4051
Professional Practice IV
24    P OCCP3061 Professional Practice IIIA, OCCP3065 Professional Practice IIIB

Note: Department permission required for enrolmentin the following sessions:Semester 1,

Semester 1
Semester 2
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Note
Pass students choose electives to the value of 6 credit points during the first three years of the course. Honours students choose 3 credit points. The electives are chosen from outside the Occupational Therapy undergraduate course.

Table 4.1.1: Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) Honours

Unit of study Credit points A: Assumed knowledge P: Prerequisites C: Corequisites N: Prohibition Session
Course code SH112: Honours program; full-time, 4 years

Year 4 (last offered in 2011)

Semester 1
OCCP4019
Honours Research Seminar II
4      Semester 1
OCCP4071
Professional Practice IV (Hons)
20    P OCCP3061 Professional Practice IIIA, OCCP3065 Professional Practice IIIB
Semester 1
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
OCCP4072
Honours Thesis
24      Semester 2
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Note
The unit OCCP4070 Research Elective Independent Study is an approved elective.

Table 4.2: Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)

Unit of study Credit points A: Assumed knowledge P: Prerequisites C: Corequisites N: Prohibition Session
Course code SH135: Pass course; full-time, 4 years

Year 1

Semester 1
HSBH1003
Health, Behaviour and Society
6    N BACH1130, BACH1132, BACH1133, BACH1134, BACH1161
Semester 1
OCCP1096
Understanding Occupation-People-Context
6      Semester 1
OCCP1097
Occ Performance: Self-Care & Mobility
6      Semester 1
Elective (non OT) [6] (see note 1)
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
BIOS1168
Functional Musculoskeletal Anatomy A
6    N BIOS1136 Functional Anatomy A, BIOS1159 Functional Anatomy A - Exercise Science, BIOS5090 Clinically Oriented Musculoskeletal Anatomy, BIOS5090 Clinically Oriented Musculoskeletal Anatomy
Semester 1
Semester 2
OCCP1098
Teaching Occupations and Performance
6      Semester 2
OCCP1099
Occupational Performance: Healthcare 1
6      Semester 2
OCCP1100
Professional Practice I
6      Semester 2
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS

Year 2

Semester 1
HSBH1007
Health Science and Research
6      Semester 1
Semester 2
OCCP2084
Occupational Performance: Healthcare 2
6      Semester 1
OCCP2085
Occupational Performance: Home & Family
6      Semester 1
OCCP2086
Professional Practice 2
6    P OCCP1099 Occupational Performance: Healthcare 1, OCCP1100 Professioanl Practice I
Semester 1
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
BIOS1171
Neuroscience
6    N BIOS1137, BIOS2103
Semester 1
Semester 2
OCCP2087
Occupational Performance: Community
6      Semester 2
OCCP2088
Occupational Performance: Child & Family
6      Semester 2
Elective (non-OT) [6] (see note 2)
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS

Year 3

Semester 1
OCCP3061
Professional Practice IIIA
12    P OCCP2086 Professional Practice 2
Semester 1
Semester 2
OCCP3065
Professional Practice IIIB
12    P OCCP2086 Professional Practice 2
Semester 1
Semester 2
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
OCCP3076
Occupational Performance: Education
6      Semester 2
OCCP3077
Occupational Performance: Productivity
6      Semester 2
OCCP3078
Occupational Performance: Aging
6      Semester 2
Elective (non-OT) [6] (see note 2)
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS

Year 4 (first offered in 2012)

Semester 1
Health Promotion Through Occupation [6]
Elective (OT or non-OT) [6] (see note 2)
Elective (OT or non-OT) [6] (see note 2)
Elective (OT or non-OT) [6] (see note 2)
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
Professional Practice IV [18]
Evaluation in Professional Practice [6]
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Notes
1. Students entering the program without a science background are strongly recommended to take BIOS1167 Human Cell Biology as the Year 1 elective, in preparation for BIOS1171 Neuroscience in Year 2.
2. Students are required to complete 36 credit points of electives over the course of the degree. At least 6 credit points must come from the Behavioural or Social Sciences (or equivalent) and a minimum of 6 credit points must come from the Biomedical Sciences (or equivalent). Otherwise, students may choose from not-OT units of study as well as Year 4 OT elective units of study (see Table 11.1).

Table 4.2.1: Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) Honours

Unit of study Credit points A: Assumed knowledge P: Prerequisites C: Corequisites N: Prohibition Session
Course code SH136: Pass course; full-time, 4 years

Year 1

Semester 1
HSBH1003
Health, Behaviour and Society
6    N BACH1130, BACH1132, BACH1133, BACH1134, BACH1161
Semester 1
OCCP1096
Understanding Occupation-People-Context
6      Semester 1
Elective (non OT) [6] (see note 1)
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
BIOS1168
Functional Musculoskeletal Anatomy A
6    N BIOS1136 Functional Anatomy A, BIOS1159 Functional Anatomy A - Exercise Science, BIOS5090 Clinically Oriented Musculoskeletal Anatomy, BIOS5090 Clinically Oriented Musculoskeletal Anatomy
Semester 1
Semester 2
OCCP1099
Occupational Performance: Healthcare 1
6      Semester 2
OCCP1100
Professional Practice I
6      Semester 2
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS

Year 2

Semester 1
HSBH1007
Health Science and Research
6      Semester 1
Semester 2
OCCP2086
Professional Practice 2
6    P OCCP1099 Occupational Performance: Healthcare 1, OCCP1100 Professioanl Practice I
Semester 1
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
BIOS1171
Neuroscience
6    N BIOS1137, BIOS2103
Semester 1
Semester 2
OCCP2088
Occupational Performance: Child & Family
6      Semester 2
Elective (non-OT) [6] (see note 2)
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS

