Master of Occupational Therapy

What you will study

To earn the Master of Occupational Therapy, you must successfully complete units totalling 525 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 25 credit points.

Core units Year 1

• Musculoskeletal Structure and Function
• Allied Health Research Design
• Pathophysiology for Occupational Therapy
• Principles and Practice of Occupational Therapy (50 credit points)
• Environment, Health and Disability
• Gerontology
• Neuroscience Neurodevelopment
• Physical Rehabilitation

Core units Year 2

• Ergonomics and Safety Science
• Neuroscience for Occupational Therapy
• Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Practice
• Paediatrics
• Allied Health Research Project
• Clinical Counselling and Group Work
• Occupational Therapy Leadership in Community Development
• Orthoses and Rehabilitation Science

Core units Year 3

• Current Concepts in Occupational Therapy Professional Practice
• Occupational Therapy Clinical Education 1 (37.5 credit points)
• Occupational Therapy Clinical Education 2 (37.5 credit points)

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, you must meet the following:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, preferably in a health or human science related discipline, and evidence of studies in human biosciences (e.g. human biology) at tertiary level is required.

You may also be required to provide supplementary information with your application, such as a CV of no more than four pages and a Personal Statement explaining why you wish to study public health and what you believe you can contribute to the field.
The CV should include relevant information about Qualifications, Employment history, responsibilities and outcomes, Training and professional development, Volunteer work, Publications, grants and conference presentations, where relevant and one professional referee and one academic referee.

Fieldwork requirements

Students must complete at least 1,000 hours of mandatory fieldwork before graduating, including full-time placements supervised by registered occupational therapists, service-learning and simulated placement activities. 

Before undertaking clinical education, students must satisfy and maintain relevant fieldwork requirements, which may include:

• Essential First Aid certification.
• Approved manual handling training.
• Criminal record screening and clearance.
• Immunisation and communicable-disease screening.
• A Working with Children Check where required by the placement.
• Ahpra student registration.
• Any additional health, legal or organisational requirements imposed by the placement provider.

A current Essential First Aid Certificate must be obtained within four weeks of commencing the course.

English-language requirements

Curtin requires applicants to demonstrate English language proficiency. You can meet this requirement by providing evidence of one of the following:

• An IELTS Academic overall band score of 7.0, with a minimum score of 7.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• An alternative English language test accepted by Curtin, provided you achieve the required equivalent scores.
• An eligible previous qualification or another form of English language evidence accepted by Curtin.

Contact the university or visit its website for more information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Extensive work experience, clinical specialisation or significant publication and research experience may qualify for Credit for Recognised Learning. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

• Apply and critically evaluate occupational therapy processes and models to assess the impact of personal, occupational, and environmental factors on the occupational performance and engagement of individuals, groups, and communities in diverse practice contexts.
• Create, implement, justify and evaluate occupation-focused, person-centred, and strengths-based occupational therapy interventions that improve health and well-being for individuals, groups and communities, demonstrating advanced professional judgement.
• Practice in ways that demonstrate cultural humility and awareness, critically applying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being, and doing, while respecting the cultural, ethnic, and social diversity of all individuals, groups, and communities.
• Develop, adapt and apply therapeutic relationships using effective communication, counselling, interpersonal, and intrapersonal techniques to support individuals, groups, and communities throughout the occupational therapy process, including in complex situations.
• Use effective and respectful interprofessional and interpersonal communication strategies to support client agency through collaborative practice, including leading shared decision-making where appropriate.
• Advocate for human rights, occupational rights, equity and anti-racism in practice to promote inclusive and equitable participation for all people and communities, including influencing service environments.
• Critically appraise, use and contribute to research-based evidence across all stages of the occupational therapy process, including applying relevant research principles and methods, and communicate evidence to clients and healthcare professionals to inform and influence practice.
• Integrate, adapt, and evaluate digital tools, funding models, and legislative frameworks to support safe, ethical, and accountable occupational therapy practice, recognising professional boundaries and managing power imbalances.
• Reflect critically on own practice to continuously improve knowledge, safety, and effectiveness as an occupational therapist, demonstrating autonomy and accountability and commitment to professional standards.

Career outcomes

• Occupational therapist

Graduates can apply for registration as occupational therapists in Australia. Registration is required to use the professional title and practise occupational therapy, and remains subject to meeting the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia’s registration requirements.

Fees and FEE-HELP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $40,352  (Full-fee paying place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• The number of units studied.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.