Course Outline

OCC402 Professional Issues in Occupational Therapy

Course Coordinator:Craig Greber (Cgreber@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Occupational Therapy

2025Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

You will develop an understanding of professional issues relevant to working as an occupational therapist in contemporary practice. The course will explore essential skills for entry to practice, specialised and emerging areas of practice, sustaining a healthy career and contributing to the future of the occupational therapy profession. You will understand registration procedures and the functions of professional bodies (OT Australia and WFOT) and focus on enhancing your readiness to enter practice. Activities will include professional development, career planning, mentoring, and preparation for entry to practice.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Information session – Employability Workshop (in-class, not recorded) 8hrs Orientation week Once Only
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – In-class scheduled workshop (not recorded) 2hrs Week 1 9 times
Tutorial/Workshop 2 – Online scheduled workshops (not recorded) 2hrs Week 1 11 times
Independent Study/Research – StudentLink Mentoring 1hr Week 1 12 times

Course Topics

Topics we will address in OCC402

  • Professional and ethical practice

  • Teamwork, mentoring and supervision

  • Strategic management and leadership

  • Identifying and addressing emerging issues in practice

  • Cultural responsiveness and consumer-focused planning

  • Professional sustainability and growth

What level is this course?

400 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... Professional Standard Mapping * Occupational Therapy Council of Australia Ltd
1 Describe and evidence graduate-level professional competency. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
Empowered
Ethical
Engaged
Sustainability-focussed
Communication
Collaboration
Problem solving
Organisation
Applying technologies
Information literacy
1.3, 1.10, 1.12, 2.7
2 Support the development of self and others for the benefit of the profession and the wider community. Engaged
Sustainability-focussed
1.11, 1.14, 1.16, 2.6, 2.9, 2.10, 3.14
3 Demonstrate the ability to identify and address emerging issues in practice. Knowledgeable
Creative and critical thinker
1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 2.1, 2.4, 2.6, 3.14
4 Communicate knowledge, experience and ideas clearly, coherently and professionally. Knowledgeable
Empowered
Ethical
Communication
1.1, 1.2, 3.7, 4.1, 4.5
5 Adapt knowledge and skills to meet the needs of different individuals in a range of contexts. Empowered
Engaged
1.5, 2.4, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
Occupational Therapy Council of Australia Ltd
1.1 Complies with the OTBA standards, guidelines and code of conduct
1.2 Adheres to legislation relevant to practice.
1.3 Maintains professional boundaries in all client and professional relationships
1.5 Practices in a culturally responsive and culturally safe manner, with particular respect to culturally diverse client groups.
1.8 Adhere to all work health and safety, and quality requirements for practice.
1.10 Practices within limits of her/his own level of competence and expertise.
1.11 Maintains professional competence and adapts to change in practice contexts.
1.12 Identifies and uses relevant professional and operational support and supervision.
1.14 Recognises and manages her/his own physical and mental health for safe, professional practice.
1.16 Contributes to education and professional practice development of peers and students.
2.1 Applies current and evidence informed knowledge of occupational therapy and other appropriate and relevant theory in practice.
2.4 Understands and responds to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health philosophies, leadership, research and practices.
2.6 Maintains and improves currency of knowledge, skills and new evidence for practice by adhering to the requirements for continuing professional development.
2.7 Implements a specific learning and development plan when moving to a new area of practice or returning to practice.
2.9 Maintains knowledge of relevant resources and technologies.
2.10 Maintains digital literacy for practice.
3.7 Reflects on practice to inform and communicate professional reasoning and decision-making.
3.14 Contributes to quality improvement and service development.
4.1 Communicates openly, respectfully and effectively.
4.5 Complies with legal and procedural requirements for the responsible and accurate documentation, sharing and storage of professional information and records of practice.
4.8 Maintains professional collaborative relationships with clients, health professionals and relevant others.
4.9 Uses effective communication skills to initiate and end relationships with clients and relevant others.
4.10 Seeks and responds to feedback, modifying communication and/or practice accordingly.

