Curtin University Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (OT) Overview

Curtin University’s Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (OT) program in Australia prepares students to work as professional occupational therapists, training to assess and treat people who, because of illness, injury or circumstance, are limited in their ability to undertake activities of everyday life.

In this course you will learn to identify physical, psychosocial, cognitive, behavioural and environmental factors that can help or hinder a person’s participation in everyday activities. You’ll learn to collaborate with other health professionals to provide cross-discipline care that is focused around the client and their needs.

You will study in laboratories, learning spaces and resource rooms that are tailored for learning the skills required to work in occupational therapy. Curtin’s Bachelor of Occupational Therapy students can practice individual, group and family-centred care.

During this course you will learn to:

• Apply occupational therapy knowledge, principles and practice to achieve client-centred and evidence-based outcomes
• Demonstrate critical and professional reasoning to create innovative and effective solutions for occupational therapy practice
• Use credible sources to locate, evaluate and synthesise information, including theoretical concepts and technical knowledge to support clinical decision-making in contemporary occupational therapy and research
• Communicate effectively and appropriately to ensure active client participation; accurate documentation and reporting; and the sharing of professional and research outcomes to academic, industry and community stakeholders
• Evaluate contemporary occupational therapy practice and research and incorporate appropriate technologies to enable participation in meaningful occupations
• Actively seek and engage in opportunities for ongoing learning that builds the body of occupational therapy knowledge and research, and facilitates personal and professional aspirations
• Demonstrate practice that reflects an understanding and appreciation of the influences and relationships between local and global occupational therapy professional standards and interprofesional practice
• Undertake occupational therapy practice and research in a culturally safe and respectful manner incorporating perspectives of multiple stake-holders
• Work in a professional and collaborative manner to meet ethical and legal responsibilities

Clinical Work Experience

Students will start clincial placements in their 1st year and will complete more than 1,000 hours of fieldwork practice by the time they graduate.  Placements are undertaken in a variety of environments within Western Australia, and overseas if desired.

Entry Requirements

Students will need to have a completed High School diploma with minimum GPA of 73%.

Prerequisites – one science course from the following subjects: biology, chemistry, earth and environmental science, human biology, integrated science, physics or psychology.

Professional Recognition

Curtin University’s Bachelor of Science (Occupational Therapy) program is accredited by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia and recognized by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.   Graduates are eligible for occupational therapy registration in any State or Territory of Australia through the  Occupational Therapy Board of Australia. Graduates applying to licensing in Canada will be required to provide details of their program of studies to the relevant bodies and sit a licensing examination.

Students wishing to license as a Occupational Therapist in Canada should contact the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulators Organization (ACOTRO)  for procedures and accreditation procedures. The ACOTRO is the national federation of provincial/territorial regulators in Canada.

KOM Consultants understands the process and requirements needed to enter the Occupational Therapy profession in Canada. Contact KOM Consultants for more information. All students applying directly through KOM Consultants will be supported with the latest information on the accreditation process.