Find out about the Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)
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In response to COVID-19, the University of Sydney has reviewed the availability of courses to be delivered remotely for students commencing their studies in Semester 1, 2021.
Some units of study and/or placements relating to this course cannot be delivered remotely or online for students commencing their study in Semester 1, 2021. You will be required to attend in-person on campus from Semester 2, 2021.
Note: The University intends to offer as many units of study as possible in a remote as well as face-to-face learning method of delivery in Semester 1, 2021 and subject to ongoing border closures and public health orders impacting attendance on campus, in Semester 2, 2021. However, some units of study and courses require students to study in-person at the relevant University of Sydney campus/es and host locations for placements and will not be available remotely.
International students
For detailed information on remote study options for international students in 2021 please read the section below titled 'Options for international students commencing remotely in 2021.'
About this course
The Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) will enable you to support people experiencing disability, injury or with ongoing conditions or needs to manage barriers that may be preventing them from participating more fully in life.
As an occupational therapy student, you will combine theoretical and practical learning with extensive work-based learning to provide a rich environment for professional skill development. Occupational therapists work directly with individuals and groups of all ages and needs or as consultants in a variety of settings including community locations, hospitals, aged care, rehabilitation centres, private practices and in industry. They also work in areas such as early intervention, health promotion, education, policy development and accessibility.
Through over 1,000 hours of supervised work-based learning, you will gain hands-on experience with real clients, learning how to put your theoretical knowledge into practice.
Exciting new changes for 2021
Taking effect Semester 1, 2021, students in the Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) course will complete their degree requirements including the option of completing a major or minor in Disability, Participation and Health. The Disability, Participation and Health minor and major focuses on consumer directed care, community disability services, complex aged care, and early intervention services.
The University of Sydney is a leader in occupational therapy education and by introducing concepts that underpin the perceptions and experience of disability from both person-centred and citizenship perspectives, this new course structure will better prepare graduates to work in interprofessional disability service roles.
Depends on your qualification, citizenship status
Prospective domestic students apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) for a Commonwealth supported place . Refer to the UAC website for key dates. Separate scholarship deadlines apply, visit the scholarships website for details.
For other useful information, visit our How to apply page.
Current University of Sydney students applying to transfer from one bachelor's degree to another apply directly to the University. The exact process will depend on the course you are currently in and the course to which you wish to transfer. For more information visit the Change your course page.
Current students applying to transfer from a diploma to a bachelor's degree must apply through UAC.
Refer to the UAC website for key dates.
Separate scholarship deadlines apply. Visit the scholarships webpage for details.
Semester 1 (March)
Visit the How to apply page for detailed information on if you need to apply directly to the University or through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). If you are a direct applicant, when you are ready to apply select the `Apply’ button on this course page.
Current University of Sydney students applying to transfer from one bachelor's degree to another apply directly to the University. The exact process will depend on the course you are currently in and the course to which you wish to transfer. For more information visit the Change your course page.
Application dates
Direct applicants:
Applications open - 15 March of the preceding year
Applications close - 31 January*
*Offers are made on a first come first serve basis. As places are limited, please note that we will close the online application early when the course is full.
We strongly encourage international applicants to apply as early as possible to allow time for visa and travel arrangements. Separate scholarship deadlines apply - visit the scholarships webpage for details.
UAC Applicants: Refer to the UAC website
Semester 1 (March)
You will follow a prescribed course of study which includes completing a major or minor in Disability, Participation and Health. All students will complete 192 credit points of units of study comprising of: 138 credit points of core units with the option of completing a major (48 credit points) or minor (36 credit points) in Disability, Participation and Health.
If you choose the Honours pathway you are required to complete the minor in Disability, Participation and Health. You will then select the remaining credit points to the total value of your course as electives that may be selected from either Table A for the Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) or Table S, selected from the interdisciplinary shared pool of elective units of study. This allows students to graduate with an embedded major or minor recognising the importance of disability in the future workforce.
You will undertake professional practice during the course of your study. The placements occur during semester time and during recess periods at all level of the course, and are located in both metropolitan, country and, in some cases, overseas facilities.
