Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy

Where will your degree take you?

The Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program has been designed to prepare graduates with the research, leadership and professional capabilities to collaborate with industry to address current and future practice issues, locally and globally.

According to the Australian Government’s Job Outlook, future growth in the demand for occupational therapists is very strong. The roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in Australia, has increased the demand for occupational therapists in recent years while globally, the focus on helping people to stay at home longer (‘ageing in place’) continues to drive demand for professionally qualified occupational therapists. The global demand for occupational therapists has also been accentuated by the pandemic.

Graduates will be qualified to apply to register to practice as an occupational therapist in Australia, North America, and many other countries. The Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy is fully accredited in the United States of America with the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).

Research and leadership

Graduates of the Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy may be competitive for advanced leadership and/or management roles in health, education or social care settings as they have developed advanced skills and in-depth knowledge in one or more areas including clinical practice, research administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, or theory development.

Private and public health

Graduates can look for work in either private or public health services. Services in both outpatient and inpatient settings within clinical areas such as paediatrics, orthopaedics, rehabilitation, chronic disease and mental health for example.

Community health

Occupational therapists are highly employable in the following areas:

Workplace health and safety
Primary, secondary and tertiary education
Community health centres
Aged care
Organisations working with physically impaired clients
Organisations working with people recovering from a mental illness
Mental health services
Rehabilitation facilities

Professional accreditation

Bond University's Master of Occupational Therapy is approved by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia, accredited by the American Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and is recognised by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Upon completion of all requirements of the Bond two-year entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy program, students who opt to pursue the Bond Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) if they wish to practice in the United States of America. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).

Upon completion of all requirements of the two-year Master of Occupational Therapy program, students who opt to pursue the Bond Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy are also eligible to apply for registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia, while they are enrolled in the Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program.

Program learning outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes provide a broad and measurable set of standards that incorporate a range of knowledge, skills and abilities that will be achieved on completion of the program. These outcomes will help you determine whether this program aligns with your professional pathway, career and learning goals.

View Professional Doctorate of Occupational Therapy learning outcomes
- Demonstrate ability to develop and apply a substantial body of knowledge within a specific area of research which makes an original contribution to the occupational therapy profession.
- Demonstrate expert skills to design, implement, analyse, theorise and communicate research that promotes the occupational health and wellbeing of individuals, groups, or communities.
- Apply substantial knowledge of research principles and methods to investigate and contribute to developing new knowledge in one or more areas of professional practice in occupational therapy.
- Apply principles of ethical research and cultural sensitivity across all aspects of the research process.
- Effectively disseminate research within an academic setting in the form of a thesis or equivalent and communicate and translate research outcomes to end-users through collaboration with key stakeholders.

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