Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)

at University of South Australia - City East Campus Australia

This unique degree offers practice-based and theoretical learning to ensure you’re primed for a healthy career.

During the first two years you’ll explore both nutrition and food science topics, gaining a strong understanding of the key elements of each. You’ll complete group work and research on topics, including environmentally sustainable food practice, in the sensory lab. You’ll get to analyse micro-organisms and explore key topics like food contamination in the microbiology lab. 

Your knowledge will be developed in:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Health in our society
• Human and lifespan nutrition
• Biochemistry
• Physiology
• The chemistry of food
• Food quality and safety
• Relationships between food bioactives and health
• Consumer education
• Influences of the senses on consumer food choice
• Food sustainability

In your third year you’ll specialise in either a nutrition or food science stream.

If you choose nutrition, you’ll get to develop:

• Essential communication skills across a variety of platforms
• Skills to promote good health through food and nutrition in the community
• Dietary and exercise plans to manage weight
• Nutrition for sports, exercise and activity
• Sustainable nutrition choices

If you choose food science, you’ll focus on:

• Food microbiology
• Quality assurance in food processing and manufacturing
• Developing safe, nutritionally and environmentally sound foods for the marketplace
• Food and beverage fermentation

Start your unstoppable career supporting people's health and wellbeing, with a double degree in exercise and sport science, combined with counselling and interpersonal skills.

This unique double degree – the only one of its kind in South Australia – will develop your expertise in physical, social and psychological science. You'll be prepared for work providing counselling to athletes, enhanced rehabilitation services and enhancing the physical health and mental wellbeing of the population.

This double degree can form the first part of a pathway to becoming a practising Psychologist (including sports psychologist) with further study in the Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), and the first part of a pathway to teaching with further study in the Master of Teaching (Secondary).

What you'll learn

This unique double degree will provide you with expertise in the science of exercise and sport, human thought and behaviour. You’ll develop cognitive and creative skills to solve real-world scientific problems and apply your knowledge in diverse contexts such as sports and mental health.  

You'll learn how to provide exercise advice, deliver strength and conditioning services, do biomechanical analyses, and share skill acquisition knowledge to enhance people's physical and mental wellbeing from children, to elite athletes, to older people. 

Your courses in psychology theory and counselling will help you enter the workforce with a strong understanding of the analytical, communication and interpersonal skills needed to work with individuals, groups and communities.

In the first two years, you’ll study exercise and sport science courses, with an introduction to psychology, which will give you a solid understanding of:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Fundamental movement skills
• Skill acquisition
• Physical activity and health

The third and fourth years have a strong practical focus. You’ll develop critical thinking and practice-based skills to:

• Develop influencing skills and intervention strategies
• Gain knowledge of psychological disorders, including their causes and range of treatments
• Study the relationship between psychology and physical activity

In the new Bachelor of Biomedical Science, you’ll explore the complex world of human health and disease under the guidance of industry experts.

In this three-year program, immerse yourself in biomedical research and gain skills to be used in clinical trials. Develop advanced knowledge in physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics. You’ll get to learn alongside internationally-recognised researchers in cancer biology, vaccine development, genetics and neuroscience.

What you'll learn
Along with fundamental knowledge in biomedical sciences, you can choose pathways into further study in biomedical research and other health professions. Throughout your degree, you’ll:

• Explore the complex world of human health and disease.
• Learn advanced skills in biochemistry, immunology, genetics, pharmacology, cancer biology.
• Learn skills which can be applied to clinical trials research.
• Study core courses in chemistry, biology and anatomy, and develop advanced knowledge in physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics.
• Benefit from a flexible learning environment with face-to-face and online courses.
• Gain research experience, which forms a great foundation for pathways in bioinformatics, genomics, and clinical trials.

Pharmaceutical scientists are experts in the chemistry, biology, and biotechnology required to design and develop medicines. UniSA’s Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science is the only degree of its kind in South Australia, equipping you with skills which are globally relevant.

What you'll learn
This degree places a unique emphasis on the development and commercialisation of a range of pharmaceutical products, such as injections, tablets, creams and ointments.

In your first year you’ll develop an understanding of basic sciences. You’ll learn about career development and factors influencing the pharmaceutical industry domestically and internationally.

During the second and third years you’ll focus on:

• Pharmaceutical sciences (including formulation)
• Pharmacology and pharmacokinetics
• Drug discovery, development and commercialisation

You’ll also get the opportunity to fine-tune your study to your own personal interests and career aspirations when you choose from a range of specialist courses during your final two years.