Refer to faculty handbook for elective choices.
Mandatory work component = 1,000 hours.
This translates to 25 hours for 40 weeks.
This mandatory work component must be completed as part of the award requirements for the course.
Key course details for 2021
In the first year of your candidature, the unit of study OCCP1105 has both theoretical and practical components. To complete the practical components you need to undertake face to face learning either on campus in Sydney or at placement locations in Australia. Under the course rules, you must complete this unit before you can start your second year of candidature.
All other units of study in the first year of your candidature can be completed remotely.
Detailed information about your options for studying in 2021
If you wish to commence your course remotely, you can enrol in and commence the above unit of study in 2021 and undertake the theoretical component remotely along with the other units in the first year of your candidature. However, you will be unable to complete OCCP1105 remotely due to the face to face requirements if you are not physically present in Australia.
If you are unable to enter Australia to complete this unit, you will receive a “result incomplete” grade on your transcript until you are able to complete the unit.
The Faculty of Medicine and Health intends to offer an opportunity to complete the face to face requirements on campus in Sydney in January 2022. You will need to be ready to start classes on campus on 17 January 2022. If you are not able to complete the face to face requirements by the commencement of Semester 1, 2022, under the course rules you will not be able to progress to your second year of candidature in 2022. In this case, you may need to suspend your 2022 studies and commence your second year in 2023 after you have completed the practical component requirements for year 1.
If you arrive part way through either Semester 1 or 2 in 2021, we will try to help you complete the practical requirements during the relevant semester but this may not be possible in which case you would need to attend the face to face “catch up” session in January 2022.
Biology is recommended
Admission to this course is on the basis of the following criteria:
The Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) course does not have a guaranteed ATAR. The ATAR information provided is an indication only and the actual required ATAR for entry may be higher or lower depending on student demand and availability of places in the course each year.
Admission pathways are open to domestic applicants on the basis of equity or other adjustment factors, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. For details, visit admission pathways.
The University of Sydney welcomes and encourages applications from students with disabilities, and from diverse social and cultural backgrounds. Where there are physical, intellectual, cultural, religious or other factors that impact on a student’s ability to meet the inherent requirements, the University will make reasonable adjustments to assist the student to meet the requirements.
For more information about the University’s credit policy, please see the Credit for Previous Studies page.
Work-based learning (practice education) is an integral part of the Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy). These experiences provide candidates with an opportunity to practice skills and take responsibility commensurate with their background knowledge and level of development acquired during the course.
In addition, eligible candidates have the opportunity to take part in the Sydney Health Sciences Abroad program which involves academic study and a four to six week placement with non-government organisations and other development agencies in one of a small number of countries in South and South East Asia. This 6 credit point elective unit of study is available to candidates in their senior years and offers a hands-on understanding of global health challenges in an overseas community through work with two well established Australian volunteer agencies.
The Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) is an approved program of study that enables students to apply for registration as an occupational therapist with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia. Graduates are also eligible for membership of Occupational Therapy Australia and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
Graduates also have the option of changing careers a number of times while staying within the same profession. For example, a therapist could commence a career working one-on-one with teens with spinal cord injury, then work with babies in neonatal intensive care.
Honours can broaden your career options and is your pathway to a higher degree by research in the health sciences. Honours study allows you to specialise in an area of personal interest, develop your research skills and make a significant contribution to the development of knowledge within the profession. You will study under the supervision of an academic staff member.
Honours is available in occupational therapy as an integrated pathway through the final three semesters of the degree. Students will receive an invitation from an academic coordinator to express their interest during the second semester of their second year.
Entry into honours is competitive and based on students' past academic performance. For more information about honours, see our honours website.
Graduates are eligible for postgraduate study in a range of clinical specialty areas in Graduate Certificate and Master-level programs offered by the Faculty of Medicine and Health. Graduates who develop specific interest areas or want to contribute to the evidence base for occupational therapy can take a research pathway and enrol in Master-level or Doctoral higher degree research programs.
