Master of Occupational Therapy Studies
Overview
Build a rewarding career helping people overcome barriers that affect their participation in life.
Occupational therapists (OTs) help people of all ages improve their quality of life and overcome barriers that affect their everyday activities. OTs use a range of treatment strategies to help people affected by injury or illness, psychological or emotional difficulties, developmental delays or ageing.
This 2.5 year program focuses on the practice of occupational therapy, emphasising the use of prior skills and knowledge to enhance the effectiveness of OT practice and the development of advanced adult learning skills for ongoing professional development.
The program is designed to build on your previous studies with the principles of occupational therapy practice and see you develop the interdisciplinary knowledge and professional skills needed to practice as an OT. You'll undertake a range of research-focused courses and complete advanced training in clinical reasoning and health research, furthering your understanding of the role of evidence in occupational therapy practice.
Throughout the program, you'll undertake more than 1000 hours of supervised clinical placements in UQ’s Occupational Therapy Clinics located at the St Lucia campus and in hospitals, schools and other healthcare organisations.
Program highlights
- Build on your undergraduate degree and qualify as an accredited occupational therapist in just 2.5 years.
- Be confident and job-ready with more than 1000 hours on fieldwork and supervised placements.
- Learn from experienced occupational therapy educators and join an internationally leading school with more than 60 years of occupational therapy teaching and research.
How you'll learn
Due to the way they are taught, certain programs and plans are not offered online in Semester 1, 2022.
Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.
- Lectures
- Tutorials
- Work placements
- Online study
- Research experience
- Seminars
Placements and work experience
Students undertake over 1000 hours of supervised clinical practice in a range of clinical settings that includes hospitals, educational facilities, other health care organisations, private practices and UQ's internal clinics. During placements, students will have the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge acquired through coursework and research to practice and develop their clinical skills in real life settings.
Students will undertake a variety of sessional practical experiences from year one before commencing full-time clinical placement blocks during year three.
Students may be required to undertake clinical placements outside of the Brisbane metropolitan area and students are required to fund their travel, accommodation and daily living expenses.
Prior to applying, students should ensure they will be able to meet placement requirements outlined on this website.
What you'll study
At UQ, degrees are called 'programs' and subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study in this program:
- Occupational Performance & Evaluation across the Lifespan
- Psychosocial Aspects of Occupational Therapy Practice
- Promoting Occupational Performance for People with Chronic Medical and Mental Health Conditions
- Social Change in Occupational Therapy
Career possibilities
Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Occupational therapist
- Paediatric occupational therapist
- Rehabilitation consultant
- Workplace health and safety occupational therapist
- Mental health occupational therapist
- Aged care occupational therapist
Professional memberships
When you graduate, you may be eligible for memberships with the following professional organisations. Contact the organisation to find out how to become a member.
- Occupational Therapy Australia
Professional registration
When you graduate, you may be eligible for registration with the following professional organisations. Contact the organisation to find out how to register.
- Occupational Therapy Board of Australia
Program accreditation
The Master of Occupational Therapy Studies is accredited by:
- Occupational Therapy Council, World Federation of Occupational Therapy
“I gained so much knowledge while on clinical placement and I really valued this practical aspect of the program. These experiences aided my theoretical learning in the classroom as I could put scenarios I experienced on placement into context.”
LaurenGraduate, Master of Occupational Therapy Studies
“I gained so much knowledge while on clinical placement and I really valued this practical aspect of the program. These experiences aided my theoretical learning in the classroom as I could put scenarios I experienced on placement into context.”
LaurenGraduate, Master of Occupational Therapy Studies
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UQ people
ACEN scholarships make rural placements possible
Stories
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ACEN scholarships make rural placements possible
UQ people
Meet Georgina from the UK, studying Counselling in Australia
UQ people
Meet Rebecca from Canada, studying Occupational Therapy in Australia
Entry requirements
Prerequisites
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) and have completed university-level studies in human anatomy, human physiology, and introductory psychology.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
Entry is competitive based on GPA, with a limited intake capacity. The GPA cut-off for those offered a place in 2020 was 4.52.
Please see 'Additional application information' below for further details on entry requirements.
Prerequisites
- a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) and have completed university-level studies in human anatomy, human physiology, and introductory psychology.
You must have a grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 on a 7-point scale in your previous qualification.
Entry is competitive based on GPA, with a limited intake capacity. The GPA cut-off for those offered a place in 2020 was 4.52.
Please see 'Additional application information' below for further details on entry requirements.
English language requirements
IELTS overall 7; reading 7; writing 7; speaking 7; listening 7. For other English Language Proficiency Tests and Scores approved for UQ
TOEFL IBT - Overall 100, listening 25, reading 25, writing 27, speaking 23.
TOEFL PB - Overall 600, listening 59, reading 59, writing 64/6.