You may choose to specialise in areas such as:

• Research and development (including drug discovery)
• Manufacturing and pharmaceutical chemistry (including quality control)
• Drug development (including clinical trials)
• Business (including sales, marketing, legal, regulatory and drug information)

Designed for students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree and meet entry requirements, this intensive master’s degree will qualify you to practise as a registered occupational therapist with two extra years of study.

Occupational therapists empower people to live full and rewarding lives. They help people of all ages achieve their goals, optimise their lifestyles and actively participate in society irrespective of limitations.

At UniSA, you’ll learn from registered occupational therapists and accomplished researchers at the top of their field. With a strong focus on practical skills, you’ll complete 1,000 hours of field placements across health, rehabilitation and community agencies, children’s centres, kindergartens, schools and aged care facilities. This prepares you for professional practice and a seamless transition from study to work.

You will gain a strong understanding of the construction industry and its key stakeholders. Your studies will focus on building processes and technology, construction law, and building regulations and codes. This qualification fulfils the educational requirements for building surveyor accreditation by the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

This qualification is available online only. It is not available to international students studying in Australia under a student visa and can only be studied from your home country.

The graduate diploma is offered as part of a suite of two programs (graduate certificate and graduate diploma). Each qualification extends to the next. If you decide to exit having completed the first four courses, you will receive the Graduate Certificate in Building Surveying.

What you'll Learn
You will gain a strong understanding of the construction industry and its key stakeholders. During your studies you will focus on:

• The complete building lifecycle, including building and asset management and maintenance
• The Australian legal system and the key principles of construction law
• Common legal issues experienced on construction projects and the paths available for resolution
• Fire technology
• The scientific principles of building surveying in the design and operation of building developments

Communication is critical for building human connections and living a fulfilling life. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speech, language, fluency, and voice.

As a Speech Pathologist, you’ll support and empower people who have difficulty communicating because of developmental delays, stroke , brain injuries, learning disability, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, dementia and hearing loss, as well as other problems that can affect speech and language.

What you'll learn

Speech Pathologists work with a wide range of people across different settings and manage complex and difficult issues. You’ll acquire theoretical and clinical knowledge; as well as hands-on skills to assess, diagnose and provide intervention for children and adults affected by communication difficulties. For example, brain injuries can result in difficulties understanding or producing language, slurred and imprecise speech; and changes to cognition such as attention, memory, and personality.

In your studies, you’ll learn about the role of technology in speech pathology practice. For example, technology for understanding acoustic signals of speech and parameters of voice production, as well as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.

What you'll learn

The Master of Physiotherapy (Graduate Entry) will teach you to assess, treat and prevent human movement disorders across various areas of practice, including sport, musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, and neurological conditions in people of all ages.

The beginning of the degree will cover topics in evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning skills, professional practice skills, the mechanisms and management of pain; and the theory, assessment, and management for cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neurological conditions. A central component of this master’s degree in clinical placements, which commence in the second half of your first year of study, in the area of acute care.

What you'll learn

The Bachelor of Nursing prepares you for placement and your professional nursing career with more than 150 hours of learning in our Horizon Hospital and Health Service. You’ll also complete 1,000 hours in clinical settings across metro, regional and rural hospitals, and health services in South Australia.

During your studies, your learning will enable you to meet the seven interconnecting Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Registered Nurse standards for practice, which include the capacity to:

• Think critically and analyse nursing practice
• Engage in therapeutic and professional relationships
• Maintain the capability for practice
• Comprehensively conduct assessments
• Develop a plan for nursing practice
• Provide safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing practice
• Evaluate outcomes to inform nursing practice

The degree is designed to prepare you to meet healthcare delivery requirements for the 21^st century and respond to Australian and international healthcare priorities and trends including mental health, primary healthcare and healthy ageing. Six integrated themes are embedded throughout the curriculum and represent core approaches which inform contemporary nursing practice:

• Safety and quality
• Cultural safety
• Evidence-based practice
• Professional communication
• Consumers as partners in care
• Teamwork

What you'll learn

Nuclear medicine technologists need to know how to confidently prepare and administer radioactive substances (radiopharmaceuticals), to evaluate the function of an organ or body system and diagnose and/or treat diseases. Throughout your degree, you’ll learn how to work with radioactive substances, and complement your clinical skills with valuable interpersonal skills such as communication and collaboration.

During your first year, you’ll focus on basic sciences at the core of the study and practice of medical radiation science. You’ll cover a range of topics, including anatomy, physiology, pathology and radiation physics. These core subjects introduce you to the scientific principles surrounding medical radiation.