1,000 hours of professional placement
Accredited by the Occupational Therapy Council of Australia
Flexible online learning
Why choose occupational therapy practice at Deakin
Designed for graduates of other disciplines, the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice prepares you to enter the profession as a registered occupational therapist in two years. Through industry-aligned learning, you will develop the practical skills, professional experience and clinical reasoning capabilities to support participation, health and wellbeing across diverse settings.
The course combines contemporary occupational therapy theory with hands-on learning, including 1000 hours of professional placement across hospitals, community health, aged care, schools and private practice. You will develop culturally safe and evidence-informed approaches to practice while learning to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams.
A focus on occupational participation, equity and systems thinking prepares you to respond to complex health and social challenges and advocate for accessible services. You will also build skills in leadership, reflective practice and career preparation.
-
Graduate with an accredited qualification
The course is accredited by the Occupational Therapy Council of Australia Ltd and approved by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.
-
Extensive professional placement
Build confidence through 1000 hours of placement across hospitals, community health, aged care, schools and private practice settings.
-
Flexible online and hands-on learning
Combine online study with practical learning experiences that develop clinical reasoning, reflective practice and professional skills.
-
Learn collaboratively across health disciplines
Strengthen teamwork and communication skills through multidisciplinary and interprofessional learning experiences.
Connected to industry
Deakin’s strong industry connections help shape your learning. Build practical experience in real workplace contexts through work-integrated learning, mentoring and networking opportunities. Industry advisory boards also help shape our degrees, which means what you study is current, relevant and aligned to what your future employers need.
Deakin puts employability first
Career outcomes
Build a rewarding career helping people of all ages achieve their goals and participate in everyday life. Occupational therapists work across health, disability, education, mental health and community settings.
Occupational therapist
Help people participate in everyday activities following illness, injury or disability. Occupational therapists assess individual needs and develop practical strategies that support independence and quality of life.
- $95k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 17.2%
Projected job growth in 5 years
Workplace settings
- Hospitals and rehabilitation services
- Community health organisations
- Mental health services
- Private practices
- Primary and secondary schools
- Workplace wellbeing and rehabilitation services
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. Learn more about our achievements on our University rankings page, or explore our sources page for supporting references.
What will I study in the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice?
You will develop the knowledge, clinical reasoning and professional capabilities required for contemporary occupational therapy practice across health, community and social settings. Through hands-on learning, professional placements and studies informed by occupational participation, equity and inclusion, you will prepare to support people’s health, wellbeing and participation across the lifespan.
Build foundations for occupational therapy practice
Explore occupational participation and wellbeing
Learn how occupation influences health, participation and quality of life across diverse individuals and communities.
Develop person-centred practice skills
Build culturally safe and evidence-informed approaches that support participation, inclusion and accessibility.
Begin professional practice learning
Develop clinical reasoning, reflective practice and research skills while preparing for collaborative and professional practice settings.
Apply occupational therapy practice across diverse settings
Build practice experience through placement
Complete 1,000 hours of professional placement across hospitals, community health, aged care, schools and private practice settings.
Develop advanced occupational therapy practice skills
Learn to support participation and respond to complex health and social challenges across diverse settings and stages of life.
Strengthen collaborative and professional practice
Build leadership, teamwork and communication skills through multidisciplinary learning and transition-to-practice experiences.
Course structure
To complete the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice, you must pass 16 credit points.
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.
Are you a current student? For course information that applies to the year you started your degree, visit the handbook.
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements
Units
Professional recognition
This program is accredited (with conditions) by the Occupational Therapy Council of Australia Ltd and approved 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). Graduates will be eligible to apply for registration as an occupational therapist with the OTBA.
The program has also been developed to meet the expectations of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. Minimum Standards for the Education of Occupational Therapists.
What to expect while studying
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
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.
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.
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
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.
At Deakin, we're committed to ensuring an inclusive environment that supports all students to belong, thrive and succeed. We work closely with students, where needed, to identify potential barriers to participation and where possible, provide tailored support so students can engage with learning and assessment activities.
If you are neurodivergent, have a disability, health condition or mental health condition that may impact your study or participation in university life, and want to know how Deakin could support you, contact our Domestic students (opens in a new window) or International students (opens in a new window) or Disability Resource Centre (opens email client) teams for a collaborative and confidential discussion. This discussion is to support you to make plans for your studies and future career and will not have any bearing on your application to the course.
When can I start?
When you study depends on your course, location and available intakes. Check the table to see when you can start and how study is offered throughout the year.
Your course learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and capabilities you’ll develop and be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate. Built into your course through your units and assessments, they provide a clear picture of what you’ll be equipped to know, understand and do – preparing you to apply your learning with confidence beyond university.
| Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Access and critically evaluate information from digital and other technologies to support evidence-based and evidence-informed occupational therapy practice. |
| Critically analyse and synthesise, information to inform, justify and advance occupational therapy practice. |
| Apply advanced critical thinking, professional reasoning, decision making, reflection and innovation to improve occupational therapy practice outcomes. |
| Demonstrate autonomy in upholding professional standards and maintain currency of knowledge through identification and implementation of self-reflective practices, and ongoing professional development. |
| Collaborate respectfully and professionally within teams, contributing occupational therapy expertise to achieve shared goals and demonstrate initiative and leadership within teams. |
| 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. |
- Award granted
- Master of Occupational Therapy Practice
- Year
2027 course information
- Deakin code
- H766
- Level
- Higher Degree Coursework (Masters and Doctorates)
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$38,000
for 1 yr full-time - Full-fee paying place
Estimated tuition fee
$9,880
for 1 yr full-time - Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
The estimated tuition fee above is based on a typical first-year full-time enrolment of 8 credit points and is provided as a guide only. Your tuition fees are determined by your course , unit enrolment and the type of fee place you are offered. In a Commonwealth Supported Place, your student contribution is determined by the units you choose. For full fee-paying places, tuition fees are determined by your course and the units you choose. Your student contribution or tuition fees will vary depending on your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning. You may be eligible for a Government HELP loan to defer all or part of your student contribution.
Please be aware, there are limited Commonwealth Supported Places available in this course.
Check your eligibility or learn more about a Government HELP loan.
Save 10% as a Deakin alumni
We love welcoming Deakin alumni back to continue their journey with us. If you're starting a postgraduate award course, you may be eligible for a 10% discount on your enrolment fees, applied per unit. It's our way of supporting your next step.
Scholarships
We want to help you excel at Deakin. Our scholarships recognise your dedication and achievements, providing financial support that can ease the cost of living and studying. With less pressure, you'll have more freedom to focus on what matters most – your education and future success.
Apply now
Apply direct
Simply create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal and educational details, upload your supporting documents and submit your application.
Recognition of prior learning
We value your previous study and experience. Recognition of prior learning enables you to get credit for what you've already achieved. When you apply, we'll consider your previous study and experience for recognition of prior learning.