Pearsons - Overall 72, sub bands minimum 72.
CES - Overall 185, All sub bands minimum 185.
BE and OET are not accepted.
There are other ways to meet the English language requirements. For some programs, additional conditions apply.
Need help meeting the entry requirements?
Additional application information
To be considered for enrolment, an applicant must:
- hold a bachelor degree; study in fields such as health, education, social, physical or biological sciences is recommended.
- if the bachelor degree was completed more than 10 years prior to program commencement, have subsequently completed within 10 years prior to commencement either a postgraduate qualification, or a minimum of 8 units/4 courses of university level study.
- have successfully completed, within the 10 years prior to program commencement, the following university level study:
- 2 units (1 course) in human anatomy; and
- 2 units (1 course) in human physiology; and
- 2 units (1 courses) in introductory psychology.
Suitable UQ pre-requisite courses
| Human Anatomy | ANAT1005 or BIOM2020 or BIOM3002 |
| Human Physiology | PHYL1007 or BIOM2011 or BIOM2012 |
| Psychology | NEUR1020 or PSYC1030 |
If an applicant has results pending in the semester of application, the results will not be included in the selection process.
Prior to applying, applicants should ensure they will be able to meet placement requirements outlined on this website.
For applicants who need to provide evidence of English proficiency, please note that this program requires a higher level of English language proficiency than the UQ minimum.
Additional application information
To be considered for enrolment, an applicant must:
- hold a bachelor degree; study in fields such as health, education, social, physical or biological sciences is recommended.
- if the bachelor degree was completed more than 10 years prior to program commencement, have subsequently completed within 10 years prior to commencement either a postgraduate qualification, or a minimum of 8 units/4 courses of university level study.
- have successfully completed, within the 10 years prior to program commencement, the following university level study:
- 2 units (1 course) in human anatomy; and
- 2 units (1 course) in human physiology; and
- 2 units (1 courses) in introductory psychology.
Suitable UQ pre-requisite courses
| Human Anatomy | ANAT1005 or BIOM2020 or BIOM3002 |
| Human Physiology | PHYL1007 or BIOM2011 or BIOM2012 |
| Psychology | NEUR1020 or PSYC1030 |
If an applicant has results pending in the semester of application, the results will not be included in the selection process.
Prior to applying, applicants should ensure they will be able to meet placement requirements outlined on this website.
Student visas
International students who are accepted into full-time study in the Master of Occupational Therapy Studies are eligible to apply for an Australian student visa (subclass 500).
There are a number of requirements you must satisfy before a visa is granted, including the genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement.
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
AUD $31,680
Indicative annual fee 2022
This indicative annual fee is the average cost of enrolling in the Master of Occupational Therapy Studies at 2022 fee rates. It is calculated based on a standard full-time study load (16 units per academic year).
The average fee would be less for part-time study. Actual fees will vary according to your choice of courses, their unit value and the time you take to complete this program. Fees may be higher in later years as all fees are reviewed annually.
AUD $48,176
Indicative annual fee 2022
This indicative annual fee is the cost of enrolling in the Master of Occupational Therapy Studies for the 2022 academic year. It is calculated based on a standard full-time study load (16 units per academic year).
If you enrol in a larger or smaller study load, your fees will be calculated on a proportionate basis. All fees are reviewed annually.
Additional costs
- Annual CPR re-certification (approximately $60 per year)
- Students are expected to fund travel and living expenses associated with placements, some of which may be outside the Brisbane metropolitan area.
- Senior First Aid Certificate (including CPR) (approximately $155 renewed every 3 years)
- A clinical uniform shirt is required and may be purchased from the School.
- Costs for vaccinations and serology are the responsibility of the student and will vary based on individual and program requirements.
Government assistance
Financial aid
As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.
FEE-HELP
Domestic students who are accepted into the Master of Occupational Therapy Studies pay tuition fees.
FEE-HELP is an Australian Government loan scheme to assist eligible students with the cost of their tuition fees.
Centrelink support
The Australian Government has approved this master's program for income support payments to be made to eligible students.
Scholarships
Make your university experience more affordable with a scholarship. Opportunities include:
How to apply
Applying online
All international applications should be submitted to UQ. If you prefer, you can use an approved UQ agent in your country.
The program code for the Master of Occupational Therapy Studies is 5147.
Find out more about applying for postgraduate coursework study
Applying online
All domestic applications should be submitted to UQ.
The program code for the Master of Occupational Therapy Studies is 5147.
Find out more about applying for postgraduate coursework study
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 2 - April 30 of the year of commencement.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Important dates
The closing date for this program is:
- To commence study in semester 2 - April 30 of the year of commencement.
To learn more about UQ dates, including semester start dates, view the Academic Calendar.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
For support with applying - or if you have any questions about Uni - get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit.
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