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

OCC401 and enrolled in Program SC440

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

You will receive early formative feedback on Task 1 in Week 2 and on Task 2 from Week 3 onwards.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1a Practical / Laboratory Skills, and Written Piece Individual 25%
Preparation activities: 10 hours total 
Participation activities: 10 hours total 
These hours contribute to your practice education hours.
Refer to Format Online Submission
All 1b Practical / Laboratory Skills, and Written Piece Individual 25%
Mentoring: 1 hour per mentoring session = 6 hours. 
Mentoring Log completion: 2 hours per mentoring session = 12 hours. 
Mentoring hours contribute to practice education hours for the course.
Exam Period Online Submission
All 2 Portfolio Individual 50%
2500 words equivalent
Week 9 Online ePortfolio Submission
All - Assessment Task 1a:StudentLink Mentoring Preparation
Goal:
You will develop your mentoring skills by completing preparation activities and participating in briefing and debriefing workshops.
Product: Practical / Laboratory Skills, and Written Piece
Format:
Complete mentoring preparation activities during class in your StudentLink Workbook in Weeks 1-9, and 11. See Canvas for due dates and times.

*Formative Assessment in Weeks 1 and 2 to help you understand the preparation & participation processes.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Participate in mentoring preparation activities during your online tutorials.
2 4 5
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 1b:StudentLink Mentoring Participation
Goal:
You will develop your mentoring skills by participating in mentoring and completing your StudentLink Log Book.
Product: Practical / Laboratory Skills, and Written Piece
Format:
Evidence of participation in the StudentLink mentoring program by completing the Mentoring Log and related assessment tasks in the StudentLink workbook. 
See Canvas for specific dates and times.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Describes how the mentoring process has developed the mentee's identity as a healthcare student.
2 4 5
2
Describe how the mentoring process has developed the mentee's identity as a future healthcare practitioner.
2 4 5
3
Provides constructive and objective written feedback to each mentee
2 4 5
4
Completes Mentoring Log to a professional standard.
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:ePortfolio
Goal:
Create a comprehensive, coherent and independent exposition of your values, experiences, competencies, and aspirations as a graduating occupational therapist.
Product: Portfolio
Format:
A professional ePortfolio in PebblePad. See Canvas for specific dates and times.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Professional statement links personal values with career aspirations.
1 4
2
Considers the impact of professional issues influencing occupational therapy practice on personal aptitude for work in various practice areas.
3 4
3
Presents a comprehensive and concise resume linking current competencies and skills with graduate career aspirations.
1 3 4
4
Creation of a continuing professional development plan for your graduate year linking current competencies and skills with graduate career aspirations.
2 3
5
Credible and relevant evidence demonstrating competency for practice against the UniSC Graduate Attributes aligned with the Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (2018)
1 4
6
Professional presentation, clear communication, and alignment across all components of the eportfolio.
4
Generic Skills:
Communication, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Recommended Brown, Bourke-Taylor, Isbel,Gustafsson, & Cordier 2021 Occupational Therapy in Australia 2nd edition Routledge
Recommended Richmond & Powers 2009 Business Fundamentals for the Rehabilitation Professional 2nd edition SLACK Incorporated
Recommended Dunbar & Winston 2015 An Occupational Perspective on Leadership. Theoretical and Practical Dimensions 2nd edition SLACK Inc
Recommended Allan 2019 Law and Ethics for Health Practitioners n/a Elsevier
Recommended Robbins, Judge, Edwards, Sandiford, Fitzgerald, & Hunt 0 Organisational Behaviour 9th ed Pearson Education Australia

Specific requirements

​Students will need to access Canvas and PebblePad for all course requirements. 

Queries regarding assessment will be addressed on Canvas – not by email.  Other issues can be discussed with your course coordinator via appointment during the designated contact hours as specified on Canvas.  You are required to wear the USC OT uniform for any in-class presentations.

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

SafeUniSC

UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

  • In person:
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au