Master of Occupational Therapy Practice
Already have a degree and want to become an occupational therapist? The Master of Occupational Therapy Practice is your fast-track into this rewarding healthcare career.
This two-year master's programme is specifically designed for graduates who want to change careers and become occupational therapists. You'll learn to help people fully participate in everyday living, using an occupation-based approach with knowledge of occupational therapy and Te Tiriti o Waitangi embedded throughout.
You'll learn by doing, with over 1,000 hours of fieldwork placements giving you hands-on experience with real patients and healthcare teams across different healthcare settings. The programme helps you develop practice inquiry skills and become a lifelong learner. When you graduate, you'll be eligible to register with Te Poari Whakaora Ngangahau o Aotearoa | The Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand and start making a real difference in people's lives.
This programme brochure will be available soon.
Minimum entry requirements
- Must have completed a relevant bachelor’s degree with a B+ grade average (GPA 6) or higher in courses at level 7; or equivalent
- Must be capable of meeting the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act (HPCA 2003) and Children’s Act (CA 2014) requirements, including police clearance
- Immunisations must be current as per the School of Allied Health requirements schedule
- Must be able to travel to fieldwork placements
- Applicants may be required to attend a selection interview
- Admission is subject to the approval of the dean or other nominee
International student entry requirements
English language requirements
- IELTS (Academic) 7.0 overall with 6.5 or higher in writing and reading, and 7.0 or higher in speaking and listening; or
- Occupational English Test (OET) with passes at A or B level in the four areas above
Applicants with English as a second or other language who have not completed at least three years of secondary schooling in New Zealand will be required to meet IELTS requirements (see above).
The Master of Occupational Therapy Practice is a full-time programme, with courses from the end of January to the beginning of December. You’re expected to be available 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and should expect to study for an average of 40 hours per week. Timetabled classes are approximately 12 to 15 hours per week.
As part of this programme you’ll complete over 1,000 fieldwork hours, including 250 in your first year and 790 in your second one. Clinical experiences and placements will progress from one day a week to 5 days a week. The programme uses a blended approach with face-to-face and online learning, including block teaching for some courses. Most courses are taught at the AUT North Campus but your fieldwork experiences (Practicum I, II, III) could take place throughout Auckland or in regions outside of Auckland.
Year 1
Semester 1 courses
Between July and November you’ll complete:
- OCTY801 Exploring Occupation for Participation and Inclusion (30 points, includes 60 field work hours)
- OCTY802 Information Gathering for Occupational Participation (15 points, includes 30 field work hours)
And complete one of:
- HEAL864 Contexts of Health Practice (15 points)
- MAOH804 Te Hau o te Ora – Hauora Māori Development (15 points)
Semester 2 courses
Between January and June you’ll complete:
- HEAL865 Health Research Design and Planning (15 points)
- MOAH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
And complete one of:
- HEAL865 Health Research Design and Planning (15 points)
- MOAH801 Māori Health Research Practice – Te Rangahau Hauora Māori (15 points)
- PUBH810 Pacific Health Research and Design (15 points)
Year 2
Full-year course
- OCTY995 Occupational Therapy Research Project (30 points, includes 100 field work hours)
Semester 1 courses
Between July and November you’ll complete:
- OCTY806 Practicum II (30 points, includes 320 field work hours)
- OCTY901 Generating Critically Informed Practice Decisions for Occupational Therapy (15 points, includes 50 field work hours)
Semester 2 courses
Between January and June you’ll complete:
- OCTY807 Practicum III (30 points, includes 320 field work hours)
And choose one of:
- EMGT808 Disasters and Development (15 points)
- HEAL801 Disability and Health (15 points)
- HEAL817 Leadership and Management I (15 points)
- HEAL819 Interprofessional Practice Innovation (15 points)
- HEAL848 Contexts of Health Practice (15 points)
- MAOH803 Kia Tūrama - Māori Health Supervision (15 points)
- MAOH805 Te Pū o te Ora – Māori Health Praxis (15 points)
- MENH801 Enhancing Social Participation in Mental Health (15 points)
- RHAB805 Concepts of Rehabilitation (15 points)
- Or another approved postgraduate health science course with the approval of the programme leader
Ready to enrol in your courses?
Find out how you can enrol in the courses and classes for your programme, whether you’ve just joined AUT as a new student or you’re already studying with us. If you’re looking for a course timetable or more info on a specific course use our course search.
After successfully completing the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice, you’ll be able to apply for registration with Te Poari Whakaora Ngangahau o Aotearoa | The Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand.
You’ll be prepared for diverse roles across:
- Mental health services
- Aged care facilities
- Physical and neurological rehabilitation
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Public and community health
- General practice
- Health promotion
- Child development services
- Educational settings
Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.
All completed applications received before the Apply by date will be assessed and an outcome will be provided as soon as possible.
- Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
- Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay.
- International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.