Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

Students complete over 1,000 hours in Work Integrated Learning (WIL) during the course, in settings including aged care, hospitals, community health, disability and mental health services, primary schools, work environments and private practice. While SCU considers your current residential address when allocating placements, local placements are not guaranteed. You should be prepared to travel to your allocated placement, which may be outside your immediate local area, and you are responsible for organising and covering any associated costs, including travel, accommodation, and related expenses.

Yes, the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy is accredited by the Occupational Therapy Council and is approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. Graduates of accredited occupational therapy programs are eligible for national registration. Graduates are also eligible for membership of Occupational Therapy Australia. Students enrolled in the course will be registered by Southern Cross University with the Occupational Therapy Board as an enrolled student for the duration of their study.

Students can choose an optional Indigenous Health major, available at Gold Coast and Coffs Harbour campuses, which offers the opportunity to build theoretical and practical capabilities in cultural protocols and Indigenous ways of knowing and being, with embedded placement opportunities. Alternatively, students can choose the No Major option, which has a focus on social sciences. All students complete studies in professional areas and biological sciences regardless of their major choice.

For domestic students, the indicative fee is $8,936 for the first year only (Commonwealth supported place). For international students, the annual tuition fee is $26,000 (based on $3,250 per unit, completing 8 units per year), applicable at both Coffs Harbour and Gold Coast campuses. Tuition fees are in Australian dollars and are subject to change, including annual increases over the duration of the course. International students are also required to pay Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of their visa in advance.

The Southern Cross Model is SCU's approach to higher education where students engage in shorter, six-week unit structures designed around immersive and interactive learning experiences. Lectures are replaced with active, interactive and discussion-based learning. On-campus students experience a variety of teaching approaches including lectures, tutorials, online activities and video-linked or podcast virtual classes. The online study option is highly interactive and may include podcast or video-linked lectures, electronic study materials, workshops, online discussion forums and virtual classes. The method of teaching and assessment may vary from unit to unit.