Year 3

Semester 1
OCCP3061
Professional Practice IIIA
12    P OCCP2086 Professional Practice 2
Semester 1
Semester 2
OCCP3065
Professional Practice IIIB
12    P OCCP2086 Professional Practice 2
Semester 1
Semester 2
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
Choose two of the following three OCCP units (total 12 credit points)
OCCP3076
Occupational Performance: Education
6      Semester 2
OCCP3077
Occupational Performance: Productivity
6      Semester 2
OCCP3078
Occupational Performance: Aging
6      Semester 2
plus
OCCP3079
Honours Research Seminar 1
6      Semester 2
plus Elective: Research [6]
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS

Year 4 (first offered in 2012)

Semester 1
Health Promotion Through Occupation [6]
Honours Research Seminar 2 (6)
Honours Thesis 1 (12)
SEMESTER 1 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS
Semester 2
Professional Practice IV (12)
Honours Thesis 2 (12)
SEMESTER 2 TOTAL: 24 CREDIT POINTS

Professional practice

Professional practice is an integral part of the occupational therapy program. Fieldwork education may consist of block placements and other guided learning experiences. These experiences provide students with an opportunity to practice skills and take responsibility commensurate with their background knowledge and level of development acquired during the course. Fieldwork block placements are periods of two to ten weeks where students attend a setting five days a week full time for approximately 37.5 hours per week. The placements occur during semester time and during recess periods, at all levels of the courses, and are located in both metropolitan, country facilities and, in some cases, overseas facilities.

Occupational Therapy professional practice/fieldwork education
Professional Practice I

Lectures/tutorials and a five-day placement either during inter-semester recess or at other times during the year.

Professional Practice II

Lectures/tutorials and a 2-week block placement during inter-semester recess. Placements may also occur at different times of the year, subject to availability. Students are also required to complete peer interview/assessment projects.

Professional Practice IIIA and IIIB

Lectures/tutorials, online education and two 7-week block placements during Semester 1. Placements may also occur at different times of the year, subject to availability. Students are also required to attend university before and after placements for professional practice briefing and debriefing classes.

Professional Practice IV

Lectures/tutorials, online education and an 8-week (pass program) or 6-week (honours program) placement during Semester 2. Students are required to attend university for a number of lectures and tutorials before and after placement and to complete assessments both on placement and on-campus.

Uniforms

Students may need to obtain uniforms to be worn while undertaking hospital placements where uniforms are required. Not all fieldwork sites require students to wear uniforms. Polo shirts, with the University crest and course name, can be obtained through the relevant student associations. A faculty name badge is required to be worn at all times during fieldwork placements. These badges can be obtained from the Students' Union.

Women

Short sleeves white blouse; navy blue culotte skirt or navy blue trousers; navy blue cardigan or jumper; navy, black or white closed shoes.

Men

White short sleeved shirt; navy blue trousers; navy blue cardigan or jumper; black or brown shoes.

Course rules

 

Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)


These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2000 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Resolutions of the Faculty, the University of Sydney (Student Appeals against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended) and the Academic Board policies on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.

Course resolutions

1 Course codes

Code Course and stream title
SH135 Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)
SH112 Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) (Honours)

2 Attendance pattern

The attendance pattern for these courses is full time only.

3 Admission to candidature

Admission to this course is on the basis of a secondary school leaving qualification such as the NSW Higher School Certificate (including national and international equivalents), tertiary study or an approved preparation program. English language requirements must be met where these are not demonstrated by sufficient qualifications taught in English. Special admission pathways are open for mature aged applicants who do not possess a school leaving qualification, educationally disadvantaged applicants and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Applicants are ranked by merit and offers for available places are issued according to the ranking. Details of admission policies are found in the Coursework Rule.

4 Requirements for award

(1)
The units of study that may be taken for these courses are set out in the Faculty of Health Sciences:
(a)
Table of units of study for the Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy); and
(b)
Table of Undergraduate Elective units of study.
(2)
To qualify for the award of the pass degree, a candidate must complete 192 credit points of units of study comprising:
(a)
156 credit points of core units; and
(b)
36 credit points of elective units, including a minimum of 6 credit points from the Behavioural or Social Sciences and 6 credit points from the Biomedical Sciences.

5 Requirements for the Honours degree

(1)
Honours is available to meritorious students who complete an alternative set of units of study in the last three semesters of the program. Admission to the Honours program is by permission of the program coordinator after the completion of Second Year. Entry to the Honours program is based on performance during years 1 and 2 of the couse. Selection of students into the Honours program is competitive and based on the student's Weighted Average Mark (WAM).
(2)
To qualify for the award of the honours degree a candidate must complete the requirements for the pass degree but include the alternative 54 credit points of honours units of study listed in the Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) Table of units of study.

6 Award of the degree

(1)
The Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) is awarded at either Pass or Honours level. The honours degree is awarded in classes ranging from First Class to Third Class according to the rules specified in the Resolutions of the Faculty of Health Sciences.
(2)
Candidates for the award of the Honours degree, who do not meet the requirements, may be awarded the pass degree if they have completed the requirements for that award.

7 Transitional provisions

(1)
These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January, 2011 and students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January, 2011 who elect to proceed under these resolutions.
(2)
Candidates who commenced prior to 1 January, 2011 may complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement, provided that the requirements are completed by 1 January, 2016. The Faculty may specify a later date for completion or specify alternative requirements for completion of candidatures that extend beyond this time.